as small as a world and as large as alone, blue-author: thecandypersonofooo: I was saying...

8:25pm April 12, 2014

thecandypersonofooo:

I was saying don’t give money to a homeless person, someone who might destructively spend it. Instead, donate to a charity/shelter where you can make sure they will spend the money on necessities to support the well-being of the homeless.

Yes, and people were telling you that you don’t understand the realities of being homeless or drug addiction. You’re just repeating learned rhetoric that plays on moral panic and paternalistic feelings of superiority over “the less fortunate”.

Look, if you don’t want to give your money to someone who personally needs help because they might spend it in a way that you disapprove of, that’s your business. You make that call. But even if you turn around and give $5 to a shelter or registered charity, you’re not helping *that person*. So if your inclination was to help that person that you saw, you’re not doing that. If you feel guilty about not having helped that person when you could have, you’re fooling yourself if you think that giving money to some group that will help the homeless in general will absolve you of that guilt.

And above all, you should not be dissuading other people from helping other specific people in need when they’re so inclined. It’s their money. Your belief that you need to protect them from making a mistake and protect the homeless from having money isn’t about morality, it’s about moral superiority.

I mean, think about the implications of what you’re saying. According to your view of the world, the homeless should never have any money. Never. They’ll spend it on drugs and hurt themselves. That’s your logic. That’s your argument. If they have money, they might spend it on drugs, and that’s too big a risk to take.

So, how are homeless people ever going to eat anything that’s not provided by a shelter or similar service? How are they ever going to buy anything? How are they ever going to not be homeless?

You’ve basically created a world where the homeless are a permanent class of dispossessed.

You know what? More than half of office workers drink alcohol or use drugs. Are you telling employers that it’s immoral and irresponsible to pay their workers instead of directly arranging for their necessities?

You are such a hypocrite.