My thoughts on this is that on the topic of begging for instance is that unless You have been in that situation before moreoften than not you will not give that person money. Like Sailor Steve, i have, many years ago been in a pretty bad situation but, luckily i had family and friends to get me through the bad trot.
Keep in mind that a lot of the beggars or street urchins or whatever you want to call them do not have the support of loved ones. Sure, you may argue that, like Sailor Steve you do have a choice. A choice of going to a refuge for food or the local welfare agencies for food vouchers or such, etc etc.
Easier said than done. Not everyone has the capabilities or means to do that.
Unless you can "relate" to a person being in the dumps, and possibly begging for money or food then it is always difficult to understand and easier even to ridicule and wave away.
On a side-note, what do we class a beggar? Someone purely who is dressed in rags and is filthy and sits on the corner of a street? Or someone who offers entertainment, like a busker or somesuch and has a hat for any donations for his 'services' for want of a better word?
Are we stereotyping the word beggar? Or are we being technical? Because you can be forgiven for thinking that both examples above can be classed as beggars, even if you are performing or such in a mall.
On a sidenote=i do donate to less fortunate souls than myself, because i know all too well what it is like to be down in the dumps.
HOWEVER, i also believe we as a society need to do more for our fellow citizens, the state governments and federal ofc take the full brunt of the responsibility in this.
The gap btw rich and poor has always, and always will be a issue, which does not help the average 'beggar' off the streets.
On addressing the thread title in general, i absolutely believe that we have always been a race where we are quick to judge, quick to ridicule and quick to condemn.
Nothing new there. The weak get weaker, the strong become stronger, most of us stronger ones couldn't give a rat's arse about they guy who just lost his job, lost his wife, lost his kids and lost his savings because some a**hole broke into his house and murdered his family while he was at work getting the sack!
Ok ok, that's a seriously extreme and disturbing example, but you get my point right?
Hell, we are too absorbed in our own crap that everything else, or rather everyone else is always on the outer.
Even worse when it's disabled people or beggars or 'so-called' low-lives of the society who shouldn't deserve the tax-payer's money because they couldn't be bothered getting off their a**es and getting a job. Pah! Well, if it was only as simple as that. Generalizing each and every street bum and beggar and druggy like that, would be too simple.
But, that's what we do isn't it.
A pathetic race we are indeed.
Too caught up in our own materialistic bull*** to help our fellow neighbour, or the person on the street who needs a guiding light.
Job of welfare agencies or social workers?
Exactly, too easy to pass the buck isn't it?
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