I was recently out buying groceries at the shops when I was approached by a person begging for money so they could buy some food for themselves. I'm reluctant to give any money to beggars as I believe that some will use the money to buy drugs/cigarettes/etc. instead of food.
What do you do if a stranger asks you for money?
I've never heard that. My understanding was that it was more lucky to be generous.
Think it's calked Karma, ideally do a good dead and it will be returned.
@Davo93: Are you aware that if you are homeless you are unable to claim any benefits as you don't have an address!
I'm Vietnamese, Australian-born and we don't share the same "ASIAN" CULTURE. My parents give to beggars all the time especially when we are visiting Vietnam, even though it might be a "scam" its about the "karma" per say in viet its the phuc.
@cho0kie: absolutely not true. You most definitely can still claim benefits when you are homeless you do not have to have an address - it obviously harder to keep up appointments and find work but this can be taken into account. I never give money to beggars (except for overseas because I know their social support systems are not as good as ours)- but I usually have a spare muesli bar in my bag and have only one person accept them when they ask for money for food.
Karma is a fairytale. Do good things to make the world a better place, not necessarily so that it will come back around to you personally.
@syousef: I was waiting for this. I said i think it's called Karma and gave a definition. I didn't give my opinion. I haven't met god yet nor am i ready to, but apparently he's there. Or is that a fairytale too?
I may not believe in anothers way of thinking but do i say it's a fairytale. Cinderella is, yet every little girl has that little belief in good things happening and right outdoing wrong. Is that bad to have hope?
Did i say people believe in Karma to make the world a better place? No. Perhaps people do it so they can feel good rather than be selfish. What's it matter? People are you really so naive? What help a lady across the road and wait for next week when you win the lotto? Come on…
When I do a good deed my reward is knowing that I've made the world better in some small way. I may take some small pleasure in that person's pleasure and some small pride in knowing that I've done something good. That is true whether I win lotto or get struck by lightning the next day. It's called human decency, and it transcends fairytale karma. There is no chance I will be disappointed. There is no chance I will not do good later in life if things do not my way because of it. It is absolutely a terrible thing if your own decency depends on your hope.
@syousef: My comment wasn't referring to just you. I am confused about..your own decency depends on your hope part. Not sure i understand this. I know i am a decent person, i couldn't live with myself not being. While i think others aren't, they probably do themselves. What are you saying? That you shouldn't have hope? Without hope, i think a lot of people would give up on mankind and sometimes i can understand why.
When i do something it is because i want to. Plain and simple. No agenda and no expectations. When you do something kind like a good deed, a thank you is a bonus, not expected but rarely now a days do you get that any way. I am not understanding how decency and hope correlate with one another? How can you say there is no such thing as Karma? How do you know? I don't, so i cant say there is no such thing. Just like how do you know there is a god or not? I would call that hope.. whats wrong with it? Or am i missing your point?
I am saying do the right thing and let the chips fall where they may. Doing the right thing is it's own reward. I don't know how many different ways I can say this.
Karma is the idea that you should do good things BECAUSE they will come back to you. Not that you hope that they will but BECAUSE the universe works in such a way that if you do good things it will come back to you. It simply isn't true.
Don't get me started on god. We'd have to start with which god, what limitations, and why would he/she/it create a world THIS messed up.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/01/stephen-fry…
@syousef: I understand now. I was just trying to understand. At least i want to. Most wouldn't give a ….
No worries. At least you're not obnoxious about it and stuck to the content instead of personal attacks. I am quite happy to disagree with others. It's unrealistic to assume that others will agree or that you can convince them.
lol, yes they can. they still collect benefits, and most of them have free housing.
they actually get a fair bit of money - so where does the money go??? same place your donation is going to go.
What help a lady across the road and wait for next week when you win the lotto? Come on…
i guess there are some people who only help others if they can get something in return. people like Davo93
@tdw: They better hope that the one day they need someone's help that they too are not like them then, i guess.
@milkguru: You have to be eligible for free housing, it's not all that simple. I was always confused about it myself, why there were homeless people in Melbourne so I spent many days & nights talking to a lot of them and volunteering at food vans. I've even spoken to a lot of social workers and spoken to a lot of people at centerlink, once trying to get a 50 year old women housing, and well there are gaps in our system that once you fall in, for example don't have a physical address for x amount of time, you're on your own.
I will admit many of them don't spend the money where you would home them to spend it but some really just need a meal.
Davo93 your culture is (profanity) weird. LOL What crap did I just read?
Nasty.
The words of an Asian culture which clearly lives on the premise of greed is good. Pretty sad really.
Please don't let the minority stereotype our culture, not everyone is like him.
That statement is racist my friend. The Australian economy rewards greed, nothing to do with being Asian.
I would be embarrassed to be Asian if what you are saying is true….. actually not embarrassed, but ashamed.
Its true, but only the rich chinese one believe in that rule.. I wonder how they are so rich, believing in that nonsense?
@spn: They're rich exactly because of that belief. They never give away any of their money so they end up hoarding their wealth.
I'm Asian, but I can't say I've heard of that particular belief in Asian culture that Davo93 mentions.
In fact a lot of the ones I hear involving money are about making sure you include money in any gifts you give.
Of course, that's usually in regards to gifts to family and friends so I don't know what the consensus is on beggars.
The hand that gives is better than the one that takes; the hand that gives with no expectation to get back is better than the one that gives on the expectation that it will get back…
@Davo93:
you simply do not know what gift giving really is then.
You should expect zero in return.
Thanks is the best thing you can get back I think.
You know those standards are looked down upon right? Best to stop replying while you're still ahead unless you're here to collect negs…
"They never give away any of their money so they end up hoarding their wealth." This is quite an untrue stereotype as far as I know.
I have some rich relatives who do give substantial amounts of money away, for charities and medical research organisations. Just because you don't see them giving cash away on the street freely, it doesn't mean they hoard all their cash…
Like Bill Gates for example, he's not going to be dropping $100 notes all over the street but if you have a look at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the amount of money they donate is quite substantial.
@hoju83:
Its funny because my Chinese wife, bought some jar and tells me if I put cleaned gold coins in it, it will bring me more money. Two months later and my income has been increased no joke..
Also just bought a new house and moving in next month and I plan to buy a bigger version of it and hopefully I can turn my six figures into 7 or 8 figures instead..
PS: I still find it nonsense
@hoju83: Hmm I'm Asian too but I have always heard that to stay rich, you give away (part of) your wealth and it will come back to you. Something like that.
my neg just flying to your superstition without me knowing
Asian is not a culture….
I'm Asian and I've honestly never heard that kind of 'culture' you're talking about.
On a side note, I rarely give beggars money because I don't think they'll use it for food but instead for drugs or booze.
I do, however, donate to charity organisations.
We have the same sort of thinking. Chinese culture is heavily based on trust due to the dishonesty being prevalent in China, in the form of corruption/scamming. Therefore it is crucial we trust the person before giving them money. The beggar has no long term interest with us so will 99% blow the money on booze/drugs. In the long run the beggar is actually better off if we keep the money and make better use of it in the future, with a business, for example, employing the beggars. The beggars should be happy we are keeping the money to help them in the future!
@Davo93:thats so true. couple days ago Nanjing Police Deparment appealed to the public that no money shall be given to the beggers in the metro as their investigation showed that the beggers earn 3 times the local average salary just by begging. I have not given any money to beggers ever since.
@maolin95: I'd say that's more an issue with how much police get paid, which then leads to a culture of bribery and corruption.
Are you Chinese? Coz you are hiding behind the word Asian which could point to many races and different cultures…so man the balls up and specify !
I hang around many mates from China and I have seriously never heard of the bullshit you are spouting…
Asian= Chinese?
Apparently SOOOOO!! don't worry about the Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai or the rest of ASIA… according to @davo03 asian is Chinese …..
Just like people say American for USA, China is the powerhouse of Asia. Stop getting your knickers in a twist!!!
Its funny because my dad really hates the Chinese, due to the war he fought in the Vietnam war. I know he goes ape shit when he gets called a Chinese and also goes out of his way to "educate" them that he isn't Chinese.
@spn:
I hope your father realises that not all Chinese people fought against him and the ones who lived in South Vietnam before the war started, were forced to fight in the south vietnamese army as well via conscription.
not sure if trolling.
I'm Asian (Chinese), this is not true and I find it highly offensive for you to rope in all Asians like this… I was always taught that if you have the means you should always help those in need, has nothing to do with culture.
Why would you expect some sort of superficial return like a FB like? Just knowing I helped someone's day a bit is all I need, something like a handshake would be a phenomenal.
That said from time to time I do have bad experiences with beggars. I was buying a train ticket at Sydney central station. Had an older lady come up to me and ask for change to buy a train ticket. Gave her $5 and she just walked off with the money. Begging is one thing but lying to my face like that is another. Lost some faith in humanity there and have never given people money at the station since.
@Davo93 Either you're ignorant or being a massive troll (which is more likely given the ridiculous views you post below).
1) "Asian" is not a culture. Asia is a region with many different countries with many different cultures.
2) There are beggars in many Asian countries and people give them money. So there's no blanket superstition against being charitable.
I am pretty sure, in most Asian cultures (whether Buddhism or Confucian) being kind and generous to others is a virtue.
The reward is in the giving itself not some magic form of karma where something randomly good will happen to you. I feel better having provided a meal to someone than I would if I had just walked straight past. It instantly raises my happiness.
I think that optimises what's wrong with the world now days.
@chaibones: You mean "epitomizes"? We surely don't need whatever's wrong with the world to be optimized - that would only make it worse…
You're lucky my daily negs are limited at 5
You together with Davo's FB comment above, humanity is doomed…
@floppydesk: Haha, Yes. That's what I meant to type. I'm ashamed to say that wasn't even a typo:( just forgot how to spell it lol.
Are you for real ?
Don't you think that good people just do good thing to feel good about themselves ? Honestly do you think that's sound abit selfish ? Don;t get me wrong , I mean you're good , but I just interetested in human side of psychology.
I mean how about if you do something good that make you depressed and feel cheated/ unfair? Like being too generous to some specific known people (purely good-will purpose) for example, but those particular people never gave anything back to you even though you waited for long time. There is nothing wrong with their welfare. They just think that your courtesy is like a wind passing by because next time you ask him he mostly forgot your courtesy.
ps: please neg me all you want , i don't care about ozbargain voting system. Being critical is most important than being brainless-sheep vote obssessed follower who feel that negative vote (no matter what the content is) deserved to be cringed & hated because it just "obnoxious"
Interested in Psychology? Then no doubt you have heard of Festinger. The [extremely] simplified TL:DR for cognitive dissonance is " You have to live with yourself, so part of homeostasis is the self-protection of not really believing you are an arsehole, and finding reasons why."
Dawkin's Selfish Gene is the Sermon on the Mount - quantified.
Are you taking to me? I haven't negged anyone (but am being negged by the mindless neg train lol)
I agree with you though… You describe the cold hard truth in life.
We ARE selfish at the end of the day. We can be altruistic, so that we can feel good about ourselves ("yeah I'm one of the good people in society, cuz I help the homeless."). We wouldn't be charitable if it didn't do us good in the end, this exactly why charities exist.
Good for you. Pfft to neg votes, don't care. Everyone has different opinions, not one is more right then the other. I don't get negging. You don't agree. Ok. It would be a boring world if we were all robots and thought the same.
Meal as in booze and fags?
one time after I was extra generous (bought the man a full subway with a drink and cookie), I got to work and a whole bunch of shit happened.
LOL, I wish it worked like that.
haha… * shrugs shoulder *
karma? No I don't believe in that anymore.
Researchers have found that giving to others improves one mood. Here is a quotation on buddhism & charity.
"The essence of true charity is to give something without expecting anything in return for the gift. If a person expects some material benefit to arise from his gift, he is only performing an act of bartering and not charity. A charitable person should not make other people feel indebted to him or use charity as a way of exercising control over them. He should not even expect others to be grateful, for most people are forgetful though not necessarily ungrateful. The act of true charity is wholesome, has no strings attached, and leaves both the giver and the recipient free. "
why heavy negging? ^just sharing
I know lol…
Most people said that they don't give money, as have I… I've also given a reason, though it was an unpopular one… But who cares of my reason? In the end, the homeless aren't getting money from us anyhow.
I wouldn't call you a bastard. But with that attitude to giving I would call you a terrible human being. You don't give to get recognized/rewarded. Only selfish people do that. You give that other people have, that wouldn't have without you giving. This world is a very unequal place, only if everyone works very hard to change that, it can be changed.
I like your attitude.
It's one I had and lived by, before countless incidents proved to me that the world you describe is an unrealistic utopia, a dream…
This showed me that the world is indeed a selfish place, where it IS a survival of the fittest in the end. It's your loss if think otherwise.
Maybe we can form a OZBargain utopia where everyone is treated equally lol.
Looks like you have given up on a better world. Not good, mate, not good.
tips fedora
I can relate to what you say but i won't change my morals or values because of other people. My luck sucks too but i feel that there is always someone worse off than you, no matter how crappy life gets. I don't expect a reward but i wish people were less selfish and had basic manners. Wishful thinking, i know…
My view. Each dollar i have has a place to go. I would buy the person something. Drink or food, not cash. If i don't have it, why feel bad? I wouldn't be ok with giving money and having them buy alcohol or smokes, no.
You can't "buy" karma like that and expect to get what you want/hoped for. Perhaps next time, your boss or a potential employer sees you doing good. Or maybe that man was able to get back on his feet because of you.
what, you think you should have won gold lotto or something becuase you bought some poor bugger food.
You reward was knowing he had some food in his stomach that day.
Hahaha lol…this story has made my day
I find it better to offer to pay for a meal or buy them warm clothes, rather than giving cash. I've had some VERY rude people abuse me after I offered to buy them a hot meal or some warm clothes. That's a quick way to tell if someone is hungry/thirsty, or craving a cigarette/alcohol/drugs.
ahh!!! spot on.
Once , a lady was asking me for money and was trying to sway me by telling a heart-breakin bait story like she haven't ate for a day or 2. From her skin/weight it looks so obvious that she is a druggie user and she was conscious about this and try to outsmarted me by telling me that her skn/weght is the consequence of her labour & that she wasjust from hospital (I remember she bring quite nice handbag, it's quite silly and very unconvincing if she did that).
I told her , I got no cash left and tell her that I only have credit card/ EFTpos (I truly had no cash at that time because I find it very inconvenient). I politely tell her, if you're truly hungry you can come with me in my house , I got some food left. I told her , I won't do something stupid like giggigty gigigigytty giigiggygugsauft912386987#^&@%#&^!@^%$@&))^@)$&@# (sorry my wiener just got their own hand & just do the typing for a moment) and you can easily report it by reporting it to police if that happen , i'm not horny at that time btw so I purely trying to help her & to get her tummy filled. She politely rejected me , I'm not sure if my face looks like a rapper ElephantMan-ugly raper or she was looking for drugs money.
Why'd you get negged? For telling a story ? What the?
Nice story, but when my wiener takes over the keyboard, I always delete that part before posting.
Just spat out my tea all over the desk when I read the giggigty gigigigytty part…
Here sir take my like =D
I'm more inclined to go to someone selling The Big Issue and support them rather than simply giving it away… I'll sometimes give beggars some gold coins here and there though.