Why I have no sympathy for "homeless" people...

I understand it's frustrating for that to have happened, but not all homeless people are like that. Sometimes people are just driven to desperate measures when there's nothing left to turn to. I'm not so sure there is much else to say, but I hope you have a better day today =)

 

Many homeless are suffering from mental health or addiction problems and so I tend to try not to be too harsh ....

The one you met sounded like he was still working on his technique !!!

 

Look, I'm sorry you got harassed on the street. That's no fun for anyone and it shouldn't happen. I'm not saying that being intimidated and made uncomfortable by any stranger is right.

But you're taking the actions of one person (who may be an addict or mentally ill and without any way to get help for that, much less a place to sleep or food to eat) and you're using that to lay judgment out on an entire group of people that you don't know. And that's wrong too.

Our society is not very sympathetic to people who are poor or homeless because deep down it's easier to believe they've done something to deserve it. If we believe that only the people who deserve to have nothing fall down that far, then it means that of course we who have what we need, could never wind up in a situation like that. This is a cognitive bias called the just-world fallacy. It makes us all feel safe because we can believe if we're good people then we won't ever fall on too hard of times, but this fallacy also leads us to be unforgiving, cruel and apathetic to people who are just like us and deserve to be treated better.

 

Majority of homeless struggle with mental illness. I have a lot of sympathy for them...

 

I understand not wanting anything forced on you, or being harassed. But I would not give an umbrella term for an entire spectrum of people.

 

A lot of people are homeless. Some deal with it productively, and some break. I'm sure it's a crushing situation for everybody. I'm not saying you should have sympathy for that guy in particular, because he did basically try to con you in the stupidest way possible. But it should be possible to understand his desperation.

 

So where do you ask for or give general support or advice?

I have no sympathy for people who don't know where to post their petty rants.

Can we get a mod to move this to the trash?

 

1. do not make direct eye contact.
2. ignore any requests for money or services unless you personally feel compelled to do so.
3. instead of money, give food.
4. be very careful, unfortunately many people use this a ploy to rob you and get in close promixity to you. it may seem harsh but you are only protecting yourself in the world in which we live

 

Were his underwear outside his pants?

 

These are people who are desperate and dependent and you never know what path led them to where they are. You're entitled to avoid them but not to be a sanctimonious ass. A pathetic number of homeless even in wealthy areas like NYC are teenagers and have been treated like dogs. The city won't even provide enough beds for them. Many are mentally ill or addicts. Some have musical talents and try to get by on that. Just pray you will never end up in that situation, with no one having sympathy for you.

 

Exact words right out of my head, thank you Luthan.

As for you Ryan, I must say; I volunteer at The Salvation Army every week, I go there all the time, not for religious reasons, nor selfish reasons, but to help out, plain and simple. I met quite a few homeless people in my days there, some like the one you encountered recently to the ones that really struggle and have nothing, I help for THEM, not the ones who do not appreciate our service.

 

It might do you some good to do some work at a shelter so you can meet a wider range of people affected by such a hard life and begin to understand the struggle and suffering involved.

 

I've seen homeless people run the spectrum. I've had a woman hit me up for money seven times in the last four years - every time, she's "eight months pregnant". I had one guy give me a hard-luck story, and when I gave him $20, he thanked me profusely and swore he'd pay it forward..."paying it forward" ended up being hitting me up for money again the next day. I had one guy ask me to buy him something at McDonald's, and when I took him to the counter, he ordered roughly $17 worth of food. (I simply said "Oh, I don't have that kind of money. I guess you'll have to pay" and walked away.)

But I've also given a dollar to a guy who thanked me for it the next four times he saw me (without asking for more). I had a guy come up to me and offer to literally "sing for his supper". He said he could sing 80s and 90s R&B, so I requested "Feenin'" by Jodeci. He gave me two verses and a chorus (extremely well), and I gave him $10. And I've had other people be nice to me when I said I had no money to give.

Do the "scammers" give the others a bad name? Sure, I guess. But what are the "good" ones supposed to do? Run them out of the game?

Lex

 

To be quite honest, half of the rants on this site are petty.

Somebody already made mention that it's unfair to make a blanket statement about a group of people based on one experience. What if a straight person made a thread about why they don't like gay people because of one overly aggressive gay person?

It's funny how this forum is here for support for people that just want to be accepted by society and someone makes a thread about not having sympathy for someone who needs help.

Instead of having tolerance and understanding a man's disposition in the world, we now have a bunch of people saying why they hate homeless people.

 

I don't think it's ever healthy to have "no sympathy" for anyone. That's the whole reason we're all here grasping at whatever acceptance and community we can get. Because the general population doesn't have sympathy for us. I don't think any of us would care whether or not our sexual preference was accepted if we were on the brink of starvation. It's all part of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. We have the luxury of seeking emotional fulfillment. I'm sorry you felt used, but try to remember how you feel when someone doesn't care about you. Anyway, hope your day got better.

 

Please don't form a broadly based condemnation on the homeless. Many are homeless because they are mentally ill. Many of the new homeless people are ex-military personnel who have served at war and now, the growth of homeless of the young family, often at no fault of their own but the fault of greed our society now holds. Money first, stuff all the consequences.

Once you're on the street, it is extremely hard to get back.

 

Um...well...While I can appreciate you not wanting to be harassed..having been homeless, please don't judge all.
I was living out of my car, stayed on a friends couch, slept over at my gf's parents house and finally I got a job that gave me a place to live. I did everything legal to get money. Its really hard.
Don't judge all homeless people.