Beggars, who are so-called tramps by Americans, have always been a focus to the public. They are usually described as the group who needs financial help. However, with the news emerging about how beggars use strangers innocence and trust to get the money, the answer to whether to give this financial support floats.
In this article From AOL, a man from Kentucky pretends to be a mental disability by sitting on a wheelchair and wronging his hands, asking strangers passing by for contributions. A reporter from NBC found he was faking and surprisingly, by doing this he makes $100,000 a year. Certainly, this man not only used the sympathy of those passerby who believe in that he was going through something extremely terrible but also he took advantages of the beggars who really need help. Somehow, is it the reason that we should just use ignorance to those who taking out their hands?
There has been many discussions and arguments between the “yes” and “no” to the question. According to the debate provided by Debate, the answers to if people should give money to beggars have been supported unevenly. There are more negative attitudes than positive ones. People who choose not to give the money focus more on the negative but real consequences that might happen such as ‘they would only buy drugs’ or ‘helping them would make them lazier’. Under comparison, those who keep the positive attitudes focus more on the causes and how they feel about the move of giving beggars money. For instance, some of the supporters hypothesize that the beggars might be from a poor family or they could not get food. What is worth mentioning is that there are exceptions go ‘ I feel blessed if i give them money’.
The article by Ole Martin Moen simply suggests that every dollar we make is worth its value and the more dollars we give to beggars, the more lucrative we make begging. In other words, the aim of helping them that encouraging them to create a better future by themselves would not be fulfilled by giving them money straight away. In reverse, it makes it worse. Also, Steve Doughty from dailymail highlights strongly that according to Thames Reach Organization, the money gained from the anonymous generosity by beggars will only be spent on drugs. The words might be a little too terminus, somehow, the results shown are definitely not what we expect.
In contrary, the choice of giving money are made from the perspective of the actual and urgent needs of the beggars who might suffered from hunger, illness or other compulsory life cost. Being confronted with those needy people, the money given to them represents the willingness of donators to do the contribution. Derek points out that there is the idea that giving a beggar 50 cents to make the donators themselves feel better, not just the are making an inherently justifiable donation. Additionally, based on the survey I did my self, most people who think that they should give money because they think there is a possibility that the money would change the beggars’ temporary but harsh circumstances that they meet.
What can be clearly seen here is that the ideologies behind the choice made are different. Refusing to give the beggars money stands for the concept of consequentialism, which means that the idea of focusing more on the consequences. The fact that they chose not to give the money does not mean that they want to be selfish but to create a hard circumstances for the beggars so that they could be in a better life by their own hands. People with this idea are more rational than those who tend to be willing to give money to beggars, and the people choose to pull the coins out of their pockets are mainly for idealism, the concept of following hearts. They give beggars money because they want to help badly at this moment. In a word, these two groups of people holding different opinions have their sensible reasons to make the choice.
To conclude, there is no right or wrong of choosing to or not to give money to beggars. Although there are people ending on the street who absolutely need help, people should be aware of those who want to make benefits by using sympathy and make their own choice regardless of what others would think.
References
Dounghty, S. (2010). Don't give to beggars, they'll only buy drugs, warns homeless charity. Retrieved September 27, 2013, Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339943/Dont-beggars-theyll-buy-drugs-warns-homeless-charity.html
Moen, M. O. (2012). Don’t Give Money to Beggars. Retrieved September 27, 2013, from http://blog.practicalethics.ox.ac.uk/2012/09/dont-give-money-to-beggars/
Schepp, D. (2013).Ky. Beggar Brags He Makes $100,000 A year Faking Mental Disability. Retrieved September 27, 2013, from http://jobs.aol.c/articles/2013/02/28/gary-thompson-beggar-disability
Thompson, D. (2011). Should You Give Money to Homeless People? Retrieved September 27, 2013, from http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/03/should-you-give-money-to-homeless-people/72820/
10 links
1.How much money do beggars make?
2.Don’t Give Money to Beggars
3.Don't give to beggars, they'll only buy drugs, warns homeless charity
4.Do You Feel Guilty After Refusing To Give A Beggar Money? - Nairaland / General - Nairaland
5.Beggar forced to ask for money because he says he is barely getting by
6.Ky. Beggar Brags He Makes $100,000 A Year Faking Mental Disability
7.Should You Give Money to Homeless People?
8.Should people give money to beggars?
9.beggars belief: How the fake homeless are raking in more than £20,000 a year
10.How to Deal With Beggars Asking You for Money
