That we don't acknowledge every drug addict that we walk by does not mean that we don't care or are not acting in many ways to attempt to help them. It just mea

That we don't acknowledge every drug addict that we walk by does not mean that we don't care or are not acting in many ways to attempt to help them. It just means that stopping and giving cash every time we pass them is not a helpful approach; giving money to good charities and advocacy for better city policies does much more. I'd also mention that interacting with some homeless people can be dangerous and deadly. I've been attacked a few times while living in SF because I used to have a rule of engaging the homeless as normal people if they approached me, back when I had naive principles; I don't do that anymore, after being assaulted twice, once with a knife. While only a small percentage of the homeless are dangerous, that small percentage really do kill people (3 murders via homeless-on-local violence within a block of my place over the past few years), so anyone can go fuck themselves if you think I'm being heartless for not engaging anymore. Self preservation trumps compassion.