2 ms·

I have a friend who was well off and was very much against handouts for most people. He would go on about people needing to get a job, pull themselves up and h

I have a friend who was well off and was very much against handouts for most people. He would go on about people needing to get a job, pull themselves up and how not finding work was a lazy man's excuse. Then he lost his job, house, car, dog and health in less than a year and even had to move back in with his parents. Amazing how his opinions have changed now that he is the one who despite his best efforts is struggling to just barely get by. He still feels you should make your own way, but now realizes it can be much harder than it sounds. The "go get a low paying job" safety net is not what it once was. People these days really need to get creative and find new ways to generate income.

zacharypinter 16y ago
It's a tough issue. I rarely oblige anybody asking me for money on the streets. If they ask for food, I don't mind buying them a meal, but just giving out money doesn't sit well with me. If I could give somebody $50 or $100 and know that it would be used to make their life better, I'd do it without hesitation. Might be an interesting field for a non-profit organization?
- MrFlibble 16y ago
  I'm with you on the food thing, being hungry truly sucks. There's a cafe I frequent that gives me a discount and I have bought many a hungry person a meal there. A nice addition is since the staff are friends the person is treated like a normal customer (though one guy kept hitting on one of the waitresses to the point of it not being funny anymore).
alexitosrv 16y ago
A couple of months ago I was there: a failed project, no job, no money flowing in by almost 5 months, and albeit of being moderately competent by several measures, I was struggling too as you say. My view of the world has changed a lot because of that period, but the things just are in that way. I still strongly believe that you must find your way up in the ladder, but things are not easy. In the meanwhile I did my best to try alternative strategies. At the end, thanks to God I was able to find a great job at a German company which happened to have a research center in my country, and the things are recovering. I saw the tip of the iceberg, and it was scary.

zacharypinter 16y ago

It's a tough issue. I rarely oblige anybody asking me for money on the streets. If they ask for food, I don't mind buying them a meal, but just giving out money doesn't sit well with me. If I could give somebody $50 or $100 and know that it would be used to make their life better, I'd do it without hesitation. Might be an interesting field for a non-profit organization?

MrFlibble 16y ago
I'm with you on the food thing, being hungry truly sucks. There's a cafe I frequent that gives me a discount and I have bought many a hungry person a meal there. A nice addition is since the staff are friends the person is treated like a normal customer (though one guy kept hitting on one of the waitresses to the point of it not being funny anymore).

alexitosrv 16y ago

A couple of months ago I was there: a failed project, no job, no money flowing in by almost 5 months, and albeit of being moderately competent by several measures, I was struggling too as you say. My view of the world has changed a lot because of that period, but the things just are in that way. I still strongly believe that you must find your way up in the ladder, but things are not easy. In the meanwhile I did my best to try alternative strategies. At the end, thanks to God I was able to find a great job at a German company which happened to have a research center in my country, and the things are recovering. I saw the tip of the iceberg, and it was scary.