Exiting off of the interstate during one of your commonly traveled routes, you spot a panhandler. Maybe you speed up, hoping to get through the light, but no. The light changes to red, and you have to slow down and stop while a stranger with a sign stares at you.
I find this to be immensely uncomfortable. I was taught not to give money to panhandlers. And i continue to refrain from doing so, but for my own reasons. The reasons i learned growing up were a) the money hurts instead of helps them b/c they spend it on booze or drugs instead of food, and b) the existence of career panhandlers who actually are not actually homeless. Personally, i think b) is pretty unlikely because the patience and stamina it would take to make enough money to live on by begging probably represents a person with ambition and motivation enough to get by in a less humiliating way.
My personal reasons are 1) i already give money to reputable causes, and 2) i really dislike being emotionally manipulated.
And that’s what it is – emotional manipulation. Here is a poor person on the side of the road, often with an amputated limb. You’re supposed to feel pity for this person, and we do, which is fine and normal. However, that pity will induce you to feel guilt unless you give them money. Usually the person also has a sign indicating he is a Christian, “God bless,” or “Jesus cares” or similar. which serves to even further manipulate you, as the implication is that God WANTS you to give money to this person.
The emotional manipulation seems very dishonest to me.
I’m aware that there exist people who are genuinely just down on their luck and need money, and maybe some of them are out there at the busy intersection. But it feels like a scam. So no matter how long they stare at me or try to talk to me through my closed window, i am going to lock my door and not give money to panhandlers.