Philosophical Question-Scenario

[32k]

The scenario is this:

You are walking around when a person approaches you. They beg you for $5 (roughly 4 euros, 3 British pounds). You have enough money to meet their request. What do you do? Provide a justification for your action(s).

I'll provide 2 example answers I've encountered in non-media social life:

1.) I don't give the person the money because I earned it, it's mine, they didn't earn it so why should I give it to them? Plus, the time they spend out here begging could be time well-spent earning.

2.) I'd give it to them. $5 is really nothing, and wouldn't hurt me to give away, but could help them. If I have the power to help someone I will.

 

[ChristianT]

I give em $5 because I have MUCH more at home and stored in a bank, thus this random act of charity doesn't affect anything on my part.

 

[Paradoxum]

1) No, I don't know what they will spend it on (eg: alcohol).

2) I can be giving £3 to everyone who asks it of me.

3) Giving consistently to a charity or government program would probably be a better use of money.

I would be more likely to help if I knew I was their only hope. But situations like that don't tend to happen in real life.

 

[Illuminaughty]

Depends on how much money I had at the time and if I was in a good mood or not I really wouldn't care if the person spent it on booze or drugs either. Whatever gets a person through the day.

 

[quatona]

The scenario is this:

You are walking around when a person approaches you. They beg you for $5 (roughly 4 euros, 3 British pounds). You have enough money to meet their request. What do you do? Provide a justification for your action(s).

Usually, I´d give him the money because...err...I don´t even know why I need a justification.
Would "I expect it to make him and me happier." be a sufficient justification?
I´m not sure I understand the philosophical aspect of the issue.

 

[Ken-1122]

The scenario is this:

You are walking around when a person approaches you. They beg you for $5 (roughly 4 euros, 3 British pounds). You have enough money to meet their request. What do you do? Provide a justification for your action(s).

I'll provide 2 example answers I've encountered in non-media social life:

1.) I don't give the person the money because I earned it, it's mine, they didn't earn it so why should I give it to them? Plus, the time they spend out here begging could be time well-spent earning.

2.) I'd give it to them. $5 is really nothing, and wouldn't hurt me to give away, but could help them. If I have the power to help someone I will.

I would offer to buy them something to eat if they said they were hungry. I would never give a stranger on the street money because most people on the street who beg for money who aren't hungry will spend it in a way that I would disapprove of; drugs, alcohol, etc.

Ken

 

[yasic]

Personally I don't see what is wrong with a bum using money to buy some booze, if his life is to the point where he lives on the street, enjoying some happiness through drugs might not be the worst of choices he could make.

As for what I would do: Depends on how I feel and how much money I currently have, could go either way (though usually I would not give)

 

[AlexBP]

Personally I don't see what is wrong with a bum using money to buy some booze, if his life is to the point where he lives on the street, enjoying some happiness through drugs might not be the worst of choices he could make.

The way I see it, a giving a bum money which he'll use to buy liquor or drugs is likely to make him less happy, not more. Like Ken, I'm in favor of giving homeless people food and clothing, but not of giving them cash.

 

[Illuminaughty]

Less happy than having to sleep on the cold street sober or going through withdraws?

 

[yasic]

The way I see it, a giving a bum money which he'll use to buy liquor or drugs is likely to make him less happy, not more. Like Ken, I'm in favor of giving homeless people food and clothing, but not of giving them cash.

What makes you think giving him access to liquor will make him less happy?

 

[Hawisher]

I give him the money, of course. Why wouldn't I?

 

[AlexBP]

What makes you think giving him access to liquor will make him less happy?

Observation of the facts and habits of drunkards. Heavy drinking leads to long, unpleasant hangovers. Further, while drunk, a drunkard often harms himself, destroys property, or gets in trouble with the law.

 

[Jade Margery]

I'm pretty poor right now, so probably I have plans for that five dollars. But in times when I was not so bad off, I always gave a little when people asked if they looked like they really needed it. Moreso I'd give during the winter, when you see a lot of people out in crappy clothes. I don't really care what they spend it on, I just figure that if someone is that much worse off than you then the little you lose by giving them a couple bucks can be a huge amount for them.

 

[keith99]

I would offer to buy them something to eat if they said they were hungry. I would never give a stranger on the street money because most people on the street who beg for money who aren't hungry will spend it in a way that I would disapprove of; drugs, alcohol, etc.

Ken

While in general I agree with yuor position I make an exception.

I will give without being asked when I see someone on the street trying to do something productive to make a few dollars. And that includes picking through the trash at a gas station looking for bottles to return for the deposit money. (Assuming they DO NOT create a mess doing so, if they make a mess they are overall being destructive).

I'd rather help those who keep trying instad of begging.

 

[Illuminaughty]

You can't assume that refraining from giving someone charity will magically heal them of addiction or cause some sort life changing epiphany that they need to get clean.. They will still be an addict. They will simply be one that feels like crap until they finally get the money some other way. If someone is down and out your not saving them by refusing to give them a buck or two. Giving it to them won't make their day any worse either. In fact it would probably make them a little more comfortable for the time being.

That's why I still occasionaly give people a little when they ask for it even if the reek of booze or look strung out. I used to be a junkie myself so I can empathize with their situation.