A subject I’ve found interesting lately is panhandlers. I’ve recently started working downtown, so I’ve come across them a lot more than I really ever have before. I find two things interesting in particular: the reasons people decide to, or not to, give some change to the panhandlers, as well as the tactics used by the panhandlers themselves.
This got kinda long, and it is late, so I’ll deal with the first topic now, and probably write something on the second later.
A lot of people are eager to help, but there’s always the concern that your money will be put to ill use; or at least to a use you did not intend for it. The main tactic used by panhandlers is to ask for money so they can buy food. Nobody likes to be hungry, and most of us view food as a very basic need, so it’s easy to see why this is so effective. However, there’s the ever present stereotype that the second you turn your back, they’ll take that money and head straight to the liquor store or a drug dealer. (It doesn’t help when people panhandle outside of liquor stores). Often this can be avoided by simply buying food for them. This can at times even reveal the true colours of the panhandler, if they aren’t satisfied with the food they claimed to have wanted.
Some people will also base their decision on the politeness, or etiquette of the panhandler. Did they say ‘please’? Were they unassuming? Did they give the impression that if you did give them some change, they’d be genuinely grateful?
It seems like the bottom line is this: Do they deserve my money?
When thinking about this… I am reminded of an online game I used to play (Ragnarok Online).
This game had some characters that could heal, and others that couldn’t. As these things would go, if you were a class with the ability to heal, you would often be asked by strangers if you could heal them. This being the internet, the politeness of such requests would vary greatly. When confronted with this, many people would only choose to heal polite players, regarding anything else as “begging”. There was one player I knew (who is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known), however, who had the philosophy of “Will heal, even if they don’t say please”.
I think this illustrates two very different ways of thinking. One one hand, we can think of reasons why we shouldn’t help someone. Or instead, why don’t we think of reasons why we should help them?
I’ve been berated several times by several different people for helping out panhandlers. But, I don’t feel bad for it. I don’t doubt that every single person who asks me for change has an honest need for it. They may choose to spend it poorly, but that is ultimately their choice.
Don’t get me wrong though; everyone absolutely has the choice to do what they want with their money. Even if someone had a strict “no panhandler” policy, I think that’s totally fine. I just think that it’s important, that when presented the opportunity to help someone out, to have an honest look at the motives for what we do.