I have given money to beggars and addicts alike when I have had some money in my wallet to spare. As a consequence, although I am not rich, I never seem to want for anything either. The wisdom of the universe has given me a magic purse that always seems to have just enough in it.

I do not judge the position of others. Many people fall into hard times through no fault of their own and a little kindness can often make a huge difference.

The person I most remember when talking about these things, is the man who one day approached me on the street of a large city. He asked me to buy a friendship bracelet from him for $1. It was a woven band of coloured thread that tied around the wrist. I told him I was sorry and that I didn’t have any money. He looked at me suspiciously and asked to look in my wallet. I did show him as I was telling the truth and I didn’t have a penny. He looked surprised. He walked a small distance away and watched me. I was waiting for my children to come out of a store. He then came back and gave me the bracelet and $2 for a bus ride. Al though I explained that I didn’t need either, he insisted and was pleased to be able to do this for me unasked. Kindness costs nothing and it comes back when we pass it onto others freely.

Second, we must wonder what you mean by addict. Many layers of use/abuse exist.

I cannot use my heart in theoretical ideas; this is a mental exercise, as such, there can be no compassion-based answer.

I am sorry to hear about your childhood. It sounds like you had a rough time.

I’m not sure I understand why, having been through some tough time yourself, you would not want others to lend people a hand when they are down?

Could you please share your thoughts?

TDM

“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.” – Herman Melville

That quote goes the other way as :

“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the rich by the well-stranded, well-frozen, and well-starved.” – Rav

If you think that the poor should be given money you are very wrong. I was poor. Very poor. I did not have food to eat when I was 5. No Mom, No dad. People physically abused me, and sexually abused me when I was little. However, I determined that I will overcome all those one day and I did. You came to this world with a brain. If you did not come with a brain then you should be helped, in that case you would be in a hospital locked up where the help be given to you with our tax money. If you have brain to out to the world and stay safe of not getting hit by a bus then by no means you should be given money because you are destitute. You should become productive like all others using the brain given to you, at least you should take care of yourself without becoming a burden to the others.

So, long story short, if you have a brain that is capable of messaging you of safety, and understanding of the meaning of “yes” and “no” then by no means that individual be given anything for the sake of sympathy unless the person is productive to himself or herself.

If your brian is mal-functioning then you won’t be begging becuase the authorities would already take to you the hospital and lock you up with the tax money that I spend.

The more I think of the argument, the more angles it can be looked at. It would likely to be impossible to hold the money back from a family needing food. While it creates a moral dilemma to give money to a drug addict, it could prevent him from assaulting someone to obtain the money anyway. It is also possible that given the money he could buy more than normal, ending up dead from an overdose.

Not long ago while staying with a friend, I gave money to a lady in a wheelchair sitting in a parking lot with her cardboard sign. Later that day, sitting in the same wheelchair was a man with the same sign. I initially had to chuckle at the enterprising couple’s technique but after a little thought realized that they were likely the cause of someone who desperately needed a hand up not getting it.

That’s the problem with ethical questions, they force us to make judgments we might not want to.

Namaste

I do bring an interesting point and it is a touchy subject for some and also a decision that each one of us would make differently.

But on the idea of weighing out good and bad. I do think that at times we do need to strive for the greatest good. We cannot change everything, gotta make do with what is on hand.

Thanks for stopping by.

TDM