12-04-2020, 11:37 PM
I've kept out of this conversation because I don't see any homeless people in my regular life, so I felt a little ill equipped to comment. (Yes shocking how things like welfare, methadone/safe-injecting clinics, public housing and public healthcare seem to cut down on the homeless population in an area). Although, I mostly exist in the suburbs and we still have a homeless population here in the metropolitan areas.
My husband recently went to San Fran for work (before pandemic hit) and was mortified at the huge homeless population there. He noted how many of the homeless people seemed very normal, like regular people who had just hit a rough patch in life. It's sad to see that there is not much of a safety net over there, and my heart goes out to those communities. It must be rough, for both those in that position and for those that have to see others there often.
Personally, I like to focus my generosity on the organisational level, because the reality is, is that there are people out there that have dedicated their entire lives to learning how to serve these homeless communities the best way possible. They are able to supply the best resources, and true pathways out of certain situations (such as halfway houses, women shelters, permanent soup kitchens, etc). There are whole areas of academia dedicated to providing humanitarian aid for all types of contexts, (portions of the Creator which lovingly preoccupy themselves with this type of valuable service), and it is an honor to be able to support these organisations. I try to do research on which organisations do the best work, in my limited understanding.
When it comes to the money system, I also try to be conscientious of being anti-materialistic, frugal and investing my money well, so that in the future, if I am able, I will be able to support these humanitarian organisations in a more significant way. So I think balance can be found there in both giving to other-selves, while also enriching the self for STO reasons.
As for personal giving, one-to-one, I think whether one gives or withholds out of love, that it was the right thing to do in that situation. There are no mistakes.
Maybe when Jade offered marijuana to a homeless person, she didn't just "hand over drugs". I suspect she also gave the gift of acknowledgement, solidarity, empathy, perhaps even the gift of true healing. And maybe that was exactly what that homeless person needed at the time. Who could dishonor that?
And perhaps David, on an organisational level, it is completely inappropriate and I understand that. Yet that doesn't take away from the perfection of a single act of kindness. But I do think David that your comment, while I acknowledge the intention of high impact, should have carried a trigger warning. We cannot know the personal experiences of others, and what you said was pretty heavy.
My husband recently went to San Fran for work (before pandemic hit) and was mortified at the huge homeless population there. He noted how many of the homeless people seemed very normal, like regular people who had just hit a rough patch in life. It's sad to see that there is not much of a safety net over there, and my heart goes out to those communities. It must be rough, for both those in that position and for those that have to see others there often.
Personally, I like to focus my generosity on the organisational level, because the reality is, is that there are people out there that have dedicated their entire lives to learning how to serve these homeless communities the best way possible. They are able to supply the best resources, and true pathways out of certain situations (such as halfway houses, women shelters, permanent soup kitchens, etc). There are whole areas of academia dedicated to providing humanitarian aid for all types of contexts, (portions of the Creator which lovingly preoccupy themselves with this type of valuable service), and it is an honor to be able to support these organisations. I try to do research on which organisations do the best work, in my limited understanding.
When it comes to the money system, I also try to be conscientious of being anti-materialistic, frugal and investing my money well, so that in the future, if I am able, I will be able to support these humanitarian organisations in a more significant way. So I think balance can be found there in both giving to other-selves, while also enriching the self for STO reasons.
As for personal giving, one-to-one, I think whether one gives or withholds out of love, that it was the right thing to do in that situation. There are no mistakes.
Maybe when Jade offered marijuana to a homeless person, she didn't just "hand over drugs". I suspect she also gave the gift of acknowledgement, solidarity, empathy, perhaps even the gift of true healing. And maybe that was exactly what that homeless person needed at the time. Who could dishonor that?
And perhaps David, on an organisational level, it is completely inappropriate and I understand that. Yet that doesn't take away from the perfection of a single act of kindness. But I do think David that your comment, while I acknowledge the intention of high impact, should have carried a trigger warning. We cannot know the personal experiences of others, and what you said was pretty heavy.
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