So, to get this out of the way, I'm a cisgender white man from a well-off family in a fairly affluent town. I'm making this post because I want to hear perspectives from those who are different from and likely significantly more knowledgeable than me. (Literally as I was writing this post, I came to the epiphany that I should probably more properly educate myself on socialism.)
TL;DR: What is your opinion on giving money to houseless people you see IRL?
I like to consider myself socialist/progressive in thought---in favor of wealth redistribution via various methods, live and let live, freedom for everyone as long as you're not materially harming anyone, etc.---but I grew up in a fairly conservative household (more socially than fiscally, but even then). Being in a rich area, I never really saw houseless people around unless I went to one of the nearby cities, and the general policy was keep walking and don't look. My parents definitely raised me to be kind and generous, but more in a detached "give to charity" way.
Rather recently, I've really embraced this idea of being socialist, and I've become very free with giving my money in particular (though I'm aware I could do more, like join a DSA branch or somethin'). I love giving to non-profit organizations when I can, I support creators I like on Patreon. I've even started giving to people on Fedi who I've seen need money for whatever reason. Spread the wealth, right?
Now, things have changed where I live, and even in my rich lil burb, you can usually find at least one refugee or houseless person when you go out to a grocery store or something. I just saw a guy who was standing outside a grocery store asking for spare change, and it was a rare occasion that I actually had cash in my wallet. On my way out, I gave it to him. Simple.
But I feel weird about it. I have all these ideas in my head from White America saying that they'll just buy alcohol or drugs with it or that they're scamming me or anything else like that. Then on the other hand, I think that it's just as likely (if not more) that they're going to spend it on things they actually need to live and how it's not my job to police how they use their money. And then on the third hand, I think that maybe it would be better to donate money to organizations that help out houseless people than just giving money to random people. Then on the fourth hand---you get the idea.
For those of you who actually read the whole post and didn't stop at the TL;DR, I have a few questions:
- Why in God's name did you actually read this whole thing?
- Are these feelings normal or am I just a self-centered prick?
- What are your opinions on giving money to houseless people you just randomly meet?
- As a bonus question for the socialists out there: Any recs on socialism learning resources for someone who likes reading, but doesn't like reading books?
For those of you who made it all the way to the end, thank you for reading my neurotic ramblings.
EDIT: I didn't really expect this to blow up... but thank you all so much for your perspectives on everything. It was exactly what I was hoping for and exactly what I didn't think I was going to get. I tried to read everything and I feel simultaneously less conflicted, but definitely more... not confused, but maybe full of ideas?
It's such a popular myth that people asking for money are somehow scamming people, or that they're making more money than having an "actual job", or whatever. The "yeah I guy I know said he saw a panhandler pack up his stuff and hop in a BMW and drive off" urban legend is pervasive.
I think so many of these ideas are ways for people to assuage the cognitive dissonance of living in a so-called "rich" country, or "best country in the world" or whatever, and then seeing people suffering. They don't want to believe that circumstances out of one's control can cause people to end up like that. They have to believe that poor and homeless are either faking, scamming, or otherwise ended up there by their own stupid/irresponsible/ignorant/whatev choices. Otherwise it shatters the illusion of paradise.
Thing is, regardless of what so many think, poverty and homelessness aren't the result of individual choices. They're systemic choices. They're social choices.
Sure, maybe Frank spent all his money on gambling and lost all of the rent money. Maybe Alice lost everything on some MLM that her friends said was a guaranteed win. Even so, why did they feel like they had to do these things? Because our capitalist society prizes money over everything. First, by the fact that you literally die without it. Second because it's a status symbol. It shows you've "made it." It forces people to do desperate things just to survive. They wouldn't be in those situations if our society didn't push them to it.
Also, who tf is going to pretend? Why would someone willingly stand out in the heat or cold, tear their clothes, rub themselves down with dirt, etc. and then beg from people who do nothing look down on them and scorn them? No one is out there pretending to be homeless raking in $70K/year.
So someone ends up homeless. Maybe they had a car before becoming homeless that they'd paid off, so they were able to keep it. They're probably living out of it. They might have also had a phone, tablet, or other personal electronics. Selling your car and your phone isn't going to net you enough to stay in your home when it comes down to the wire. And if you're facing having to live on the street, then why not have something, anything to hold on to. So even if the "panhandler got into his Beemer" myth were real, so what? People's circumstances change.
Which goes to another point: people expect performative poverty from the poor and homeless in order to believe they're "worthy" of help. "Well, if you have an iPhone you must not be hurting that bad" is such a common idea, and it's so, so completely wrong. When then follows along to the idea that you (the collective you), get to judge who's worth of help. You get to decided who needs it enough. You get to decide what they should or shouldn't use the money for. It's a punitive paternalism. And it dovetails also into the idea that so many people hold, that they cannot possible support universal healthcare, universal childcare, UBI, or anything like that, because someone, somewhere, might get something they don't "deserve." Which is a horrifying way to construct a society.
We regularly talk about "earning a living", without realizing that this phrase literally means that you don't deserve to live unless you can prove it.
I'm of the idea that you should never have to pay for the things that you would die without: food, water, shelter, healthcare. Those are literal human rights that should never be gatekept. And a society can make that happen. We have the ability and the resources to make that happen. And every day that we choose not to is an atrocity.
So, to bring it back around: if someone is asking for help, handing them a bag of goodies, or your leftovers from dinner isn't helpful. You don't know their needs more than they do. And cash is the best way for them to get exactly what it is they need. And if they spend it on drugs or alcohol or a lottery ticket or whatever other supposedly friviouls thing? Makes no difference to me. Maybe that's what they needed in that moment. That's not for me to decide. They need help, and if I can, I will.
We absolutely need to address the societal and structural issues that drive poverty. But NGOs and NPOs are only in it for themselves. They care about maintaining their organizations. Solve the problems, and then there's no need for them. That's not a world they want. NPOs cannot and do not help. Coming together to fight for a better world, getting involved in local politics, finding actual socialist candidates and supporting their campaigns, joining unions, finding ways to fight capitalism, those are the things that help. But in the meantime, the symptoms have to be treated as well, and that's were mutual aid comes in. Helping each other and lifting each other up as best as we can.
Thank you, this is exactly how I feel about it and nails the point. I never understood how a country can call itself "the greatest" while allowing people to literally starve and die in the streets. It's shameful.
There is SO much evidence that giving homes and/or money to homeless people works. This is literally just a couple of examples, but there are tons of articles and research on it.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/americas/direct-giving-homeless-people-vancouver-trnd/index.html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/homeless-housing-first_n_6956962
It comes down to a CHOICE. We, as a society choose to let people suffer because capitalism requires winners and losers. It requires the working class be terrified of losing its grip and be willing to give up negotiating for better pay or working conditions. This means: letting poor and homeless suffer.
Look at what happened during lock down. When workers who could work from home were able to, there was a mass shift in life and priorities. Suddenly "your work is your life" rang extra hollow.
All these businesses pushing "return to office" are doing so because allowing workers to realize their power and push for change doesn't benefit their real estate portfolio. The wealthy are terrified of losing their grip.
The worst part is: the method that's employed is capitalist propaganda, and it's carried out by your parents, grandparents, family, friends, etc. The whole idea of allowing a small number of people to accumulate staggeringly massive sums "because they earned it" is so contrary to social animal nature that it has to be embedded into your brain, like religion from a young age.