Homeless angry after not getting $300 after free lunch

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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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I don't think its fair to say I'm ignoring. I have commented quite a bit on this thread and have tried to understand people. I disagree with others conclusions, and try to explain my own reasoning. To say I'm ignoring seem to be completely incorrect.

Ok, you're not comprehending then.

Also, the idea that you can only understand something if you have gone through it is a common argument for thing that I still don't. Doctors don't need to have had cancer to treat it, and a psychologist does not need suffer from mental instabilities to treat the mentally unstable.

Wait now, I thought you said context matters. So you've gone to extensive educational training and have years of experience working with the homeless? Like a Doctor treating cancer or a psychologist treating the mentally ill? Well obviously they've done it from the comfort of a chair on an Internet forum, well played sir.

Like I said before, I can understand being unhappy, but only slightly because they received a net benefit far greater than what they invested. I don't see any argument for the idea that these people were abused because of the aforementioned.

You're making it obvious that you don't comprehend the context of the situation.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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Ok, you're not comprehending then.



Wait now, I thought you said context matters. So you've gone to extensive educational training and have years of experience working with the homeless? Like a Doctor treating cancer or a psychologist treating the mentally ill? Well obviously they've done it from the comfort of a chair on an Internet forum, well played sir.



You're making it obvious that you don't comprehend the context of the situation.

I have not gone through training nor do I have experience outside of typical experiences. Your point was that I did not understand the homeless and that I needed to do those things to understand them. The idea that I can only feel empathy for someone through being homeless for a day seems unreasonable. I'm also not advocating a solution, which seems pretty strange that you think that I have. I feel like I have been pretty consistent so I'm not sure why you are expanding my argument to a context I did not establish.

Context does matter, and it seems as if you are saying that I am not putting something into context. Perhaps I have not been clear as to what I was talking about when I said the homeless in context were responding with a reaction that did not seem to be equal, but I don't know where I was unclear.

The context of the situation of me not understanding, or the situation of the homeless not responding with a response that I think would be equal?
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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Context does matter, and it seems as if you are saying that I am not putting something into context. Perhaps I have not been clear as to what I was talking about when I said the homeless in context were responding with a reaction that did not seem to be equal, but I don't know where I was unclear. [/B]

You keep repeating the same thing, this was your original post in the thread. Your description of the situation lacks real world context. You are putting the homeless persons in your shoes and comparing them to what you think is a reasonable reaction. Thus, our differing opinions.

The idea that I can only feel empathy for someone through being homeless for a day seems unreasonable.

It's perfectly reasonable, yet...I never said that's the only way for you to gain knowledge of the subject at hand...besides, empathy really isn't what were discussing here...it was context of article.
 
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realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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You keep repeating the same thing, this was your original post in the thread. Your description of the situation lacks real world context. You are putting the homeless persons in your shoes and comparing them to what you think is a reasonable reaction. Thus, our differing opinions.



It's perfectly reasonable, yet...I never said that's the only way for you to gain knowledge of the subject at hand...besides, empathy really isn't what were discussing here...it was context of article.

So by looking at their situation and thinking about what I would do, I have some how missed why I'm confused as to why I don't understand what they did in their shows. But how, in reality, can I do anything other than look at their situation through my eyes. I can attempt to understand, but if the argument is that they have something I can never see, then the only way to ever empathize is to go through the same situation.

Also, I don't feel that I'm putting the homeless in my shoes, but rather me in their shoes. To me its seems an important distinction as I know in my world, I would not be as upset as these people were. I think you might have meant to say what I just said on that part, so I don't have any real issue there, unless you did mean to say that I was putting them in my shoes.

Lastly, empathy is the real issue from my perspective. I don't understand the anger of the homeless, and your argument is that comes from the fact that I cant empathize because its a situation that is too foreign to me.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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So by looking at their situation and thinking about what I would do, I have some how missed why I'm confused as to why I don't understand what they did in their shows. But how, in reality, can I do anything other than look at their situation through my eyes. I can attempt to understand, but if the argument is that they have something I can never see, then the only way to ever empathize is to go through the same situation.

No empathize, comprehend through someone's eyes via experience.

Also, I don't feel that I'm putting the homeless in my shoes, but rather me in their shoes.

I don't think you understand how that works. For you to be in their shoes means you understand from their life, from their point of view, from their experiences what a reasonable reaction is.

To me its seems an important distinction as I know in MY world, I would not be as upset as these people were.

Indeed, it is important, and you're putting them in your shoes, how you would expect them to react if it were you in the same situation.

Lastly, empathy is the real issue from my perspective. I don't understand the anger of the homeless, and your argument is that comes from the fact that I cant empathize because its a situation that is too foreign to me.

Ok, I'm not going to argue semantics. We'll go with empathy. And you're right on this. You're not empathsizing because you don't know what their life is like. You lack real world experience or knowledge to do so.

So in turn, you cannot understand their reaction because you expect them to react like you would.
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
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I wish I was there to watch the scene. It would have been soooooooo much fun.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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No empathize, comprehend through someone's eyes via experience.



I don't think you understand how that works. For you to be in their shoes means you understand from their life, from their point of view, from their experiences what a reasonable reaction is.



Indeed, it is important, and you're putting them in your shoes, how you would expect them to react if it were you in the same situation.



Ok, I'm not going to argue semantics. We'll go with empathy. And you're right on this. You're not empathsizing because you don't know what their life is like. You lack real world experience or knowledge to do so.

So in turn, you cannot understand their reaction because you expect them to react like you would.

So because I don't have real world experience or formal knowledge, I can't empathize with the situation and any attempt to do so would simply be irrelevant and pointless. So then empathy with out experience or lessons in the subject mean it cant be real?
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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So because I don't have real world experience or formal knowledge, I can't empathize with the situation and any attempt to do so would simply be irrelevant and pointless. So then empathy with out experience or lessons in the subject mean it cant be real?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy

Check it out.

Since you're going to harp on this word, go find out what it means. It can mean different things.

With out real world experience, your empathy will be limited.

Pointless or irrelevant? Don't know, will this thread encourage you to go out and see for yourself what others less fortunate than yourself go through? If it will, then I'd say it's very relevant.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy

Check it out.

Since you're going to harp on this word, go find out what it means. It can mean different things.

With out real world experience, your empathy will be limited.

Pointless or irrelevant? Don't know, will this thread encourage you to go out and see for yourself what others less fortunate than yourself go through? If it will, then I'd say it's very relevant.

I understand the word fine.

the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this

The definition of the word is not the issue. I don't need to be someone to understand their actions. Its why we came up with a word to explain that. If you don't know the reason, that fine, but you are saying that you do.

If the reasoning is simply that they thought they would get x and y, and only got x, and nothing was forgone, and that is enough to elicit the amount of anger directed at this guy seems unreasonable.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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I don't need to be someone to understand their actions.

No, but you need to understand where they're coming from, and you won't from your armchair.

The only reason I have an inkling is because my parents were involved in outreaches at shelters. So, we got to know people...

If the reasoning is simply that they thought they would get x and y, and only got x, and nothing was forgone, and that is enough to elicit the amount of anger directed at this guy seems unreasonable.

Seen through your eyes, your viewpoint, your perspective, not theirs.

Your statements do not indicate you understand that word just fine.
 

realibrad

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
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No, but you need to understand where they're coming from, and you won't from your armchair.

The only reason I have an inkling is because my parents were involved in outreaches at shelters. So, we got to know people...



Seen through your eyes, your viewpoint, your perspective, not theirs.

Your statements do not indicate you understand that word just fine.

I literally cannot see through any other eyes, which is why I use the possessive pronouns I use. Are you actually arguing that I should be using a different pronoun to convey my thoughts then you are making a very dumb argument. I am not homeless, and I will likely never be. To stand outside for a day to pretend I am homeless would seem to be very demeaning to their plight. I can understand, but I can never see through another view point, because I can never be them. If you want to argue over how close I need to get, before I can comment on that situation then I would be pretty confident that you dont know what your argument is. But, work is over and I'm done for the weekend.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
39,750
20,323
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I literally cannot see through any other eyes, which is why I use the possessive pronouns I use. Are you actually arguing that I should be using a different pronoun to convey my thoughts then you are making a very dumb argument. I am not homeless, and I will likely never be. To stand outside for a day to pretend I am homeless would seem to be very demeaning to their plight. I can understand, but I can never see through another view point, because I can never be them. If you want to argue over how close I need to get, before I can comment on that situation then I would be pretty confident that you dont know what your argument is. But, work is over and I'm done for the weekend.

Never say never. I never met a homeless person who chose it.

If you choose not to try and understand other people's perspectives, then you never will.

You don't have to literally be them to get a glimpse of what they're life is like.

Open your mind.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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463
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Here is what happened.

Then this happened.

So then this happened.

The guy wanted to give out cash directly, but he was not allowed. So why is he the bad guy?
I'm not sure he is the bad guy. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he really wants to help these people to the tune of $300 a head. That's a good thing, although not specifically for the homeless as it's just an intention. Then he fed them. That's a good thing. And he gave their shelter the money, thereby allowing the shelter to keep serving them. That too is a good thing. Objectively, the homeless should be grateful for what they received, and some are undoubtedly better off than had they received the money.

As to why they were not grateful, that's easy to see. These are people who for all intents and purposes have nothing. He gave them hope that, at least for how long they could make that $300 last, they could make their own decisions, buy their own food like everybody else, maybe splurge on some little something they don't have to have but really, really miss. At least for a little while, they could be real people. Then he took that hope away. Whatever his intentions, that's an incredibly cruel thing to do.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
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the original article and this thread leads me to one conclusion: never help others; someone will find a way to drag you through the mud.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
Never say never. I never met a homeless person who chose it.

If you choose not to try and understand other people's perspectives, then you never will.

You don't have to literally be them to get a glimpse of what they're life is like.

Open your mind.
I've actually met two of sound mind. One was a dude who was convinced he had zero chance in America because he was black, so he just didn't try. He actually seemed kind of proud of never trying, of having never held a job for even a day. I picked him up hitchhiking in a driving rain. The other was a guy who felt a calling to be an itinerant priest, traveling the nation on foot and hitchhiking to spread the world. Super cool dude, he had been a gear head and owned a Goat if I remember correctly, talked cars for an hour and G-d for about five minutes. Yet when he felt the calling, he gave away literally everything he owned, and when I picked him up he was wearing sandals and a freakin' sackcloth robe - and it was spitting snow - and had literally nothing else to his name. Oddly enough neither of them stank, the true danger in picking up hitchhikers.

Man, haven't thought of either of them in decades. I don't pick up many hitchhikers any more, and I'm almost never around homeless people.
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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I can understand why the homeless were angry and feeling misled when they didn't get the $300.

IMO, the "bad guy" here is the homeless shelter. Looks to me like the Chinese guy did want to hand out the $300. I noticed the shelter threatened to call the cops on him when he again offered the $300 during his speech at the lunch. Also looks like he has a habit of handing out cash.

Might be some language confusion here. He doesn't seem to speak English.

Looks like after this BS here's moving on from the USA and going to Africa.

Fern
 

who?

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2012
2,327
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NY homeless people are assholes...but want to know who is worse? Homeless people in Quebec! They are INCREDULOUS assholes!
What are the homeless in Quebec disbelieving about? ( I think you mean incredible).
 

MagickMan

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2008
7,460
3
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Socialism at work; everyone is promised money, but only a few ever receive it (and they only get it as a PR stunt).