Why isn't he embarrassed?
While surfing blogsites (using Blog Explosion, of course), I came across a site which kinda sorta ticked me off. A young man - and I mean a YOUNG man - works and goes to school, but was requesting we send him money to help him out.
Made me think about what most of us senior citizens often find ourself facing because of having to live on a fixed income. This young man should have our problems for a little while.
We senior citizens - speaking for myself here - very seldom have enough to make ends meet, much less have any extra. I always jokingly tell folks "I have a lot more month left at the end of my money." For example, I had to make a choice this week.
My health is important to me, as it probably is to everyone. However, to be healthy I have to eat and to get better from my existing problems, I have to see doctors more often than I like. Do I buy gas for the car to travel to see the doctor - why are the doctors I need to see always so far away from where I live? Or, do I forget going to the doctor to instead buy groceries in the hopes that what I eat will help me hold my own?
This time I chose going to the doctor - as hopefully alleviating the constant pain took precedence over everything! But, there have been times I cancelled doctors appointments in order to eat.
I can't imagine begging for money - and a young man who HAS TO BE in much better health and circumstances than me should be embarrassed to be doing so.
posted by mickey_finn at 9:04 AM
6 Comments:
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Sorry ... Had a BIG typo in that ... let me try again!
I SOOO agree with you! Its apparently culturally OK now to 'beg'. It just goes along with what I see as creeping greed ... the feeling that everything someone desires should be given to them on a silver platter without having to work for it .... just because they WANT it.
If people would stop GIVING to people who hold out their hands for greeds sake ... maybe those of that ilk would stop begging. Heck they aren't even begging .... they just hold out their hand and say ... give me, give me, give me .... because I WANT it! No, "Please mister, can you spare a dime?"
Why should that person be embarrassed? Just because he asked for it (or rather made the request) doesn't mean you have to oblige him. Truth be told, you haven't any REAL idea of what problems this extremely young man is facing. I'm only 25, and I have to make the same choices you do. Do I eat or pay a bill? Do I eat or get work done on my car, so I can maintain a halfway decent job? Do I eat or do a little something for myself?
When I was 13 one the most important lessons I learned, was that in life you always have at least 2 choices. They may not be the ones you want or the ones you like, but you have them. You do the best you can with what you have. Who's to say that this begger you so eliquently describe isn't putting the donations towards some good?
Which brings me to something that just popped in my head, when you were that young what were you doing to plan for the future? What things did you look into to have funds, incase stuff happened? And what are you doing NOW with the little bit you claim to have? And what are you doing to make things easier on you?
This is the first time I've come across your blog. You come across as a very intelegent person, but I don't think it's right downing someone on an idea you didn't think of. Maybe if you made a request you'd recieve donations that could help you out.
Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, I don't want things just handed to me. The problem is, you can't get what you need or where you need to go by hard work alone. It's not right, it's not fair, but that's life.
I would agree with the previous post. I am 26 years old, and started socking away money in my 401(k) and IRA when I took my first job out of college...it wasn't much, but it is starting to add up. I recognize even now that the only way that I can make sure that I have what I will need when I get to the age of retirement is to make sure that I am putting money away at every single step of my life. Consequently, some months I am VERY strapped for money. And sometimes I look to my parents, friends, or others to help me out in the short-term. It is this age (18-35) when people are supposed to be working hard and putting away as much as possible just to make sure that they have the opportunity to live the way they should be able to when they retire (and the way you should have been able to live when you retired if you had done proper financial planning at the 25 year old's age). Don't rip this kid, just because you aren't fiscally comfortable.
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Sorry I just HAD to reword that comment.
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First let me say that I am INCENSED at the above two posters. I can't believe what I just read ... yet I shouldn't have expected more from their ilk.
I have a son ... he is nearly 33 now ... but a number of years ago he was without a car and without a car he couldn't keep his job.
For two months he walked 10 MILES to work EVERY day and 6 miles HOME. He got up hours early and got home very late. AND it was the middle of the winter in MICHIGAN! It was DAMN cold!
Did he ask to borrow money from us or ANYONE .... absolutely NOT! Did he BEG for money? Well if he couldn't ask for money from his own parents because he had courage and ETHICS (which the two previous posters don't seem to have) he certainly couldn't beg from ANYONE!
He eventually lost his job ... and for another TWO months he virtually STARVED and still refused to ask for help from us, his parents. In fact HE REFUSED to take any money and said he would donate it to a charity if we gave it to him!
Finally, in desperation we drove 500 miles to visit him and took him a HUGE box of food and gift certificates to restaurants! It was the ONLY help he would accept!
Soon after he got a job and got back on track.
But he had COURAGE ... ETHICS .... and that my dear (NOT) young people is more than either of you do! He refused to accept something just because he NEEDed it ... let alone because he thought he deserved it. He didn't expect handouts to provide for his CURRENT life let alone his future comfort!
Till you have walked in this woman's shoes you should keep your mouths SHUT and respect your elders. However I sincerely doubt that your parents ever taught you how to do that ... because I doubt that THEY knew how! Living on Social Security is something that some of us HAVE to do ... we weren't given the option of planning ahead. We thought Social Security would be enough and always be there. We were PROMISED that! Who knew back then NOT to believe the government?
Just because you find it a little difficult to make ends meet and provide for the future doesn't mean its ok to aks for money because YOU WANT IT. Good God I am so tongue tied I can't get out the irrational anger I have at the moment.
Life isn't fair ... you are right ... tell that to someone who has lost her husband ... who is ill ... who can barely walk and is living on a limited income ... and see if she has any compassion for young people that have the option of many things that she doesn't.
You owe this wonderful woman ... who happens to be in a totally different position than you are ... and who HAS NO OPTIONS ... an apology.
Learn to WORK for what you get ... EARN it ... don't BEG for it because you can't get enough to fill your needs. My children aren't much older than you are ... and if they heard this bullshit they would come down on you harder than you could ever imagine. One is a CEO and one pushes a lawn fertilizer. They BOTH are ehtical and believe in working for what they have.
You are both a sad commentary on the youth of today. You are selfish, greedy and cruel. GROW UP! And pray to God (if you believe in Him ... which somehow I doubt) that you are forgiven for you attitude and that you never find yourself in unhappy circumstances!
You sicken me. Go take a course in ethics ... maybe you'll learn something!
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