September 30, 2005

Faking Poor

J. Star said: “The stories you tell about the beggars who weren't really beggars are quite interesting. Do you think that someone who is otherwise well off dressing in rags and pretending to be a beggar makes them mentally ill in some way? It seems most of the people on the streets I see here who are begging or have been for a long time have some serious mental health issues. There is the odd kid here or there who is dressed in hundred-dollar new shoes asking for change--I of course never give them any, since if they were truly destitute, they wouldn't have such expensive shoes. But most of the people are talking to themselves, or are screaming about hurricanes being God's retribution, or need someone to tell them when to cross the street so they don't get hit by a car. I never thought that any of them might be faking it. I don't know. It's an interesting concept.”


Putting everybody in the same basket wouldn't be fair to those people who are really destitute. But if we do, which we would normally do, isn't our fault. It's the “fake beggars”. I haven't read "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry but whatever he says in it is true. He's a fine writer. I read “family Matters”. Just beautiful. (See my review in the sidebar).


Talking to myself, I do that sometimes. Thinking aloud, you know. Sometimes laughing out loud too, when sometimes am reminded of something funny. Sometimes when am reading. I quit reading in the bus for that reason. I kept laughing during an half an hour trip, all the way. Nobody sat next to me. I believe they thought me mad.


When we were in Niger, on our way back home from school, we took a short cut and were caught into some kind of sand tempest I'll remember all my life. There were 5 of us, all no more than 13 years old. The University our parents worked in was on strike and we had no means of transport and thus had to walk 7 kilometers to and from school everyday. It was fun. Till this pseudo-tempest. The sun and the sky white then crimson. We started to hurry then A, my est buddy, just went mad. He started screaming: “its the end of the World. It's the Judgment Day. Today the disbelievers will be taught right.” He was jumping up and down the road, running in all directions. My little sister started howling. I was laughing. My little brother started sucking his thumb. A. #2 started tugging at his pants ( I never knew why) and began to yell at A (my best pal). The point is, A. was certainly not crazy. I think he panicked.


Do I think that someone who is well off dressing in rags and pretending to be a beggar makes them mentally ill in some way? I think so. Whatever the ail would be psychologically named. It's like some people stealing just for the sake of stealing. Some people lying just for the sake of lying. It's pathological. Isn't fair to the poor, isn't fair to us who have to think twice before handing a penny.


I have a question: Is it possible for a mad person to realize/be aware of the fact that in order not to starve he/she has to beg for money?

Posted by Fitena at 11:06:02 | Permanent Link | Comments (5) |
Comments
1 - I had a longer response to your last post, but I accidentally navigated away from the page and lost it. oh well. I agree with what you're saying, though. The street beggars are not the "real" poor. "Real" poor people are everyday people who just don't have much. They work and mean well and want to live normal lives. Unlike street beggars they more often than not have their wits about them (ie they're not chemically dependant or mentally ill). I think those who are truly poor have pride and dignity and try to make their lives better through hard work.

-Suley (Comment this)

Written by: Suley at 2005/09/30 - 22:15:12
2 - Now *that* is a great question...Unfortunately I don't have an answer. (Comment this)

Written by: Jenele at 2005/10/01 - 03:46:49
3 - There are degrees of madness. Degrees of inability/ability to function. There are paranoid schizophrenics, but there are also just people who have drank themselves stupid. One of those might realize they have to beg to survive, one of them might not... (Comment this)

Written by: J. Star at 2005/10/01 - 05:10:19
4 - I agree with all that was written above, that the real problem here in the US is that there are people who work 4 jobs and can barely feed their families. I would venture to say that for those who suffer mental illness or have chemical dependency, those are conditions that will not change over time. Those poor will be with us for as long as we are here. And the street beggars stateside are very different than those in Niger or India. Esp. in the case of Mistry's novel... I still think everyone should give to the poor, because if you do not give, they will take, eventually. But giving should be as in the giving to a soup kitchen or a place that is set up to provide for the homeless what they need. (Comment this)

Written by: Heather at 2005/10/03 - 05:39:32
5 - You're from Niger? A friend of mine is there now doing a survey on the famine. Crazy stuff.
I personally almost never give money to people on the street (except for buskers/musicians). This is due to a true story. Once, a few years ago, my mom was walking down the street and a very tired-looking woman came up to her with two grubby kids and asked for some money to buy the kids food. My aunt had had foot surgery the week before, so my mom was actually carrying about $100 worth of groceries. She handed the bags to the woman. The woman threw (actually threw) the bags back at my mom and said "what the fuck is this?!" and stormed off.
What? Sorry, I'm rambling.
Anyway, some realize, some don't... (Comment this)

Written by: M at 2005/10/03 - 21:12:23
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