we don’t have a tradition of begging in this country. i think we have a visceral reaction to begging that other cultures might not. we are flooded with feelings of shame. it desn’t feel good i think for most americans to give to a panhandler. not sure what other countries are like.
also, how much could you give him that woulda made a difference? comtemplating his reality is really scary. safer not to think on it. at least that’s the reflex.
recently watched the move THE BICYCLE THIEF again. very classic italian film about work and desperation. truly moving and beautiful…available on netflix. seems very relevant.
the other problem is we are afraid to come in contact with each other. it’s ascam, potentially, a setup. maybe that panhandler wants to kill or rob us. driving in automobiles is not as pandhandlable as say, people with awalkable street culture. i dont know. we’re just not set up for this.
these ar ejust random thoughts, not sur eif im makking sense
