Is panhandling worth it? My preliminary results.

a reply to: TheSpanishArcher

Reread the last few sentences of the OP, he does imply that due to the results it is a career option.

As for turning down the job somewhere he doesnt live, laziness.

Ive moved from Melb to Perth for work before, quite a distance so I speak from experience.

Its a fact of being a human that if the area your in doesnt have the resources to support you you move on or die.
In cave man times this meant if the animals moved on you moved, in agricultural times if the soil went bad or the weather changed so crops didnt grow you moved, in modern times if the town or city you live in doesnt have any work you move or rely on handouts.

Im not dumping on anyone and if the OP is inclined to take my post to heart then Im also sure hell pay attention to the dozens expressing support which should provide some balance.

I dont know the OP and am not judging him personally. Just he seems like a very intelligent capable bloke I just dont understand how this is a necessity for him.
If this being acceptable is realistic to you I think its you who is out of touch with reality.
No where in the western world outside of America would people think this is a viable option for an intelligent able bodied man.

If things are so bad in the Good ol US of A, sorry guys but the time revolution is long overdue

A few years ago, for the first time ever, I saw a man standing by a Wal-Mart entrance with a pan-handler sign. I thought: Why should I give my money to a bum? If he's able to stand out there all day with a sign, then he's able to work at one of the local factories. I stopped and asked him. He said that he just needed enough money to move on. I told him I could help get him a job but he wanted no part of that. The next day, I stopped and told him that I found a job for him, which I did, and that he could make good money. I told him that I would take him to meet the guy. He wanted no part of it. He fluffed up his dread locks and told me to leave him alone. I told him he was a lazy bum. He left after a few days, but there have been different ones since. It used to be, you'd never see something like that here. The ones I've talked to are lazy. They don't want to work. They want the people who DO work to give them their money because they feel entitled. Screw them. I won't give them a penny. I will, however, take them to get a job.

This being said, I have helped a number of old homeless people. They couldn't work and really needed help. I don't mind helping people who genuinely need it. I can't give away my money to a lazy bum who has nothing wrong with them, though. No offense OP, but I find pan handling detestable. I understand we all need help from time to time, but I just don't think that's the right way to go about it. Good luck to ya and I hope you get things lined out. If you're looking for work, go talk to the companies who work on power lines and get a job as a lineman. They always need somebody and it's good money. good money. I know guys who make 28 bucks an hour. Some more, some less. But they earn it.

a reply to: Fylgje

COnsider that they aren't lazy. They just have a different frame of mind than you.

I have done some work around folks like that. Some are mentally ill. Some just don't fit in society and find it more comfortable alone, on the road. Some are just down and out.

BUt think about how free that guy was with his dreadlocks.

Not everyone is cut out for college. And not everyone is cut out for marriage. Some folks, on the other hand, ust aren't cut out to be taxpaying citizens. Not my flavor of tea, but I get it. Since I tend to keep charity to those I know (since it is a community, we all know each other in one way or another), I don't typically fund such folks But that is just me exercising my own personal choice. Regardless, hustling as a panhandler isn't exactly easy. For whatever that is worth. It isn't like you get paid to lay in bed.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
They better get out of that frame of mind and get a job because that's how the world works. I understand clearly your point of view, but still, they want money from people who earned it. I don't believe they deserve it. Not mine, anyway. That guy isn't free. He's become dependent on working people. That's hardly free. If he were free then he's live in the mountains like mountain men do and get everything on his own.

I used to "hobo" when I was younger(god, I loved that freedom). I'd leave and just go exploring. The only difference is, what ever town I found myself broke in, I worked to earn enough money to move along with. I never pan-handled once and never will. I also understand when someone is down and out, but usually, those people will jump at a good job. The lazy won't. The mentally ill can't. There is a system in place to help the mentally ill. They can get disability and food stamps. They have a choice. So do I. I choose to only help people who need it.

a reply to: Fylgje

Never any shortage of people who go on forums and talk about how superior they are to people with different lifestyles.

I'm glad you 'think' your better than those people but please try humility for once and keep it to yourself.

a reply to: Fylgje

"How the world works" is a human construct. How the world really works, before monkeys wore suits, was to scavenge, hunt, and gather.

Lol...so who's living right? Him or us?

I'm not happy about my situation and I don't like what I'm doing. I've had to set aside my pride and my dignity and ask complete strangers for help. Thankfully, there are some that will help.

sorry i was rude i didnt mean it.
i give money to 'panhandlers' because i assume their homeless. if i gave someone money and then saw that they have a house, car,smoking habit, internet etc like you, id be quite annoyed.

a reply to: corvuscorrax
You're misunderstanding me. I do not think I'm better than anyone, whatsoever. I do believe that you have a certain responsibility to help yourself. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, but to make a living at begging from others just doesn't sit well with me for some reason.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
Who's living honest?
Is he really scavenging, hunting or gathering? Or is he manipulating, scheming and being ridiculous?

a reply to: Fylgje

Everyone can choose if they wish to give.

You and i being "honest" because of our employment is just social conditioning. Be productive, pay taxes, etc.

The real value of a man isnt socioeconomic. Good people can choose to not play a role in human society and remain good....right?

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
Yes. But expecting the working folk to fund it is wrong.

If a person wants to 'not be part of the system', then they go to the mountains or whatever and live off the land. They get their own food and everything else. They need no one. They're only dependent on themselves. Like the show: Mountain Men. How is a pan handler not part of society?

a reply to: Fylgje

that is where freedom comes in.

They are free to ask, and you are free to say no. I say no far, far more frequently than yes. Mostly depending on mood. LIke the dude asking me for a smoke yesterday, while i was working on my day off. I ust wasn't in the mood to share. And as long as he can accept no for an answer, we can part ways and all will be well.

originally posted by: Rikku
i think your pathetic.
but youre begging for money so i guess you dont care what people think.

Harsh,

He may, or may not care what people think of him, but its irrelevant when you have no choice!

originally posted by: rockpaperhammock
I've heard stories of people making it through college by doing this...also same with playing music.

Where I used to live a guy got busted after they basically rounded a bunch of them up and found out one was a very wealthy man who for whatever reason was panhandling for extra cash.

I think playing guitar somewhere quiet on a beach would be nice ...I could do that haha

Busking (street performing) is nothing like panhandling.

a reply to: fenson76

lol unless you are really bad at it!

maybe they pay for you to go away