Why I dont give to charity, Singapore style
Long ago, while I was living in Canada, I used to give to the poor on the street. A person would come up to ask for change and I would give them money in relation to how badly of alcohol they smelt. If they were really reeking, then a dollar; if there was a hint, I would take them to the nearest soup/sandwich place and buy them a meal; and if there wasnt a hint of alcohol on them but simply down on their luck, I would give $5 or so. I would constantly buy things from people. I had a huge selection of those little tiny key chains and nicknacks that the deaf people in the food courts would sell ("I am deaf, please pay $5 for this trinket. Thank you" sort of deal). I mean, back then I was so naive, so foolish, so stupid. I mean, I had no clue that what I was doing was actually MAKING them the way that they were. Luckily I came to Singapore and learned from the masters.
At first, while in Canada, I equated my helping out the poor and the homeless in relation to how the gov't helps out the poor and the homeless. They have shelters, drug abuse rehab centres, soup kitchens, churches open their hall doors on the winter nights for the homeless people to sleep, the Salvation Army collects clothes and items to sell for cheap and then use that money to help out charity organizations. All of these are government funded and supported as well as supported by charity donations from other people. So I figure if the government is helping out the people then I, a lowly person, should be able to help out in some small way as well.
However, look at what problems I have been contributing to. I see a poor man on the street, I give him $2 out of charity and he has no incentive to try to better himself to get a job and support himself. I have taken away that fear of death that drives all people to try to do something with their lives. The PAP sees this and constantly says that if you have a social welfare system like welfare, unemployment insurance and other safety nets you are basically insulting the person and taking away their basic drive to do something with their lives. Why study hard and get a high paying job to buy many things when you can just sit back, be unemployed and collect free money from the gov't? Result? There are so many unemployed and lazy people in Canada but all of Singapore (minus the few obviously too lazy people on the streets. I mean, just cause you lost a leg or are blind doesnt mean that you cant do work. Obviously, based on gov't thought, they are just lazy) are busy working and employed.
So now when I go out on the street and get jumped by school kids on Saturday pushing cans in my face, or see the old blind person on the street selling tissues or the like, I do what the PAP is telling us to do 'ignore them, tell them to get a real job and move on with your life'. So far, I seem to be blending in to the society quite well and if it wasn't for this damn white skin and blue eyes, I probably could be mistaken for a Singaporean.
At first, while in Canada, I equated my helping out the poor and the homeless in relation to how the gov't helps out the poor and the homeless. They have shelters, drug abuse rehab centres, soup kitchens, churches open their hall doors on the winter nights for the homeless people to sleep, the Salvation Army collects clothes and items to sell for cheap and then use that money to help out charity organizations. All of these are government funded and supported as well as supported by charity donations from other people. So I figure if the government is helping out the people then I, a lowly person, should be able to help out in some small way as well.
However, look at what problems I have been contributing to. I see a poor man on the street, I give him $2 out of charity and he has no incentive to try to better himself to get a job and support himself. I have taken away that fear of death that drives all people to try to do something with their lives. The PAP sees this and constantly says that if you have a social welfare system like welfare, unemployment insurance and other safety nets you are basically insulting the person and taking away their basic drive to do something with their lives. Why study hard and get a high paying job to buy many things when you can just sit back, be unemployed and collect free money from the gov't? Result? There are so many unemployed and lazy people in Canada but all of Singapore (minus the few obviously too lazy people on the streets. I mean, just cause you lost a leg or are blind doesnt mean that you cant do work. Obviously, based on gov't thought, they are just lazy) are busy working and employed.
So now when I go out on the street and get jumped by school kids on Saturday pushing cans in my face, or see the old blind person on the street selling tissues or the like, I do what the PAP is telling us to do 'ignore them, tell them to get a real job and move on with your life'. So far, I seem to be blending in to the society quite well and if it wasn't for this damn white skin and blue eyes, I probably could be mistaken for a Singaporean.
posted by Capt_Canuck at 6:20 AM
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