this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2023
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[–] MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world 126 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (14 children)

I used to beg for money. I was a homeless heroin addict. I learned some interesting stuff begging for money. Being white myself. When I asked white people for money they would often look at me with disdain. Ask black people and they’d usually help ya out. It always seemed crazy to me that the white guy with a suit would treat you like garbage, but the black guy with gang tattoos on his his face and a car that needs work would throw ya a couple of bucks. I’ve heard black people say it works the other way around for them, but I had no way to test it heh.

I’m completely opiate free now for better or for worse. I say it like that because I suffer from crippling depression. Life is not enjoyable to me anymore. But, there are a lot of homeless guys where I live. I give them money, and blankets in the winter. Honestly, I give zero shits what they spend that money on. I don’t care if it’s drugs, alcohol, toothpaste, or socks. The money, once it leaves my hand is theirs to do with as they please. As long as that money brings them even a moment of happiness. As long as I make their life a little more bearable. I’m fine with that.

[–] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Consider growing some magic mushrooms to help enjoy life again. Good on you for crawling out of that spiral.

[–] MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You know what? I did grow some and did the whole micro-dose thing. I loved it. But, it made my migraines more frequent. I’m currently working on the migraines with the local charity hospital. So, I want to give it another try soon.

As a matter of fact. I have 3 Petri dishes with mycelium right now that need grain.

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

heard black people say it works the other way around for them, but I had no way to test it heh.

I can think of one way you can attempt to test it but I really really do not recommend it. If you do however please later on claim on Twatter that it was a social experiment that got misinterpreted.

[–] EnmaAi22@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Exactly! Even if they spend it on drugs, what's the problem? Let them have their moment of relief/happiness.

As an ex opiate addict myself, maybe I can relate to them too well for most people to understand. Also, what are they to do with 5 dollars if they aren't hungry and have everything else they need at the moment?

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[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Are those reports of people panhandling and walking home with a few hundred bucks a day at all accurate? Always seemed kind of like bullshit propaganda to me. I'm sure location matters quite a bit.

[–] MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

The world is a huge place and people suck. I’m sure it happens. But, in most places it’s hard to accomplish that. Here, if you’re spotted begging by the cops they’ll run you off, or arrest you.

Here we have laws that keep people from begging on the side of the road. So, that leaves gas stations. Gas stations are usually ok with it for a little while. There is an etiquette to it. Like, only ask people AFTER they go in and get what they need, and don’t go to the same spot more than like once a week. Don’t be there all day. Get what you need and leave. Bonus points if you can buy something from the gas station before you leave.

I personally only did it as the very last resort. It’s humiliating and you always have a chance of seeing someone you went to school with.

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[–] Dippy@lemmy.world 119 points 1 year ago (20 children)

“ This homeless guy asked me for money the other day. I was about to give it to him and then i thought he was going to use it on drugs or alcohol. And then i thought, that's what i'm going to use it on. Why am i judging this poor bastard. People love to judge homeless guys. like if you give them money they're just going to waste it. Well, he lives in a box, what do you want him to do? save it up and buy a wall unit? Take a little run to the store for a throw rug and a cd rack? he's homeless.”

  • Greg Giraldo
[–] randomsnark@lemmy.ml 51 points 1 year ago

There's a similar story about CS Lewis that's much older. I originally saw it in some print source, but this (unsourced) quick Google copy-paste gives the gist:

One day, Lewis and a friend were walking down the road and came upon a street person who reached out to them for help. While his friend kept walking, Lewis stopped and proceeded to empty his wallet. When they resumed their journey, his friend asked, "What are you doing giving him your money like that? Don't you know he's just going to go squander all that on ale?" Lewis paused and replied, "That's all I was going to do with it."

Obviously it's funnier when a comedian says it, just thought it was interesting that the general idea has been around for a while. Probably as long as there's been booze and beggars tbh.

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[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 50 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Them: don't give money to the poor and destitute, they'll just use it for drink and drugs!

Me: what do you think I was going to use it for?

[–] onion@feddit.de 46 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not everyone knows this but you can actually combine multiple notes to make a bigger purchase

[–] Pyroglyph@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No way, I've been looking for a £150,000 note for years so I can buy a house and you're telling me I could have bought one by adding others together???

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[–] sagrotan@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago

Same story, but I turned around and gave him another 5 bucks with the words "oh, sorry, I know that stuff's expensive, have a nice evening"

[–] art@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago (20 children)

If a gift of money comes with requirements on how to spend that money, it's not a gift.

[–] GlitchyDigiBun@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 1 year ago

Nice try, Justice Thomas.

[–] Deiv@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Are gift cards not gifts then?

[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

No. They're a fucking burden.

[–] cvozbosher@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (5 children)

Yes, gift cards are gift cards. Gift cards, however, are not money as you can't spend them anywhere.

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[–] fosforus@sopuli.xyz 34 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

You silly. He's obviously gonna put your $5 into the stock market, wait for it to grow 1000x and then use that money to buy drugs.

Funnily enough, that's almost exactly what I did, except stock market = crypto.

[–] Johanno@feddit.de 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

And then I lost everything as smb rugpulled an crypto exchange market

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[–] elxeno@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago
[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Legitimately? Spend some time homeless in a US city and you will get fentanyl for free or next to nothing. I do not recommend it.

[–] LemmyInRedditSux@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm curious, why would that stuff be passed around for free? My first thought was conspiracy-theory like nefarious suppliers want to addict & ruin & eradicate the homeless population, and doing it via addictive pleasures would be an indirect innocuous-seeming way to do it. Watching the homeless population drop like flies: "THeY DiD iT tO tHeMsELvEs!"

[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Honestly not sure, my stories on such come from a recently ex homeless addict coworker (food industry) I had last year. My understanding is it is just so cheap and plentiful that people will just offer you some pretty often.

As for why fentanyl is fucking everywhere and dirt cheap, that's a bit more complicated but has a lot to do with China.

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Its just super potent compared to other opioids/opiates using the same source material (opium). Its like 100x more potent than morphine and 50x heroin.

If you were slinging heroin and have a lab to make the stuff you just increased your production rate by that multiplier.

I'm sure there are some geopolitical PvP factors as the other commenter eluded to, but the economics of supply/demand were the enabler.

[–] olutukko@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago

Plot twist: old lady was the drug dealer

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 17 points 1 year ago

He's not spending only the $5 on drugs! Responsibility means financing your hobbies with proper budgeting: it's called Adulting.

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