Comments on: The art of not giving http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/ a travel journal and collection of thoughts accumulated on a journey to India Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:15:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: skp http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-11 skp Sun, 13 Jan 2008 10:09:46 +0000 http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-11 Sweet !! Sweet !!

]]> By: Jam http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-10 Jam Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:07:47 +0000 http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-10 I, as an Indian, who have seen these beggars in almost all Indian cities have made myself a resolution not to give any assistance to these folks simply because of one reason, and that is to teach them not to rely on this 'profession' as their only source of livelihood. I personally have seen instances in Bangalore, where people get out of autos, go behind the tree in the corner, change from their moderately decent clothes, to beggarish clothes and then go out to traffic signals to engage in their 'livelihood'. At the end of a hot day in the sun, after inhaling all that carbon monoxide fumes, they go back behind the tree, change into their decent clothes, pocket their earnings and probably go back home to their modest dwellings. These are not 'beggars' in the right sense of the word, for most of these folks, this is a 'profession' and not the only means of their livelihood. This kind of hoodwinking is encouraged by most middle class Indians who in their ignorance are breeding generation after generation of beggars in India. Cheers...........Jam I, as an Indian, who have seen these beggars in almost all Indian cities have made myself a resolution not to give any assistance to these folks simply because of one reason, and that is to teach them not to rely on this ‘profession’ as their only source of livelihood.

I personally have seen instances in Bangalore, where people get out of autos, go behind the tree in the corner, change from their moderately decent clothes, to beggarish clothes and then go out to traffic signals to engage in their ‘livelihood’. At the end of a hot day in the sun, after inhaling all that carbon monoxide fumes, they go back behind the tree, change into their decent clothes, pocket their earnings and probably go back home to their modest dwellings. These are not ‘beggars’ in the right sense of the word, for most of these folks, this is a ‘profession’ and not the only means of their livelihood.

This kind of hoodwinking is encouraged by most middle class Indians who in their ignorance are breeding generation after generation of beggars in India.

Cheers………..Jam

]]> By: lekhni http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-8 lekhni Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:52:15 +0000 http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-8 My own experience is that giving results in 2 kinds of reactions from the recipient - (i) a sense of obligation to return the favor (think return gifts between friends/ colleagues) and (ii) a sense of entitlement (when the recipient is poor). I personally prefer to give to people who are trying to earn through honest work, rather than beggars. So I will buy balloons and pens I don't need from a kid and tip him extra, but I will not allow a beggar to guilt me into giving him anything. Why should I encourage the beggar's self-pity and sense of entitlement? My own experience is that giving results in 2 kinds of reactions from the recipient - (i) a sense of obligation to return the favor (think return gifts between friends/ colleagues) and (ii) a sense of entitlement (when the recipient is poor).

I personally prefer to give to people who are trying to earn through honest work, rather than beggars. So I will buy balloons and pens I don’t need from a kid and tip him extra, but I will not allow a beggar to guilt me into giving him anything. Why should I encourage the beggar’s self-pity and sense of entitlement?

]]> By: The art of not giving | DesiPundit http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-7 The art of not giving | DesiPundit Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:52:17 +0000 http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-7 [...] on his first visit to India, learns a lesson about fate and fatalism. India has a tough lesson to teach about fate: It is often not up to us to change [...] [...] on his first visit to India, learns a lesson about fate and fatalism. India has a tough lesson to teach about fate: It is often not up to us to change [...]

]]> By: harinair http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-2 harinair Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:16:16 +0000 http://traveli.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/the-art-of-not-giving/#comment-2 A few years ago, on a journey to Gorkarna, I met an American tourist. The gent was in his late thirties or early forties. One thing he told me stuck. He said, the first time he came to India, he couldn't figure it out. Everything he figured in the first few days was overturned in the next few. So he decided to return for another take. And kept returning. When I saw him, he claimed to be on his 8th visit. So, I have a feeling this is a good subject for a blog. Since you have just started, there is a possibility of it going on for sometime. Sorry to sound smug; but I am an Indian, so the idea of repeated visits to 'understand' us is fascinating. Welcome to India. Have fun. A few years ago, on a journey to Gorkarna, I met an American tourist. The gent was in his late thirties or early forties. One thing he told me stuck. He said, the first time he came to India, he couldn’t figure it out. Everything he figured in the first few days was overturned in the next few. So he decided to return for another take. And kept returning. When I saw him, he claimed to be on his 8th visit.

So, I have a feeling this is a good subject for a blog. Since you have just started, there is a possibility of it going on for sometime. Sorry to sound smug; but I am an Indian, so the idea of repeated visits to ‘understand’ us is fascinating.

Welcome to India. Have fun.

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