Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Future medics - how empathetic are you?

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I go to the shop and give them food instead of money, just to prevent the chance that they might use the money to buy drugs and alcohol. I mean food is what they want right?

heeeey the northerners have the proper best answers! :biggrin:

Reply 21

Fight-or-Flight

Original post by Gizmo!

ahh macca, just be poker faced to that beggar tommorrow. its what everyone else does in london, and you need to learn to fit in when you live in the big city.

but i love the bit in italics haha!

Ah Gizmo, your quote reminded me of how desperate and stressed I was last year, waiting for St. George's offer/rejection. I used to read all your comments on SGUL medicine applicants thread. :rolleyes:

. Bad times.

Reply 22

Gizmo!

ahh, macca. why is sgul full of beggars these days?

or maybe u mean beggars cant be chosers of med schools?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 23

Lamptastic

Lets just say the same group of guys loiter about in my area asking for change. If they get too persistent I tell them to **** off.

I have empathy, but I see them with their 'breakfast can' of a morning, slumped in an alleyway of an evening and clear off to their hostel at night. I also live next to a YMCA, call me bitter but they need to stop scrounging.

Those genuinely in need are the quieter ones. I have given food & blankets to people before though.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 24

Penguinsaysquack

If I see a beggar I'd feel sympathy rather than empathy
But I'm just being pedantic :wink:

But as to my reaction.. I don't really do anything, just keep on walking
I'm sure that sounds cold and heartless but there are a lot of places/support available for homeless people
I'm not going to stereotype them and say that they all do drugs or are alcoholics etc since I don't like judging people before I know them.. even if it might be the case :rolleyes:

Reply 25

DhobyGhaut

Original post by Fight-or-Flight

SPecially the beggars with such good voices in underground every day

You're not another person who confuses buskers with tramps are you?

Reply 26

Clewsy

I do feel sorry for them, though I rarely know how best to act. I know not to give them money, because of the drugs problem. I live in a vicarage so I answer the door to a fair few homeless people wishing to see my dad, and we usually give them some food, and my dad may offer to drive them somewhere.

I'm very selective with my sympathy, I cannot be dealing with attention seeking people who are exaggerating things and causing a scene. I guess I find it hardest to sympathize with those people and something I would have to work on if I became a doctor.

I also believe in being fair with people and not jumping to conclusions, and I try and practice that in real life scenarios. I hate it when I see people demonizing certain groups ie the unemployed, extremists and criminals. Half the time I seem to be a minority group of people who try and look at the circumstances behind events rather than just judging people on their actions.

Reply 27

Gizmo!

theres no line between them and you, maccas.

you are them.

Reply 28

username210636

Original post by Gizmo!

theres no line between them and you, maccas.

you are them.

Very true.

Reply 29

Gizmo!

Original post by Ignoramus

Very true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V9jxnHwKbw

phew, Nora, that grannie at 1.07 looks like she is enjoying herself. wat a macca!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 30

Unbiased Opinion

I wouldn't really classify myself as a future medic, but this thread is interesting nonetheless.

There's a guy in my city called Tony the Tramp (he has a title. :awesome:

) He doesn't accept food from people. Come to think of it, I've never seen him begging either. He rummages through bins for food, he just won't accept it. It's defo a pride thing and, to be honest, I don't blame him. What Gizmo has said is true... these are people who have presumably and mostly lived independent lives. Idk, I think accepting food is more of an injury to pride than money because there's less autonomy in it. And I'm afraid of giving them something they're allergic to/don't like/meaty if they're veggie etc.

But then there's the obvious high likelihood of the money being spent on drugs and/or alcohol. And I don't know what to think because drug/alcohol addictions have pretty bad withdrawal symptoms and that I'd rather they weren't suffering the withdrawal symptoms... I don't know.... which is worse?

So sometimes, I give change. Sometimes I don't, but I try and at least make sure that I make eye contact and smile because apparently one of the awful things about homelessness is the lack of respect + being ignored.

Tbh, I find it saddest when I see old women who can't speak english very well and look really sad sitting on plastic seats and just saying "Big Issue?" repeatedly. What happened in their lives for them to end up homeless on the streets of England? :frown:

And also, sorry if this comes across as holier-than-thou or anything. :s-smilie:

Reply 31

i'm no superman

Original post by Clewsy

I know not to give them money, because of the drugs problem.

Now that's a stereotype and a half.

Reply 32

W.H.T

Original post by Faith01

I go to the shop and give them food instead of money, just to prevent the chance that they might use the money to buy drugs and alcohol. I mean food is what they want right?

They could be dying of thirst YOU MONSTER!

Reply 33

Miss_Scarlett

Less empathetic now than I was prior to med school :colondollar:

Jokes. No Im fairly empathetic I would say :yep:

....there was a homeless person outside our flat at uni, I made him tea and a toasted tea cake because it was freezing lol....Im cool :h:

Oh yes

Reply 34

Beska

Original post by i'm no superman

Now that's a stereotype and a half.

True though. Survey in Nottingham a few years back (incidentally the reason I stopped giving money to beggars) found that 60%-something spent money on drugs (inc alcohol or cigarettes). They put loads of signs up warning about it and now there are hardly no beggars (literally about 3, but they are the crackheads that follow you around high reeling off a story. This one guy said he has lost his ticket for his train for about 3 years now...) and a lot of Big Issue sellers.

Reply 35

Faith01

Original post by W.H.T

They could be dying of thirst YOU MONSTER!

once a beggar knocked on my door for money for food but I decided to be nice and offered her tins of baked beans and tuna and a drink but she didn't appreciate it and gave me a dirty look and walked away. I like to think I am the nice one :smile:

Reply 36

Calumcalum

When I see the Big Issue guy I go into Tesco and buy him some full fat milk or a sandwich - I'm not that inclined to give money for the usual reasons...

Reply 37

Calumcalum

Original post by WackyJun

You're not another person who confuses buskers with tramps are you?

I am!

Reply 38

minime23

Original post by shaneli

When you see a beggar on the street, what goes through your mind? What do you usually do (be honest!)?

-If only I could help that person? but not by giving them money but buying them something to eat or something
-I don't do anything but look at my mum for some money but she just carries on walking. :frown:

Reply 39

lonely14

Original post by infernalcradle

I wonder how they got there....but in reality, its much better to give to charities such as shelter as your money will help more people...

but I too am quite poker faced and do not show my emotions which makes people think I'm quite cold