Merry Christmas to all you assorted holders-back, and to all the embracers too. God bless us, everyone.
]]>McD, thanks for the kind words.
Jon, I always have trouble faced with the concentration of misfortune on city streets, and I’m practiced at looking away from people, or right through them. Had an enlightening moment in DC about six weeks ago. A panhandler asked for cash and I gave him some and asked for directions in return. We had a short conversation and shared a moment laughing at some of the halloween costumes people were wearing. So the dehumanizing aspect of mendicancy was mellowed somewhat by our shared conversation. The fact that the directions he gave me were totally messed up is another part of the story.
]]>That said, I found myself thinking …
I live in an urban environment, in a condo close to downtown, back alley and all … not out in the country or semi-country. Whilst this city is not as bad as most North American cities, there are a few street people here and there, and relatively more near-street people. “They” have been a presence for many years now, and continue to be. Modern capitalism guarantees this. I try to be conscious, I try to “recycle” through the back-alley environment much of what I don’t use or have decided I won’t use any more without being condescending (never know what’s the best thing to do). I also give money on the street more often than not, and have given other stuff in the past (including once the proverbial short off my back, since I was wearing a t-short underneath).
I don’t really know what to do when faced with a continuing procession of people where no doubt I could be of some kind of immediate help (I subscribe to the “there but for the grace of Dog go I” school of thought). I guess I will keep up my passive-aggressive resistance to a full-scale embrace of the core elements of our modern win-lose societal orientation.
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]]>in other news: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/dec/15/facebook.socialnetworking
“In Britain, there are just a handful of whales - ”
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