'Do Singaporeans think that giving money to the poor makes them lazy?' Redditor asks
Photo: Reddit screengrab/u/michuang74
SINGAPORE: When a local Reddit user asked if Singaporeans disapprove of giving money to the poor as it sends the wrong message, it sparked a lively discussion, with many commenters bringing up important points for and against such a scheme.
In a post on r/askSingapore on Thursday (June 19), u/AjaxCooperwater wrote, ' Generally, do Singaporeans think it is a bad idea to give money to the poor because it encourages laziness and de-incentivises job hunting?'
They added that they personally do not believe that giving money to the poor 'encourages any form of stereotype behaviour,' but genuinely wanted to know the reason behind such perspectives, asking also if anyone has personally seen such a case occurring.
The post was somewhat similar to another one from u/AjaxCooperwater earlier this week, when they asked how Singaporeans feel about Universal Basic Income .
'If you see a very old lady or an old man who is handicapped with one leg or one arm, do you think that even if they try hard looking for a job, any boss would want them? So, try to give them some money whenever you come across them. Sometimes, due to dignity, they refuse to accept your money without you taking something from them, such as a packet of tissues or a lottery ticket. Just take it, and say thank you,' one wrote.
'Just help if you want and in a position of being able to afford to.. most importantly, from the heart. Even one word of kindness is a type of charity,' commented another.
A Reddit user outlined the reasons why a person may be hesitant to give money to the poor, which have nothing to do with being encouraged to be lazy. People are afraid of getting scammed, or are concerned that the money they give will end up in the pockets of crime syndicates. Another reason is that people from neighbouring countries might end up coming to Singapore to beg.
This is why they prefer for social workers to reach out to people in need instead.
'Meritocracy can drive us to be unkind and elitist. When we work hard and land a good education and job, we believe it's our hard work that led us to be successful, and those who are poor are poor because they did not work as hard as us. But reality is never as simple as that. Success requires connections, hard work, and luck. If you're born well off, it's easier to focus on your studies, easier to build good connections,' another observed. /TISG
Read also: 'JB businesses will be happy' — Singaporeans debate pros and cons of Universal Basic Income
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Photo: Reddit screengrab/u/michuang74 SINGAPORE: When a local Reddit user asked if Singaporeans disapprove of giving money to the poor as it sends the wrong message, it sparked a lively discussion, with many commenters bringing up important points for and against such a scheme. In a post on r/askSingapore on Thursday (June 19), u/AjaxCooperwater wrote, ' Generally, do Singaporeans think it is a bad idea to give money to the poor because it encourages laziness and de-incentivises job hunting?' They added that they personally do not believe that giving money to the poor 'encourages any form of stereotype behaviour,' but genuinely wanted to know the reason behind such perspectives, asking also if anyone has personally seen such a case occurring. The post was somewhat similar to another one from u/AjaxCooperwater earlier this week, when they asked how Singaporeans feel about Universal Basic Income . 'If you see a very old lady or an old man who is handicapped with one leg or one arm, do you think that even if they try hard looking for a job, any boss would want them? So, try to give them some money whenever you come across them. Sometimes, due to dignity, they refuse to accept your money without you taking something from them, such as a packet of tissues or a lottery ticket. Just take it, and say thank you,' one wrote. 'Just help if you want and in a position of being able to afford to.. most importantly, from the heart. Even one word of kindness is a type of charity,' commented another. A Reddit user outlined the reasons why a person may be hesitant to give money to the poor, which have nothing to do with being encouraged to be lazy. People are afraid of getting scammed, or are concerned that the money they give will end up in the pockets of crime syndicates. Another reason is that people from neighbouring countries might end up coming to Singapore to beg. This is why they prefer for social workers to reach out to people in need instead. 'Meritocracy can drive us to be unkind and elitist. When we work hard and land a good education and job, we believe it's our hard work that led us to be successful, and those who are poor are poor because they did not work as hard as us. But reality is never as simple as that. Success requires connections, hard work, and luck. If you're born well off, it's easier to focus on your studies, easier to build good connections,' another observed. /TISG Read also: 'JB businesses will be happy' — Singaporeans debate pros and cons of Universal Basic Income
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