This Blog is an outlet for the random thoughts of an amateur opinionator.
What's an opinionator?
An opinionator is somebody who has power without responsibility, and the ability to spout off on any subject without worrying too much about the consequences of what comes out of the mouth. All you need is an opinion and the opportunity to voice it.
TV is full of professional opinionators. The internet gives the amateur his chance.
> maHirap akO eH
Author: aLmich
Before coming to work yesterday, I asked H to join me for coffee. While enjoying our usual bantering, a very familiar woman with 2 kids approached us asking for alms. The usual “we ran out of money and now I don’t have enough to pay for our fare to Bulacan” spiel went. I wasn’t really in the mood to say also my usual “ilang buwan na kayo humihingi niyan ah, di parin kayo nakakauwi?” counter spiel so I just told her “naku Manang pasensiya wala din”.
When the woman went away, H quipped “di ka na naawa, kahit 5 lang sana binigyan natin, nakabili nga tayo ng ganito eh”, I just shrugged my shoulder and gestured “sorry”.
Should I feel guilty because I bought and consumed the drink, which is worth P180, when I could have just given a part of that amount to the poor woman asking for alms? Should I feel guilty that I have the time to spare to drink such expensive drinks when those who’re not so fortunate, had to work to the bone to find something to eat?
I think ads for charity are all too good eliciting that guilt feelings from us, so that we would donate to their foundations or fund-raising events. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with giving to the needy, but if we’re going to eradicate poverty, we should begin with eradicating the mentality of dependence.
And for such a reason, I prefer to give alms to street kids who’re selling flowers, or candies, buying their merchandise and giving an extra tip if they’re courteous than to those who beat at the car window asking for some coins. I prefer that those who’re asking for loans from me to do something reasonable for me in exchange of the money instead.
As a matter of fact, I’ve never believed in equal distribution of wealth. I find it a devolution of our value of giving rewards based on merit, shifting to a value of giving rewards based on need. I think what we should be propagating is a mindset that one should not get more because he needs more or that he has less than others, but rather, he will get what is due to him because of what work he had done.
But what about the poor? [I am too] How can they get out of poverty if we will not help? I think in this part, we would all be better off we’re to concentrate on generating more jobs that are parallel to one’s available skills, instead of using up resources for short-term solutions.
And I hope most people would be more like those people working even if it doesn’t pay that well. These are the people who will not demand things just because they have less, but rather, will work to make themselves worthy of what it is that they ask. This is the kind of attitude that all of us should have and it is the attitude that will get us out of being one of the impoverished nations in the world.
To H, I’m really sorry if you think I’ve been selfish but there are things in this world that need to be taught and be realized. There are things that need a different attention rather than just directly giving them what they think they lack. Many of these people take advantage of the term “mahirap ako eh”. Being mahirap doesn’t mean you’re hopeless. Being mahirap doesn’t mean you can always just make kalabit to people and say “PENGE”.
