Why do people walk past homeless people, and act as if they don't see them?

Question

well i'm a suburbs girl

but when i go to nyc to spend time with my grandma

i see that their are homeless people.

& people walk past them like their invisible

i'm not rich myself but i could afford to give them a spare dollar or something heck i'd try to give them change.

i remember this one time this lady came up to our car begging us for money & we had to give the lady money, it was so sad.

sometimes they even come up to you & people ignore them, they hold up signs & i just don't get how people ignore them

i always thought of it as this "if we all came together and help each other we could make this world a better place"

& i'm not saying everyone does this

cause i know there are people who do try and help them

so could anyone answer the question?

thanks

=)

Answer 1

Because I'm broke and can't afford to give them money, so I walk by as fast as I can...Plus a lot of them scare me. Quite a few times they are very high or very drunk and that makes me feel uncomfortable. A lot of them are weirdos that became homeless for reasons that were their own d**n fault. A lot of them just use it to get drugs or alcohol if you give them money. It's sad but there is nothing I can do about it. If I were rich I'd gladly give up my money to save the homeless people.

Answer 2

I would never give a homeless person money.  The majority of homeless people have mental problems along with drug or alcohol addictions.  Instead, I donate money frequently to a place which provides lunches I would like to have myself.

People who have lost their jobs & their residences usually avail themselves of the many resources most large towns provide.

A few Sundays ago my hometown paper carried an article about a homeless man who begged for money daily; he didn't want to sleep in any of the beds available to the poor nor would he eat at the many places which provide free meals.

The writer of the article had great sympathy for him but his readers didn't.  He wanted hand-outs when hand-outs in my city are unnecessary.  Also it turned out that he had been in prison for assault & battery & robbery.  He was also an alcoholic.  

Answer 3

It's not that most people are cold-hearted (although some are), it's that some people who beg for money use it for drugs and alcohol, and, believe it or not, some people actually panhandle when they are *not* homeless or poor.  I do sometimes give to people on the street corners, but for the most part, I give money to charities and soup kitchens.  

Answer 4

I understand about the homeless I was there one time myself but one of the problems people have is that some sit on the side of the road with a sign saying they will work for food some people give them money but the problem is are they buying drugs with that or alcohol. I'm all in to buy them food that makes sure they eat. Also some people find them dirty and smelly and are intimidated by them.

Answer 5

People have become desensitized to homeless people. Or they just don't feel like stopping.  

Answer 6

theres so many of them u get used to it.

most of them are crack addicts n bums that would spend the money u give them to buy drugs.  

Answer 7

Never give them money because all it does is promote them to never get a job.  Many of them use the money for their habits and not to help clean themselves up.  They won't go into a shelter because they can't do drugs in the shelter.  I have worked a homeless detail for years and they do have family but their habit keeps them on the street.  A news crew followed one of the homeless one day.  After his day of asking for money he walked a few blocks to an SUV and drove to his very nice house.  They confronted him and he is no longer at that corner but I saw him at another corner.  I think people are tired of paying for other peoples mistakes and bad choices.  I don't feel sorry for them because they don't need pity when they are playing on your sympathy for money.  There are homeless that actually try to work.  Those are the ones that I help.  One time a guy was yelling at me because I wouldn't give him money.  I told him that I would help him get a job if he really wanted one and to show up the next day.  He never showed up.  I will always help them by telling them where they can get a shower, a bed, some food but I will never give them money.  If you really want to help them then go volunteer at one of the women's shelter.  They need voluteers with a good heart and it sounds like you have one.

Answer 8

I think a lot of the time homelessness is a choice, and it's not just homeless people we ignore, if you notice most of us ignore each other(when you walk down the street, dont you ignore most of the passersby?), and also you automatically think this person wants something from you, and personally I dont like them implying that I owe them something because I have spare money.

Answer 9

Our society is a very self center society.

We have become basically selfish putting our needs first rather then other people's needs. And many people think this is common sense, "I need to take care of myself first, before i can help anyone else," But the problem is we spend so much time on our self and on our problems that we don't realize so many people out there need our help and our attention also, and it is true we help each other out we could make such a difference buts that's not how our society is built.

Also society has classed homeless people as not even humans since they are usually dirty and many have the concept that they are all going to drink and do drugs. It is crazy that so many people pass by homeless and not even think twice about them especially people that live in the city and see this every single day, they kinda get immune to the site of a guy sleeping on street and it goes back to the self center thinking, that they cant help these people. But in fact, a dollar or even praying with these people helps them by giving them hope and faith. That their struggles are being seen and were trying to help.

Answer 10

http://www.emmaus.org.uk are doing some of the best work that I know of in that field...  

Answer 11

When I was a suburbs girl visiting the city, I used to worry about and feel sorry for these people too, but having to deal with them everyday when I started going to college in Chicago, I finally understood why everyone was ignoring them. I gave a lady some money to cover her bus fare once.  She asked me to buy her a sandwich also, so I invited her to follow me for lunch.  I ordered a 50 cent bun for myself; she ordered $2 chocolate cake.  She asked me to buy her coffee too.  I left.

Another time I saw a lady digging food out of a garbage can.  I had a hot apple pie from McDonald's that I wasn't going to eat, so I offered it to her.  She turned me down!!!  It proved that some people actually fend for themselves.  They still have a little bit of pride keeping them from mooching off of others.  

It was annoying seeing the same people on the same corners with the same pleas on my commute path every day.  At my school orientation, the security guards told us that there are shelters in town but these people station themselves around the city to beg for more money. They STATION THEMSELVES AROUND THE CITY EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SHELTERS TO HELP THEM.  Most of them shake their cups at everyone with indifferent looks on their faces like they EXPECT to be given something.  

I've helped homeless people who come up to me really asking for help, and they've genuinely thanked me for it.  I was very happy to help them because THEY deserved it.

Answer 12

It's a bad idea to give money to the homeless; a better idea is to donate to a charity that helps the homeless.

There is a "homeless" guy who waits outside a popular lunch spot in Cleveland and hassles passers-by for change. We later discovered that not only was he not homeless, he had a car and parked it each day in a $110.00-per-month parking garage (I can't even afford to park there). When confronted by a coworker, he freely admitted his a**holitude.

Another guy I gave money to immediately followed me into CVS and bought a 40-ouncer. He was in front of me in line, too.

Answer 13

i think that some people believe in the stereotype that all homeless people just dont want to work when really most cant because of disabilities, lack of education or experience and other reasons. then again ive also read that some homeless people make around 25,000 dollars a year just from begging. so who knows but anyhow nobody deserves to live on the street.

Answer 14

some people are scared of them, or do not want to give them money they probably act like they dont see them because they dont want to be mean when they ask you for something i personally have to give them something i feel so bad even though ntheyr most likely going to go and spend the money on alcohol  

Answer 15

I do (ignore them).  Because I'm skeptical of why they're homeless in the first place, and what they would do with the money.  A child, I would help, but not an able bodied adult.

I went to a community college downtown, and there were the same homeless people on the corner everyday.  With a big huge "Now Hiring" sign right behind them at a White Castle.  I didn't give them one cent.

Answer 16

maybe all those people are blind and you dont know it

help me please!!!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 17

well, you have a a good heart, a lot of homeless people want to be homeless, i know that's hard to believe, a lot of mental illness too, most times when you give them money, they don't buy food they buy booze.

Answer 18

I agree that some people are just rude to ignore them like that, but also you never really know if that person is "really" poor or theyre just faking it to get some money for booze. especially in New York, you dont really know who your giving your money too. What if they used it to do something bad? like buy drugs, or a gun that they might hurt someone with? its just difficult to know.

Answer 19

I actually think that since the most of the homeless are maybe americans and I am one myself can get a job anywhere. Even at mcdonalds or something.

I sometimes feel like if I give them money its just to help them more with their addiction. I know not all are like this but what can you do. I'm not gonna go out and give a dollar to every homeless I see. They aren't the only ones getting ignored alot others are.. whom have diseases and don't have money. COme on.

I do sometimes give them money but thats not very often.

Answer 20

Give them McDonald's coupons

So the will eat(not buy drugs or Alchohol

as some do)

Warm Coats,Gloves & Hats

Directions to someplace warm(Shelter)

Call your Governors,Senators & Representatives

Demand some place for these people to go even

if its a Ware house type building(like they do

for hurricane victims)

No One should be homeless or Hungry in America

The supposedly Richest country in the world.

Answer 21

From what I've experienced (I KNOW this is not always true) the stipulation is that they will just spend the money on booze. Sometimes it feels awkward to look at them and not have a real desire to help them, so maybe thats why they ignore them. Personally, I always give what ever food I have on me to a homeless person I see.

Answer 22

It is easier to ignore the problem than to face the issues.  People are too absorbed in their own issues.

Answer 23

Some people just think that the homeless person is just gonna waste the money on drugs or somethin soo they dont bother them. Some may just not care and some may just be to afraid to aprouch the person.

Answer 24

people are judge-mental    

Answer 25

I give them some change usually they are happy with a quarter.

Answer 26

Many of these people are really drug or alcohol addicted and looking for money to support their habit.  There are programs to help these people to meet their true needs.  We passersby give to the programs rather than the individual because we know that the money will be used wisely.

Answer 27

My uncle was homeless, he went all over Canada and even ended up dieing on the streets.  He had some mental problems and we could never really track him down when he was alive.

I think people need to understand that a lot of these people have mental issues or other problems.  I think we should help out with getting them jobs and making homeless shelters and help available.

I don't give most people on the street money though, because thats not helping them at all.  If you want to help them stop giving them money, it's only making them lazy. Help out at a homeless shelter, food bank or try to get bills passed to help them with mental issues..    

Answer 28

As sad as it seams 99% of people just dont care.

Answer 29

the thing is sometimes they want to help but dont think they can and by looking at them they start to feel worse and worse but they feel they cant help.

Answer 30

I say hello usually if they say hello first. I make it clear, however, that I will not give them money. If they are starving, I would offer to buy them food, or give them food. But I would never give them money.

Answer 31

i've recently moved into a place with many beggars/homeless.

at first i had a similar reaction to you, and it tuggs at your heartstrings.  however, whether people like it or not, you get desensitised after awhile.  You can't go giving out money because the whole street will see that you are a weak target, and you will not even be able to travel.  

people begin to make rationalizations for ignoring them, such as they need to go get a job, or they are homeless for a reason, etc