Three-dollar Passions

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Clarissa

February 10, 2018

Another drama in the local FB group. People are warning each other about “a scammer” who stopped a couple of folks in front of the grocery store to ask for 3 dollars. They are suspecting she doesn’t really need the 3 dollars and is trying to scam passersby of their hard-earned 3 dollars. A heated discussion of the gall of asking for the 3 dollars you don’t even really need or deserve ensued.

I’ve had times in my life when I was poor, drowning in debt, literally down to my last 3 dollars. And even then I can’t imagine mustering so much righteous indignation over somebody trying to get an “undeserved” 3 dollars. I’m not saying I’m a paragon of morality. I’m just too lazy or too preoccupied with other things to care so passionately about 3 dollars.

It’s a pity Rauner isn’t asking for 3 dollars in front of the grocery store because that would be all we’d need to unseat him.

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7 responses to “Three-dollar Passions”

Shakti

February 10, 2018

Perhaps all the people in the FB group are suffering from “economic anxiety.”

Sorry. I just think the welfare state and taxes are the price you pay not to have beggars ask you for money every time you walk outside, and if that’s not something you want your tax dollars to pay for that’s a tradeoff you make.

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1. J. Otto Pohl
  
  February 10, 2018
  
  Except there are a number of places with high taxes and welfare payments and lots of beggars. I lived in London for a while under a Labour government and there were lots of beggars there.
  
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  1. Clarissa
    
    February 10, 2018
    
    The issue of beggars is most productively solved in a place where people never leave the car or the house.
    
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2. Clarissa
  
  February 10, 2018
  
  We literally have no homeless or beggars around here. These are very very rare cases, so it’s not like people are tired of encountering this all the time. And I’m sure there is anxiety. But it’s $3. Isn’t it too boring to notice $3?
  
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  1. cliff arroyo
    
    February 10, 2018
    
    “Isn’t it too boring to notice $3?”
    
    It’s a weirdly specific amount… that might be why people remember it.
    
    And an upswing in the economy can also cause an upswing in begging. In the neighborhood I live in I get asked about once or twice a week (up from never until a a couple of months ago).
    
    My favorite was the one who said “I’m not gonna beat around the bush, my woman threw me out” (twice to me on different days and to a friend in the same area as well. I was sorely tempted to say “Zuch dziewczyna!” (You go girl!) but thought just a simple no was probably better.
    
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  2. Shakti
    
    February 10, 2018
    
    But it’s $3. Isn’t it too boring to notice $3?
    
    Not to these people. Look, I’m sure there is a significant overlap between people who spout off at length about “following the rules” and who get excited enough to warn other people about a random person outside of a grocery store asking for $3 on Facebook. They all fancy themselves hardworking good people. A lot of them are irritants.
    
    If I were seriously bothered enough I would go tell the manager of the store and that would be the end of it. And nothing stops me from ignoring a person or saying no.
    
    Don’t follow your neighborhood on Nextdoor. I’m sure there will be all kinds of excited cranky posts about “suspicious” people, snowblowers and cars in the street.
    
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    1. Clarissa
      
      February 10, 2018
      
      Exactly. Just say no and move on. Why get so overwrought about it?
      
      And you are absolutely right. One of the local FB groups that existed to let people sell second hand stuff was closed down this week because it’s been hijacked by the suspicious and the cranky. The admin got fed up and closed the page until people get a hold on themselves.
      
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