Poor People
Dec 14th, 2007, in Opinion, Society, by Guest WriterIndonesians don’t care enough about the poor, says Iamisaid.
Nonchalant attitude towards the poor and suffering.
Wherever in Indonesia, whatever time it is day or night, the sight of undernourished children, the handicapped, the elderly, the hungry, the homeless, that and more pathetic scenes of Indonesians, lonely and suffering, is met along the five-foot walkways.
Has this daily spectacle benumbed the mind and senses and in turn has it made Indonesia to be nonchalant towards the sufferings of the less fortunate?
A saintly person once said this,
I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it.
Or is it that the situation has become so overwhelmingly fearful that by giving a loaf of bread or 500 Rupiahs to a beggar, it would bring a curse upon oneself and *POOOFF! one would be reduced to being a beggar too?
Anti-Begging Laws
The apathy on the other hand has included draconian measures. Prison sentences for beggars caught in the act of receiving alms and a fine imposed on the benefactor who is caught giving alms – and what is the reason given by the Authorities? They claim that it is done in order to improve the image of the town. For the Authorities, the town image takes precedence over the need to implement solutions to those living in dire conditions – homeless, hungry, in poor health or physically handicapped.
Even as I write this, there are those notwithstanding their lack of compassion, who approve the enactment of that law. These people would go insane if they had to live the life of the less fortunate for more than a day.
One thing that is sure, the enactment of laws and the imposition of penalties would serve to improve the image of the Officials’ personal bank account! One does not have to be a rocket scientist to know how they do it.
An elderly beggar with an swollen left foot being ignored.
I have been told that there are syndicates who prey on the daily collections of these unfortunate people. This is the rationale and one of several reasons given why there is the need to impose draconian measures to remove the existence of beggars at public places as though by getting rid of the beggars it would do likewise to the syndicates. It is like sweeping stuff under the carpet.
Helping the Poor
Simplistic as this suggestion might appear to be, is it not possible for those who have the means such as, the people who earn a “decent” salary, the people who run businesses of their own, the larger size Companies, the multi national Companies to make a monthly contribution for such a worthy humane cause?
Each contributes according to their capability, towards providing in an organised and transparent way, for basic essentials such as food, clothes, shelter and health care for the destitute. If every town in Indonesia were to do this, it would be a win-win all round. Perhaps this suggestion is utopian for prevalent conditions in Indonesia. However, elsewhere around the world there are others who have succeeded using this method.
What are the possibilities to establish centers that provide teaching of skills particularly for Indonesian youth? Even to the extent in establishing cottage-like industry to produce indigenous items for sales or export. The profits made gets to pay for at least minimum salaries, etc., etc., Better that than endless whining.
Are Indonesians incapable of rising above themselves, to collectively put their energies for such self sustaining solutions instead of being laid back and nonchalant?
Indonesia’s show of “people power” as it was seen whenever it occurred, proves that Indonesians are not timid when they need to collectively impose their will.
A maimed man begging for his next meal.
Avoiding the Poor
Here is a true incident. It should not to be taken as being rare . I do not consider it being a rare incident going by the countless occasions that I have witnessed the following.
People who turn their faces away to look in the opposite direction, thereby avoiding eye to eye contact with the less fortunate. Have you not noticed people who veer themselves clear and far away from a beggar as though the beggar is an embodiment of some dreadful pestilence in their path?
A Poor Family
It was close to midnight at Bengkulu, South West Sumatra, when discussions ended among four University Professors and I. I was hungry. I had skipped lunch in Jakarta that day and the preparations for the discussion and the actual discussion caused me to miss my dinner.
The hotel receptionist told me where I could get a meal outside. I was glad that it was a stone’s throw from the Hotel.
As I made my way out of the Hotel I found a woman seated by the wayside while she cradled an infant. She was not seated because she had to breast feed the infant. Two girls sat beside her, probably her daughters. I thought it was odd that they were seated on the grass, alongside a dimly lit road. It was quiet and the road was not busy with commuters. If the woman were seeking for alms, the main road in town would have been a better choice.
I stopped and gave the woman some money then continued to head towards the food warung.
As I sat at the warung for food to be served, my thoughts went back to woman and the three children.
I stepped out of the shop to see if they were still there. Yes, the silhouette of their bodies confirmed it. I made a brisk walk back to the woman and asked, “Ibu, anak anak sudah makan kah?” I repeated the question and this time she shook her head that meant they had not eaten. I said to the woman, “Permisi Ibu, biar anak ikut saya untuk beli makanan”. She nodded her head in agreement.
“Ikut ya”¦.” I said reassuringly to the girl as we walked towards the warung. I requested the cook to prepare three packets of whatever the girl desired. The girl hurried back to her mother with the three packets of food.
Compassion
While all this was happening, two Professors spotted me at the warung as they passed by in their car. They joined me while I ate and had small conversation with them.
I asked if they had seen the woman and her three children when they left the Hotel.
They gave me a most heartless reply. They said that the woman was putting on an act. “They do that all the time”, declared one of the Professors.
I did not wish to start an argument as it was late and I was tired.
So what if the woman was putting on an act? I said to myself and analysed further. She had three children, out in the open, on a lonely roadside, in the dark, late at night and hungry. Which woman would want to do that? As though that woman is blessed with better options in her miserable condition?
Moments before the Professors and I parted, I could not contain myself as I put this terse question to them, “What would you have done if the woman seated out there with three children, was your mother?”
May I conclude my article by quoting the Dalai Lama:
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
54 Comments on “Poor People”
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Mr. TicTacToe says:
now i have a story about beggars too.
I manage a small company which need “uang receh” in daily basis. So i made an agreement with some of beggars i knew from my activist years, to supply me with “uang receh”.
Each person give me 100k-200k/day!
while the minimum wage at my area is around 600k-700k.Out of curiousity, i asked one of them: “Pak blegin, ini tiap hari uangnya sendiri atau patungan?” translation:”is this your own income or several people’s income?”
The answer was it was his own.I guess not all beggars have at least 4 times income than my hard working employees, but you get the picture.
Its a big big dillema, to give or not to give. By giving we might encourage new beggars, but what if some of them are not as lucky as pak blegin? if so, how to differentiate them?
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Cukurungan says:
Achmad Sudarsono Said:
Friend,
I think this is not about compassion. It’s about economics. Per capita GDP too low, Friend. Need more economic growth with a job-generating pattern.me :
You must be kidding friend our GDP low is yes…but you can see how many our muslim brother could take Hajj and umroh even more than 7 times while in theirs next doors so many our muslim brother even haven’t enough food on the table….ironically in the same time, in Quran God ordered muslim to take care and feed the poor and orphan 27 times and ask muslim to do regular charity 67 times but only talked about Hajj 2 times.
However, our reality life talked otherwise, Indonesia muslim more concern about theirs Hajj title rather than take care the poor and orphan.
Btw, I believe that encouragement Polygamies marriage for the rich would contribute GDP growth at least by 5% and it would create a new job opportunity for our countrywomen.
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AFAIK, all religion in Indonesia teach their follower to care about the poor. As a christian, at least until now, I’ve seen that churches are able to maintain their member of congregation above the poverty line. One thing that I still hope to see is that churches broaden this action out of their congregation. But, I think everyone aggree with me that this is an almost impossible thing to happen in Indonesia, since the hardest rejection comes from outside. Church’s charity events are often accused as acts of christianization.
I believe that if all religious institution in this country could influence the follower to give more concern to the poor, we don’t have to see a lot of beggars in every corner of our big cities.
Let’s dream… and hope we could make it happen…
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iamisaid says:
Hi Achmad Sudarsono,
You said: “I think this is not about compassion…………..Talking about ‘compassion’ and ‘concern for the poor’ is just wishful thinking”
The answer : “Remember your humanity and forget the rest” (Albert Einstein)
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Hi Cukurangan,
You said: “Btw, I believe that encouragement Polygamies marriage for the rich would contribute GDP growth at least by 5% and it would create a new job opportunity for our countrywomen.”
I say : The GDP sure as hell would as in Great Disaster Promised.
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Achmad Sudarsono says:
Guys,
Start living in reality.
Compassion, as in charity, is icing on the cake. And certainly, political pressure to end poverty helps to shape government policy. One example was in 2006 when there was an uproar because economic growth wasn’t creating jobs. Let’s say that again: economic growth wasn’t creating jobs.
Such political pressure is partly compassion. It’s partly democracy, as the poor have a stake in the system.
But thinking that poverty can be solved if only, if only we were all nicer to each other pure wishful thinking. When was the last time the World Bank’s anti poverty strategy was, “let’s all be nice to each other.” How about the government of India, China, and Indonesia.
Funny, I can’t remember Boediono standing before parliament and saying, “let’s ditch economic policy and all just practice compassion.”
As for Einstein, an economist he wasn’t. With all due respect to Herr Einstein, he had his head in the stars.
Let’s keep a warm heart and cool head. Now that’s real compassion.
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Hi Mr. Tic Tac Toe,
You said: “Its a big big dillema, to give or not to give. By giving we might encourage new beggars, but what if some of them are not as lucky as pak blegin? if so, how to differentiate them?”
My comment: Decicions, decisions, decisions which most of us find it dreadful. Giving alms would not drive a compassionate person to bankruptcy. It is given according to one’s affordability.
Who to give?, when to give?, how to give?, why give? Give or not to give? – to each his own. I reckon that a person who regularly helps others would have found his answers for those questions.
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Achmad Sudarsono,
“I can’t remember Boediono standing before parliament and saying, “let’s ditch economic policy and all just practice compassion.””
Precisely, and had Boediono said that warmly and cooly before Parliament, Indonesia most certainly would fare better.
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IamIsaid,
Poor = lack of access to income. It’s an economic question. You haven’t discussed economic issues at all. You’ve just said, over and over again, we need more compassion. That message is good and fine, but it fits mostly into the spiritual sphere. It’s a message for Jumatan and Friday prayers.
If you’re really compassionate, you’re interested in reality and outcomes, not just words. We’ve all had enough of words in the last 10 years of Reformasi. Now we need results. And yes, we need compassion, but it’s not enough. At all, by a long way.
Tibet’s been full of monks preaching compassion for about 1,000 years and it’s one of the poorest regions in Asia.
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Achmad Sudarsono,
Me?
I am an Economist. London School of Economics, (1963).
It is not poor as in poor that this article is all about.
Economics does not by itself solve poverty. Take a look at the developed nations. Are their comparatively better managed economies spared from this spectacle of human suffering?
If it does work out well in any of those developed countries, it is because there are humans WITH a conscience. Who cares if it stems from religiously motivates or not?
Tibet? Poor? That depends how it is evaluated. When everyone is poor in a given confine – they do not know what the opposite is.
I have been to Nepal. The the standard of living is cheap in Nepal. The natives are warm and cool. They have food, clothing, shelter and the basics. -
iamisaid Said:
I have been to Nepal. The the standard of living is cheap in Nepal. The natives are warm and cool. They have food, clothing, shelter and the basics.
me :
Nepal Kingdom wouldn’t be shutdown by theirs own people if you said is the real facts.
You said:
I say : The GDP sure as hell would as in Great Disaster Promised.
me :
Don’t be pessimistic see below:
GDP = Consumption + Government Expenditure + Investment + Export-Import
Let compare GDP components contributions between Indonesia vs USA
INDONESIA GDP :
AGRICULTURAL : 13.1%
INDUSTRY : 46%
SERVICE : 41%USA GDP:
AGRICULTURAL : 0.9%
INDUSTRY : 20.4%
SERVICE : 78.6%You can see that the drivers of US GDP is not theirs Industry but theirs service business therefore it is no wonder if US Government always keen in pursuing a new conflict with other country in order to keep-up a new job creation like nursing and other medical job for treating theirs wounded soldiers.
In Indonesia, we cannot fully copies US style in creating new job because no other countries using IDR for theirs trade transaction but if we check indonesia GDP figure, there is still big rooms for increasing our GDP by blowing up business in service sectors and infrastructure. I think business related to wedding service for the polygami marriage would create significant new job for the poor.
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IamIsaid,
Well, it’s about time for a refresher course. Besides, it’s not clear what you took at LSE — might’ve been anthropology for all we know. (BTW – did you know a young Mick Jagger – he was there at about the same time).
Either you’re being deliberately sneaky on your definitions of poverty or just don’t know about the debate over measuring poverty.
Yes, true. Economic growth alone doesn’t solve poverty. That’s why I said emphasis on job creation. Also, market’s fail all the time. That’s why there needs to be political pressure. Compassion plays a part, but democracy’s better — giving the poor power. Brazil’s one of the biggest Catholic countries in the world. Theoretically, it should be one of the most compassionate. But in the ’80s and ’90s (dunno about now), they had economic growth without poverty alleviation.
Here’s where you’re getting sneaky. Yes, the Western countries have poverty. But if they used the same measurement indices as Indonesia poverty would be nearly zero. That is, it’d be sociological factors, homeless, untreated mentally ill people etc.
If the Western poverty indices – (absolute, not relative measurement) were used in Indonesia over 90 % of the population, including people who earn Rp.5 juta a month would be poor. Purchasing power parity concept.
I said Tibet, not Nepal. On Nepal, now you’ve been there. I don’t think that adds up to a comprehensive poverty and wellbeing survey.
Point is compassion’s good. We all like compassion. But it won’t be enough to help the poor. They need jobs. For jobs labour demand has to go up. For labour demand to go up, the economy has to be growing. Pretty simple really.
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Welcome back Achmad Sudarsono,
From the gist of your first comment, it sounded to me like you meant that compassion is horsesh*t (though those are not the exact words that you used) when it comes to dealing with this matter.
That impression also appeared in your subsequent comment wherein you said that compassion is being repeated over and over again.
You are entitled to your opinion and that includes me too and the rest of the free world that are arm chair critics and spew “just words. We’ve all had enough of words in the last 10 years of Reformasi.”
There are several issues pertaining to poverty and suffering. I chose to write about the nonchalant attitude. Did you read, “Indonesians don’t care enough about the poor, says Iamisaid” and the title “Nonchalant attitude towards the poor and suffering.”?
Perhaps, you might have a point if I had it titled it, “Indonesians are not compassionate enough about the poor” and “COMPASSION, COMPASSION, COMPASSION” as the title.
I said that the article I wrote is not just poor as in poor.
Assuming that you have read it in its entirety, what follows “Helping the poor” did I not touch on the matter of creating jobs?
I do not wish to sound apologetic by saying that the topic is huge and to deal with all the different ponderables about it would entail a much, much lengthier essay.
By the way, I have no need to be sneaky as you infer. I do not need to throw a curve ball.
May I NOW be sneaky and borrow you own caption ” (iamisaid) tells it like it is”.
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Borrow all you want. If you want to help the poor, compassion won’t do it.
Try offering the next pemulung (not pengemis) the same life, but everyone’s nice to them, versus an asshole boss, at four times the money they’re getting. I’d be interested to see the response.
I think the real reason Indonesians are resigned, not nonchalant is because most of them believe in “nasib”. They don’t understand poverty has a cause and a solution. The solution is smart economics, healthy growth, sensible social policies, buoyant private sector.
The solution is not, however, speeches in the Mesjid.
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Ahhhh Mas cukurangan,
{I say : The GDP sure as hell would as in Great Disaster Promised.}
My apologies; that reply was too short and it misled you.
I was not pointing at Indonesia’s GDP per se or being pessimistic about its performance.
It referred to your comment about encouraging polygamy as that would contribute towards Indonesia’s GDP increasing it by as much as 5 percent as well as create new job oppotunities for Indonesian women.
I think the Indonesian women like their counterpart in Thailand are far more resourceful than their men. The womenfolk in Indonesia would not need polygamy unless they simply love working at night. Hence, the Great Disaster Promised! 😉
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Achmad Sudarsono,
You said and I wholeheartedly agree: “I think the real reason Indonesians are resigned, not nonchalant is because most of them believe in “nasib”. They don’t understand poverty has a cause and a solution. The solution is smart economics, healthy growth, sensible social policies, buoyant private sector.”
Interesting though about your viewpoint – most of them believe in “nasib” and being resigned (as in its the Will of God) for whatever they are.
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WP says:
I’m an Indonesian, so I suppose your question applies to me. Here is my honest answer. I don’t like to be confronted face to face with the poors, because I don’t want to be reminded that they exist. Because if I am aware of that, it would be teribly selfish of me to live my sufficient life, while other people suffer as you described. I want to look away, because otherwise I will feel very depressed every day.
But I’m happy there are people like you. I hope, the next time I see a beggar, I will remember your posting and will do a bit more for him/her.
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Hi there WP,
Oh pellease, do not take it the wrong way. We all have our own weaknesses. The sun shall rise tomorrow and its another day where we are given another chance.
I am not reeeech like that Bakrie chap but I do whatever possible within my own limitations. This I believe – if I can help even one Indonesian, it makes one less Indonesian who has to endure such suffering.
Back in my homeland, I have said this once to friends who get carried away with their religious zeal………
“How can you speak so much about God Whom you see not when I know you have never given a care about those people out there who are suffering in various conditions?”
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Dragonwall says:
iamisaid, now you are being pitted with a group from the Think Tank and do anticipate a kind of new correlation (refer Yusril’s case) coming up your way and logics.
This guy is trying to tell everyone that in begging they are being control by syndicate that employs people to beg and share the daily intake. Indonesia may not differ from other countries.
In Taiwan and China especially in Shenzhen there were the case of missing children. Sometimes parents recognize their lost kids on the road, with their tongue cut off, limbs maimed begging from 9 to 5 or appropriate busy traffice hours at intersection of busy streets or subway.When times up there is a transport man coming to pick them up to rendezvous. They receive sizeable income but only share part of the take.
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Hi dragonwall,
OMG! what you relate about Taiwan and China is absolutely ghastly.
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@dragonwall:
ah… you really are something ^_^
Just becoz we disagree on logic and yusril, that doesnt mean we have to disagree on many other things khan? I just read your posting about the purifier things, I do admire your efforts on that. Dont be so hostile lah, I will continue to play on that yusril post later lah, too tired right now.
This guy is trying to tell everyone that in begging they are being control by syndicate that employs people to beg and share the daily intake.
ah you got me wrong, or probably I didn’t make it clear. You said that I was a “pelayan”, right? I work at a cybercafe networks, and my company needs coins for daily operations. Since I knew some beggars, and they needed paper money, I asked them to trade in their coins to us. A mutual relationship, I said nothing about syndicate or such.
@iamisaid:
My point was, from what I see, begging is a quite lucrative business. My company could only afford to pay my employees (legally) less than the beggar made.Giving the beggars money, might not really help them. In fact, it might even encourage new beggars to emerge. More people gave up their creativities to solve their problems.
What else we can do in micro level other than giving beggars what they seemed to need? I dont know. really.
Back in my activist years, I helped in some shelter house for “anak jalanan”, so that they can try to improve their lives. But it didn’t work that well, some if not most of them went back to beggars life.
Not all of us having lack of compassions, we might be as helpless as we can be.
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Oh pellease, do not take it the wrong way. We all have our own weaknesses. The sun shall rise tomorrow and its another day where we are given another chance.
Well, but you really have a valid point.
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Welcome back Mr. Tic Tac Toe,
You said: “My point was, from what i see, begging is a quite lucrative business. My company could only afford to pay my employees (legally) less than the beggar made.”
me: It might well be right in a few, maybe some cases but it would be against my conscience to use that as a reason to castigate the rest of “beggardom” (let’s give them a kingdom).
You said: “Giving the beggars money, might not really help them. In fact, it might even encourage new beggars to emerge. More people gave up their creativities to solve their problems.”
me: It depends on how one wishes to dispense really. And again, as with anything else that one applies oneself to do – there must be a desire to do it. the are other factors too.
For example, I have a very small organisation that I manage wherein I introduce severe cases to potential donors. The kind of support that these donors provide is their decision to make. It could be money, it could be clothings, it could be whatever that pleases them. My job is fulfilled when receipient and donor are related on a one to one relationship. So far, it has worked pretty well.
You said: “Back in my activist years, i helped in some shelter house for “anak jalanan”, so that they can try to improve their lives. But it didnt work that well, some if not most of them went back to beggars life.”
me: Awww. From what I know about that sort of support, running a shelter center is pretty tough. It needs the kind of skills like Mother Teresa and a pretty well run Organisation to sustain it.
You said: “What else we can do in micro level other than giving beggars what they seemed to need? I dont know. really.” and “Not all of us having lack of compassions, we might be as helpless as we can be.”
me: I have had instances where I was hoodwinked by beggars.
For example: This old porter who wore worn out sandals at the Ferry Terminal. Always falling ill. I told him that I would give him a pair of Safety boots. The subsequent times I met him at the Terminal I noticed that he never wore the Safety boots. So, he probably sold it and spent the money on something of greater priority.
Lesson I learned. Who’s to blame if second guessing is the name of the game everytime I decide to give alms in cash or in kind? I gave. He did not beg me for it. What he does with it is not any business of mine after the fact. Just because I give does not entitle me to run his life. If he does not put whatever he receives to good use, it would be his turn to learn too.
Cheers,
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iamisaid..OMG it is very real. I was in the NE region for years. I run 39 franchise stores all over Taiwan with factories in HK, and China. So I travelled to places. In the 70’s and 80’s many kids were kidnapped and it happened once a lady in Taiwan had lost her son for years from their southside home and suddenly she came across her son in Taipei with on of his hand surgically amputated and unable to talk. That create a storm with an all out efforts to round up the syndicates.
In Shenzhen the style of begging is more officially selling flowers near Karaoke and entertainment places. It is still going on. Even daily robbery and snatch thieves were very eactively present in Shenzhen and Guangdong railway station.
poor people were being recruited to smuggle dope. Pregnant women from Yunnan stuffing drugs in their arse. These are hazards in society and hopefully Indonesia do not have to resort to these in search of a better life.
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Dont be so hostile lah
Or perhaps I was wrong about you. Guess we are back to logic..ok.
I said nothing about syndicate or such.
I am the one who said and they exist very real, everywhere, everyplace.
In singapore beggars are so rich that their bank accounts are so fat. If you capitalize on the the festive, seasons, deities birthday at temples.
When I was a kid we visited the KUSU Island in singapore yearly to pay homage. A day before we left we get ready with a lot of loose change. On our way uphill we won’t pay any attention them those beggars lining the steps by the hundreds. On our way down we distributed a coin each to them. Rupiahs exchange rate at that time was about less than 50 rp = 1 SGD. Just imagine.
A beggar on a good day can bring in around 1-2,000 SGD on festive days. So I would say many of them are professional beggars.
There was also one lady in Hongkong who was known to be a scrap lady who collected cartons for waste. She live frugally in a makeshift joint full of scrap newspaper and cartons. she turned out to be one the the richest woman in Hongkong owning various properties that were being leased to others and yet she simply forfeit the extravagance in life. That’s life.
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Welcome back again, dragonwall,
“These are hazards in society and hopefully Indonesia do not have to resort to these in search of a better life.”
Such heinous cruelty from the additional information you shared.
Yes, hopefully that sort of despicable rot will never find its way in Indonesia.
About what you related – that woman who made her rounds picking up cartons and became a zillionaire, I think I shall tell one of my sons to do the same instead of job hopping.
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I think I shall tell one of my sons to do the same instead of job hopping.
There come a time you need to jump ship a time you need to stay. When I was working with a bank before, I was offered to work with SHK in HK with better remuneratives. My uncle in the hotel business later introduce his friend who finds me suitable in managing his business after he acquired his Taiwan franchise. From there I stop moving and expand the business but we stop short of going public at Walls St when my boss decided to make it to the Chinese market then came the riot and I left.
One should decide what is best for them. When they fit the job well expand on it whether working for others or private. That’s what I do in business engineering.
Diversifying Assets.Although I am now almost half retired filing Motion and filing Litigation in a law firm I still work my mind in coaching my kids in their educational approach especially economics and management. My daughter opted for Hotelier I advice Civil Engineeering and she go for it. Later I will asked her to branch out to Architectural. When she is ready for the commercial world I will teach her business economy and managements.
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Hi dragonwall,
It was good reading hearing your management and approach regarding career path for your daughter.
Although what we’re discussing now is not part of the article proper, I hope that Patung and the others do not mind it.
I have three well behaved sons. I have been fortunate that there never was a need to use negative reinforcement on any of them. I do not recall ever having had the need to spank them with my hand on their bottoms. In that sense I have been blessed.
However, it has been altogether a different matter when they reached the age in deciding what they needed to pursue for their tertiary education and choice of career.
My eldest son then had a inclination for I.T and computers. I supported his ambition mainly because I believe a person would do best in the things he loves to do. Talent being another thing.
By the time he had finished his University Course, the I.T bubble burst and we all know what ensued.
My second son chose Bio Medical. Even wanted to go for a double degree and finish it with Bio Tech. Regardless of either one of those, the Bio Industry is not it is like in Europe where they’re going great guns in the Bio Industry.
However, he has found a job with that sort of complements his education. He could do far better with his talent but that means having to go abroad.
My third son is on a roller coaster. Probably the most intelligent of the three from his impeccable scholastic performance. He cannot seem to make up his mind in which Medical discipline he wishes to pursue. He has not much time left to make that crucial decision.
I decided that I would retire from regular employ when I turned 50. It is not because I am tired of working or that I am outrageously wealthy. I wanted to have time to do the things that I have never been able to do
Also having seen lots of my senior friends end their lives with all kinds of illnesses because they stressed themselves to work, work, work leading to their premature deaths, that too had a cause for my decision.A decision which of course dismayed my wife because I would be a pain in the ass 24×7 at home.
Then along came Indonesia. Never had Indonesia on my mind ever.
LOL !
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Sputjam says:
Begging is like bribery done on a lower level. Numerous beggars on the street means a probable failed state. Giving money to beggars means contributing to make the whole system less efficient, because these baggers do not contribute to any work.
In other words, pay some money to these guys to make them do some beneficial work. It can be simple work, like cleaning the neighbourhood drain, or asking them to secure the neighbourhood from bandits(private security firm), payment done by contribution from the community chest collected monthly or weekly.
Ot get them to collect garbage and then, in their own yard, seperate the useful recyclable ones from the real garbage. I am sure there are some ideas on how these guys can find some jobs. the only problem is, are they willing to work?
Or as mentioned by some, begging actually is lucrative business. I hope it does not escalate like what had happened in some parts of china.
Comment on “Poor People”.
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Friend,
I think this is not about compassion. It’s about economics. Per capita GDP too low, Friend. Need more economic growth with a job-generating pattern, Friend. Talking about ‘compassion’ and ‘concern for the poor’ is just wishful thinking and the kind of argument the Catholic Church used in the 14th century.
I think you need to study the Pancasila. Oke ?