01-25-2014, 06:42 PM
(01-25-2014, 06:02 PM)aussiefriend Wrote: If you really want to be noble, you don't give someone your leftovers, you buy them a meal, but not your leftovers, I mean, what an insult. There is no generosity of spirit there.
I already explained that it's common practice here in the city and I don't consider it a sacrifice. I don't see such a simple gesture as "noble". An "insult" to give food to someone begging for food? You are dizzy.
This really isn't a difficult concept to grasp: I'd rather give a homeless person food than see it thrown in the dumpster. A wee bit of saliva transferred from my fork to the food is certainly not something that's going to put off or threaten the health of people who are living in the streets, underpasses and parks - people who often rifle through filthy dumpsters for food and recyclables. It simply makes sense, to me, and what I choose to do.
I understand that your culture and personal inclinations are different. It doesn't bother me if you wouldn't be inclined to take left-overs out of a restaurant and wouldn't offer them to someone who needed them (if they were right there and asking, which I know isn't the case in a lot of areas). It would be your choice and not my concern.
The formal ways that I choose to volunteer and give back in my community, which almost everyone does in this city and also isn't viewed as "noble", are not things that require the input or approval of you or anyone else either. There are some things that I find challenging business-wise and financially about living in one of the most progressive cities in the world. The generosity of spirit, plus the tolerance and promotion of diversity are, on the other hand, things that I personally value a lot. I know that others consider it way too liberal here. I get that, too.
That's as simple as I can make it. If you don't get it, aussie, it's okay. You don't need to hurt your head contemplating it - it won't make any difference.