CC Pung, Justice of Peace.
Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and Labuan.
His dose of philosophical musings
I had the misfortune of interacting with some people supposedly in human resources management but look more suited as loan sharks.
A family needs help and my question was whether their company has a mechanism through which the family (one member is a staff) could get some assistance.
There is none.
But what took the cake was this …”We are aware there are others who also need help … if we singled this one out to help others may feel slighted’.
First, a company of over 100 with no discernable staff welfare system is atrocious.
Second, you don’t even care to know which staff member needs help and what kind before you dished out your self righteous nonsense.
Having been involved with volunteer charity work for years, I’m well aware of my limitation.
I keep to my motto ‘find a reason to help, and not excuses not to’.
I have learnt through the years that givers don’t have many questions.
They just give what they can. It’s those stingy penny-pinching self righteous hypocrites who would rationalise to try to bring out the halo around their heads.
They’d say, like this trash of a HR guy, that ‘others may be displeased if we give one and not others’.
I have had the misfortune of knowing Rolex-wearing people who begrudged a woman at a coffeeshop begging.
They refused to part with anything, dismissing the alms-seeker as lazy or pretend to be lame, or ‘why don’t they seek government help?’ Or ‘where is her husband?’ Or stupid questions like that.
The wicked side of me was always saying ‘I hope you fall into a drain, and passerby ask you to climb out on your own, or speculate if you were just pretending’.
Yes, there are beggars out there who drink and just lazy to work.
Yes there are beggars under the influence of syndicates.
But how many? Isn’t it possible that by choosing not to give, you might just have piled on the hardship of a fellow human being?
To me, the question before me when I’m facing a beggar is : can I help?
Only my ego and self righteousness will make me ask if i am encouraging laziness or the begging practices or planting the wrong seed.
It comes down to simply :do you want to give?
Give willingly.
Stop prejudging the people asking for help.
If you don’t want to give. Don’t. Spare me your philosophy and righteousness.
You make me sick.
I hope you missteps the stairs, break an ankle and I pass by saying ‘sorry I can’t help you because ….”
God bless kind hearted givers everywhere.
Editor: The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of Talantang.
