Why would anyone want to give $1,000 to a complete stranger?

Question

I am referring to this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqSYHlm_kNgytJlyP95poyUezKIX?qid=20061121155642AA9yYO2&show=2#answer-title-area

Don't people have bills to pay? I am not saying not to help other people. Helping others is good. But, why not help one of your relatives or people in your immediate family or someone you love? Why would you waste it on people who aren't even connected to your life in any way?

Not just that though but don't you have things you wish you could do but don't have the money to do them? I don't mean giving your money to a stranger. What I mean for example is, I've always wanted to go to a better college (community college) but I am unable to afford it. Or I've always wanted to make my own movie but lack the money to afford the equipment, actors, and other things to do so. Don't people have any aspirations that you'd like to accomplish instead of throwing them all away for someone you don't know?

If anything what about the costs of living to s

to support your self and your family? Wouldn't you want to save the ones you love and make sure they live comfortably and safely instead of giving it to someone who is a complete stranger? I just don't get it. Why give it to someone who has nothing to do with you instead of give it to the people who've loved and supported you all your life (your family) or to yourself to survive?

*giving (typo)

Also, if not your family. Why not your friends?

It makes no sense to give anything to a complete stranger.

I am not being selfish. I did mention helping family or friends right? Doesn't that make sense to you? I would do anything for them because they're the ones that have supported me and been with me for almost forever.

Wouldn't you rather such people live (that have been with you forever and all) than some random stranger who will just take the money and that's it... you never see them again?

Yes, people are starving. But 1,000 isn't going to help them. It would be such a futile waste of money that could instead be used for yourself and people who are important to you.

What if one of your friends or family were dying? Wouldn't that be more important than someone distant and unrelated to you? Some stranger far away who can't give you any sort of experience that your friends or family can?

Answer 1

Huh? How selfish are you, man?

This is the reason nobody in America gives a s.hit that 30 percent of the overseas population is starving to death.

Answer 2

because it's a humane thing to do. some kids can't afford to go to college at all and the cycle continues and so does the poverty. if everyone thinks like u this world would a desolute place. everybody deserves a hand up not a hand out. ive been homeless w/3 small kids and if it wasnt for a stranger i still would be. but thank god some people care and now i am a nurse w/ a beautiful home and family. what if it were u on the other end?

Answer 3

Everything in life is RELATIVE; and the question applies to ANYONE who is able to think BEYOND their own needs and wants!!! A family living BELOW the federal poverty line would not be in a good position to give $1,000 away to help others/another; however, a single, earning a six-figure income, in good health, with little or no debt, WOULD be in a good position to help another by giving the thousand dollars. Someone in GREAT health is in a better position to financially help someone unable to work. Knowing or not knowing the person helped is not important; caring about others suffering IS important. People must see beyond their own wants and needs to help others with greater needs; that's how.

Answer 4

I agree and that is really what I would do help out people within my family but if it had to be a stranger I would try a few strangers that really need it. I would start in my family like my dad he had to struggle to get the money to pay for my grandmothers burial, just this week he barely had enough to get her a box not even a coffin.
She died oct 29, and we barely buried her thats so sad. I should have helped him out more and I feel terrible. I have a sister who I would help out and just things like bills need to be paid to and 1000 is not a lot these days anyway.

Answer 5

Sometimes you got to think of others there's people who don't eat because they can't afford it there are people who go days with out heat because they can't pay the bill people that pay their bills make it in life and they can get help but there are people that no one wants to help because they don't care. When you help a stranger and you know that you made a differences in their life's that makes you feel good about yourself.

Answer 6

theres this homeless old man with a grocery cart with his belongings in it at the bus stop a lot of the time, I always stop and give him five or ten dollars. did so today.I collect for Charity's.theres a about twelve year old boy that goes around in his wheelchair I stopped a few times and gave him a twenty.I was disabled once.the old man has to have some money coming in, he is way old, the boy probably doesn't. paint address numbers on curbs and driveways. thats a great way to make extra money. I sometimes make 20 to 30 dollars an hour.done about 90.000 of them in 20 years. part time.good luck.I wish you the best in life.

Answer 7

A human being is a human being....Did you not feel sympathy for the people who perished on 9/11....they were strangers to you....What about the 3 thousand American Servicemen and Women who have died since the "war" started....they were strangers to you....Random acts of kindness have happened to me in my lifetime....Perhaps that has never happened to you....Judging by the way you wrote what you did, to me, it seems you are younger than 25......You'll see just what random acts of kindness is one day, when you have to worry about someone other than yourself.....There is a man, who just recently his identity was made public...someone was nice to him many years ago...when he became a millionaire, he became the "secret Santa".....and would hand out money to anyone he saw doing a good/nice thing.....he is dying now, that is why he isn't unknown anymore....he can't do what he was doing....I feel badly for him, a stranger....If I was rich, I would do the same thing.....sorry you have never experienced that, I feel sorry for you, and your a stranger to me!

Answer 8

People give to the charity of their choice. Their choice may be to help some stranger because they have no family, no friends. I'm not trying to make excuses, just saying people have choices, and they feel good about helping someone.

Answer 9

some people have a little extra money and some have a lot of extra money to start with. then there are people who are trying to make it and are having a hard time doing this and to have help from a person who has feelings and understands that life can get rough and that we all need halp sometimes can make life seem a little better

Answer 10

You are neither stupid nor selfish, as these others seem to think. I too think that charity should take place within your community, and who closer that your own family members? The thing here is, we don't think of it as charity when we consider our relatives and loved ones. It is simply called compassion, and doing the right thing. Well, that seems flawed. Perhaps the whole idea of charity is out of whack. Help is help, and that is enough.