Ryu2.mind

More than once, in my few weeks here thus far, a nice evening stroll on the way back to work, or a night on the town with friends on Tongren Lu or Xintiandi have been marred by beggars doing their thing. They almost always invoke a mixture of pity, frustration, and rage in me that's completely incompatible with whatever I was feeling before, and it's just hard for me to get them out of my mind afterwards.

In China, like most of the rest of the world, beggars are like email spammers -- people here (locals and expats alike) generally detest what they do, but they keep on doing it, for the simple reason that however much they get rejected, enough still respond to them to make what they are doing financially worthwhile. Likewise, if they are truly poor, why would they travel to and/or live in Shanghai, the most expensive city on the mainland? Beggars know it's teeming with well-meaning but naive tourists and expats, and they can recoup their investment and more in a day's "work". A "good" (if such a term can be used) beggar in Shanghai can make several times more than a "honest" factory worker can, for a lot less physical exertion.

At the same time, it is worth remembering that many of them ARE really in need, and not scammers. Beggars were virtually unknown before the advent of market reforms in the late 1970's, and many of them are people for whom fate has dealt them a poor hand; whether victims of financial corruption, industrial accidents, or just having missed the boat of free enterprise, they are outcasts of a market economy rushing forward first and putting caring for its lost as a distant second, if at all.

In a way, I respect Comrade Deng for his fortitude and his "greater good" mentality in sacrificing Communist purity on the altar of pragmatism, making the decisions that he did to allow China to open up as such (and thus, ultimately for me and so many others to be here doing what I do); he must have realized even at that time, if only in theory, that while opening up the economy would ensure China's survival, it would leave a ugly trail behind as well, of bringing back the "class" of the poor with a vengeance.

With the above in mind, there are beggars that I think are truly in need, and those I think cross the line (whether or not they are truly needy is unknown to me and irrelevant for their conduct sinks below human dignity, in my opinion).

To the "good" ones, I'll try to give food in lieu of money, and usually will buy some extra bread or fruits for this express purpose, because if one is genuinely in need in terms of day to day survival and just not trying to make extra money, what I give will be appreciated (and always are). It is also worth remembering that Jesus Himself gave food many times to the hungry, but not once did He give money.

Anyhow, a rundown of various types of beggars I've witnessed on the Shanghai streets: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

People that I'll often give some food to

* People who are genuinely too old to work. It's obviously subjective, and yes, they could just be passing the money on, but standing in the Shanghai winter cold or summer heat in the weather garners pity from me.

* People who are severely disabled. Yes, some might not be genuine, but then, I've seen people with injuries that elicit an "OMG!", stuff which you know -- even with no medical training -- couldn't possibly be faked. Again, these people are sad byproducts of a society where the infrastructure to support the crippled has been given a nary a second thought in the rush to modernization.

* People who at least try to provide something enjoyable -- no matter how meager -- like playing music, rather than just being a parasite on the area.

Those who will get nothing from me except my wrath

* People who tell you (in a slick and rehearsed fashion) they've lost their train tickets to go back to their hometown. Funny that people only seem to lose their tickets in touristy areas, and nowhere else. It gets old the third or fourth time. And it doesn't help your case if you're dressed in nice blazers and polished shoes.

* People who grab on to your pants and won't let go. Even the most aggressive beggars in the US knows that to pull something like this in the sue-happy US is asking for trouble. But TIC...

* Worst of all: women who train their children like dogs -- children who couldn't possibly be more than five years old -- to approach strangers and pitifully hold up a cup. You make me freaking sick to my stomach. No matter how bleak your own situation, your kids have a future. Keep them out of your pathetic game -- they don't @#$@# deserved to be brainwashed like that before they can even start attending school.

** Finally, I came across a simple tip to allegedly get rid of those in the latter category. I'll have to give it a try -- I wonder why I never thought of it myself, especially given my own personal hobbies! =)