Can you spare some change?

I'm often caught in an internal dilemma to "do the right thing". One of the things I've gotten used to is passing people on the street asking you for money. And lately, it has been the announcements/pleas on the subway for some spare change.

Can you spare some change?

Here I am working to eventually fight for those who have been systematically neglected and I sit there averting my eyes away from imploring eyes. I am not one to point the finger (I mean, who is really at fault? we could go on for days playing "devil's advocate" hah), but here is a quick story:

I'm sitting in the station. Waiting. The usual story for taking the train on the weekends. A family comes by and the father yells "sit down!". The mother pushing a stroller sits down and rolls her eyes. A young girl follows behind about 7 years old, and giggles to herself. The father yells "sit down!". She just laughs playfully and as a result really upsets her father. He starts asking her what she's laughing about, telling her he'll wipe that smile right off of her face, etc. All this yelling is getting to me and I'm just wishing for the train to pull up any minute so I can get lost in the crowd again.

Meanwhile, I'm looking down, reading something (or trying). The train arrives and the father starts demanding them to get into the train. He takes the baby boy out of the stroller and holds him. The moment he steps into the train he's hugging and kissing this baby completely different from the aggressive and hurtful yelling I just witnessed 30 seconds ago. They get in, and lo and behold I hear the same old spiel: "Ladies and gentlemen, can we have one moment of your time..." I can't but see this as twisted use of human capital.

So here comes the "choose your own ending" part of the novel: Do I give to this family and provide temporary relief while encouraging this unhealthy family dynamic to continue? or do I avert my eyes while telling myself that continuing to work for a greater net good in the world is more valuable than giving my one dollar?

Where's the "I take it back" button on this thing?

Split second decisions can often lead to mishaps that have consequences far beyond what we could have possibly predicted.

That's the thing. So much of this world is unpredictable and uncontrollable, it's a miracle that any of us can maintain a sense of stability or security. Things can't be unsaid or undone. The fact is that we are moving forward and there is never any turning back. I figure the odds will even out eventually and good deeds will always come back and the protagonist will always win. But "the road to hell is paved with good intentions", and you really never know where you'll end up.

But even if a misunderstanding or mistake had created such a HUGE situation, how can you be so cold? In the words of the illustrious Gob Bluth "Come on!".

Cut the verbiage.

Honestly, there's not much content there.

I'm working on an essay where the prompt is practically (not literally) longer than the paper. {Makes perfect sense to me.} <-- those are my "sarcasm brackets"

Nonsensical tasks make it difficult to be motivated to accomplish anything. There has to be a purpose buried under all of the motions we go through, right? I certainly hope so.

So much wasted energy on the unnecessary makes me wonder what could be accomplished if necessary tasks were given this much attention. If trying to impress someone requires all of this effort aimed at saying nothing or doing nothing, then you really have to wonder (1) if you are actually impressing this person and (2) if this person is worth impressing if they'll fall for your pointless but showy feats of strength. Kind of like flexing to show off your steroid-supplemented muscles and then failing to lift a thing. OK we get it, you're really buff.

With all that said, I'm hoping I can back up my words with the amount of work I will get done this weekend. And sprinkled in will be a bit of Babar at the Morgan Library & Museum (and maybe some dim sum).

All of this leaves me with only one thing to say: I can haz?