Poverty
The poverty is truly impressive, in ways that my prior travels in Panama, nor China nor the best warnings of people who have been here before could prepare me. I say impressive because it is so over the top that it starts to take on the air of performance art, kind of like those French mimes who act like statues. I am trying not to be heartless, and I'm sure some of these people really are the salt of the earth, but others are clearly taking what must be a terribly painful misfortune and exacerbating it in order to manipulate money out of visitors.
It is an interesting balance to strike; they only have you there for a few moments before you move on, so they need to keep your attention to the exclusion of all the other beggars on that particular corner/street/curb, but not look so awful that you panic and call for immediate medical attention. They need to play upon your pity to draw a few rupees out of you, but not so over-the-top that you drown in a sense that no amount you could give could possibly help this person. One of the more over-the-top beggars was a guy with warped legs who walked on his hands across an intersection during a red light. His head barely made it over the top off the hood of the taxi, and your main thought was "my god, how is this man not been run over yet?"
Most of the beggars are sad and pitiful, even if I do think its incredibly manipulative. A few of the beggars have gotten me angry, most notably the little girls who stand on their heads. Imagine very cute two, maybe four year olds brightly dressed in traditional little outfits who hold their arms up as you approach, lean backwards and stand on their heads, then pop back to their feet and ask for money.
I saw one’s little brother spin her like a top. The problem is that these children are doing this on the corners of, sometimes IN busy intersections. Imagine a little girl in the middle of 14th street and Constitution standing on her head! She runs out when the light changes and there is the inevitable traffic tie-up while the last few cars way push through the intersection before the traffic change. She's always sure to do it near some taxis or tuk-tuk so tourists can pay her before she darts out of traffic again. It just seems unconscionable that they (I actually mean plural, I've seen at least half a dozen little girls do this) is being rewarded and encouraged to do that.
It is an interesting balance to strike; they only have you there for a few moments before you move on, so they need to keep your attention to the exclusion of all the other beggars on that particular corner/street/curb, but not look so awful that you panic and call for immediate medical attention. They need to play upon your pity to draw a few rupees out of you, but not so over-the-top that you drown in a sense that no amount you could give could possibly help this person. One of the more over-the-top beggars was a guy with warped legs who walked on his hands across an intersection during a red light. His head barely made it over the top off the hood of the taxi, and your main thought was "my god, how is this man not been run over yet?"
Most of the beggars are sad and pitiful, even if I do think its incredibly manipulative. A few of the beggars have gotten me angry, most notably the little girls who stand on their heads. Imagine very cute two, maybe four year olds brightly dressed in traditional little outfits who hold their arms up as you approach, lean backwards and stand on their heads, then pop back to their feet and ask for money.
I saw one’s little brother spin her like a top. The problem is that these children are doing this on the corners of, sometimes IN busy intersections. Imagine a little girl in the middle of 14th street and Constitution standing on her head! She runs out when the light changes and there is the inevitable traffic tie-up while the last few cars way push through the intersection before the traffic change. She's always sure to do it near some taxis or tuk-tuk so tourists can pay her before she darts out of traffic again. It just seems unconscionable that they (I actually mean plural, I've seen at least half a dozen little girls do this) is being rewarded and encouraged to do that.
posted by Linton at 1:27 AM
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