I needed to read this today. If you don't want human beings to behave like trash, don't bury them under it, literally! Beggars can't be choosers has to be one of my most hated quotes ever.
“It is as though poverty should not only rob a person of their resources, but also of their right to any touch of luxury, any whisper of beauty, any hint of aspiration. The very notion that those in need might crave, not just the functional, but also the symbolic items that reflect the world's larger desires—seems foreign to these critics. It is a sad thought, revealing more about the observers than the observed, illuminating how society often reduces people to mere vessels of charity, denying them the fuller spectrum of human dignity.”
This is right on target. I agree 100%. In a similar spirit, when I’m buying groceries/donations for local pantries, I feel compelled to purchase the same brands I buy for my own family. Cliff bars, all-natural peanut butters (if requested), fresh fruit (when requested), all the fancy flavors of apple sauces, specialty spaghetti sauces and a myriad of fun pastas. The name brands, not the generics. And it’s my hope that the recipients feel special, or valued when they receive them. This is worth it to me.
Thank you for this message. At the Boys' Club we come up against this position all the time. Not only that we are wasting donors' money by providing anything more than cheap generic items, but also the concern that boys and families are sufficiently appreciative.
This came up often for me when I worked at a women's crisis center handling material donations. I was inspired by William Morris to only offer items to our clients that were "beautiful or useful" and I had plenty of pushback from donors who had the mindset that those in-need should be thankful for whatever they could get. But then I read the story about the woman who gave Dorothy Day a diamond ring, and Dorothy promptly gave it to someone less off than herself. When criticized, Dorothy said "Do you suppose that God created diamonds only for the rich?" That has influenced my mindset toward "giving" ever since.
Yes, yes & yes. Thank you. One of the things I treasured as a little girl-the beautiful cards that came w/the game Masterpiece. To hold *art* in my hands & arrange the cards over & over as I liked (& discard others!!) was excruciatingly meaningful.
Perfectly said. My father had come from poverty and had the same view. Everyone deserves beauty and comfort. It is a form of love to give those things to others. None of us are God and therefore none of us has the right to judge who is deserving of life’s pleasures.
"Joy is not a luxury. It is a lifeline." Love this so much.
I needed to read this today. If you don't want human beings to behave like trash, don't bury them under it, literally! Beggars can't be choosers has to be one of my most hated quotes ever.
This got me right in the heart:
“It is as though poverty should not only rob a person of their resources, but also of their right to any touch of luxury, any whisper of beauty, any hint of aspiration. The very notion that those in need might crave, not just the functional, but also the symbolic items that reflect the world's larger desires—seems foreign to these critics. It is a sad thought, revealing more about the observers than the observed, illuminating how society often reduces people to mere vessels of charity, denying them the fuller spectrum of human dignity.”
Wow. 🙌
This is right on target. I agree 100%. In a similar spirit, when I’m buying groceries/donations for local pantries, I feel compelled to purchase the same brands I buy for my own family. Cliff bars, all-natural peanut butters (if requested), fresh fruit (when requested), all the fancy flavors of apple sauces, specialty spaghetti sauces and a myriad of fun pastas. The name brands, not the generics. And it’s my hope that the recipients feel special, or valued when they receive them. This is worth it to me.
Fantastic and nuanced. Thank you.
this is an incredible piece
Thank you for this message. At the Boys' Club we come up against this position all the time. Not only that we are wasting donors' money by providing anything more than cheap generic items, but also the concern that boys and families are sufficiently appreciative.
This came up often for me when I worked at a women's crisis center handling material donations. I was inspired by William Morris to only offer items to our clients that were "beautiful or useful" and I had plenty of pushback from donors who had the mindset that those in-need should be thankful for whatever they could get. But then I read the story about the woman who gave Dorothy Day a diamond ring, and Dorothy promptly gave it to someone less off than herself. When criticized, Dorothy said "Do you suppose that God created diamonds only for the rich?" That has influenced my mindset toward "giving" ever since.
Yes, yes & yes. Thank you. One of the things I treasured as a little girl-the beautiful cards that came w/the game Masterpiece. To hold *art* in my hands & arrange the cards over & over as I liked (& discard others!!) was excruciatingly meaningful.
Perfectly said. My father had come from poverty and had the same view. Everyone deserves beauty and comfort. It is a form of love to give those things to others. None of us are God and therefore none of us has the right to judge who is deserving of life’s pleasures.
💯 yes
Yes.