Oddbean new post about login | logout Was walking past a dollar tree. There's this rugged old blanket in the cart return little shelter. It was moving. I walked up to the blanket and said "hey man" a guy about my age that had seen better times popped his head out, said "hey man." He just looked at me and said hi. Didn't ask for anything. I gave him all the physical cash i had on me and walked away. Now, I'm about a quarter mile away, and I've stopped. Was that enough? Edit: wasn't a huge amount, like 64 bucks. But i feel compelled to go back and talk with the man. I think I'm going to turn around. Edit 2: I'm not sharing this to virtue signal. I'm legitimately seeking advice for how to be of actual help to the guy in real time. Edit 3: i ended up walking home. I don't know if i could've helped him more. I'm a little ashamed that i didn't try.
@22b41a9b Saving the world starts with one good deed. You did that. Nothing to regret. Unless you needed the 64 bucks, of course.
There's a saying, "choose your poison and die happy" so you've clearly chosen the best poison, as, if one expired after giving from his heart, he'll die happy, less baggage, knowing that no one can take even a penny with them into the afterlife. My parents are ridiculously charitable and I never blamed them, as I grew up to be the same, and we have ridiculous traditions too, so what you felt was your conscience telling you how you should've done better, but the way your mind partly opposed the act of giving more might have been shaped by peer-pressure from somehow non-charitable individuals that would not choose to support the needy because of their exposure to that particular selfish behaviour, so that's them, not you, but the thought that it would've probably been better had you given him more is a very valid thought, stemming from the alpha waves of your mind's core, might haunt you in some way but take it as a win, though