I apologize for going on about some of my own beliefs in a situation like this, but to me, this is an example of a microcosm of a governmental situation. Imagine if I were tell all of you that I am going to come by and take money from you at gunpoint in order to help these people. The only people that would be happy would be the recipients and those who wanted to help anyway. The rest would feel robbed at best probably. Those of you who believe in social contracts (something which, BTW, I've never signed even while being required to fulfill the terms!) that require everyone pay to help the unfortunate are, indeed, supporting many of the same people you are thinking that Michael and his wife are. No, I'm not saying even the majority of unfortunate people are fooling people for profit or help, but there are enough to annoy me with the whole system. I know people in the States who are much better off, and with apparently better ability to work, than Michael (taking his statements at face value) who receive food stamps and other welfare money that I simply do not agree with - but if I'm going to be legal I have to pay taxes and either like it or lump it.
To me, this situation is a primary example of where people should make their own choices to help or not to help, with each person's conscience clean according to their way of looking at the world and I don't think at all badly of anyone here who doesn't feel comfortable helping in this situation.
I respect and understand each person's thoughts on this. Michael has his own story. Perhaps he could have managed things better Perhaps he could have communicated better. But I suspect many would still have suspicions no matter how he communicated, and with good reason.
As far as judging based on the way he writes - I know many, many smart,and/or wealthy people who can't communicate worth a crap. I know a guy who is as rich as Crassus, who earned his money over his lifetime himself, who has a horrible time putting together two sentences that make any sense. In fact, he has been on the rampage against the Mormon Church for decades and he sends a prodigious amount of emails to lawyers, judges and political folk decrying how they've harmed him with their ways. It's terrible trying to understand what he's even going on about. But he's actually a great, warm-hearted, honest guy. You wouldn't know it from how he communicates with the written word, however.
I know other people who can communicate just fine but are not people worth knowing. I know people who believe that many people in positions of power throughout the world (George Bush, Jr is one, according to many of them) are sentient lizards from another world disguised as humans (I'm serious, not being at all facetious). These people have both idiots and smart people among them, nice people and horrible people as well - they just don't see the world the way I do. And just because the majority of the world believes in a supreme being in one form or another that few have even claimed to see - well, is sanity measured by the beliefs of the majority or by the implausibility of those beliefs? Seems to me it's all relative and cumulative on an individual basis. Many people think I'm absolutely bonkers for not believing in any form. Hell, many people here on the forum think I'm nuts because I'm a Libertarian.
When I spoke to Michael on the phone I let him know that his posts were a part of the issue as to why people don't trust him, obviously mixed in with other things such as experiences that we've all had throughout our lives. I wouldn't ask that anyone else do anything that is against their own beliefs or feelings - I can understand why people would be be suspicious of Michael, and I, personally, don't even know for sure if he's trying to scam us or not. I don't think so, but I have never met the guy in person, much less have been able to know him long enough to know what kind of person he is.
The fact is, there are enough people in this world that will rise to the occasion when needed. I know there are times when I have not, and others have helped. There are times when I will and others won't. But isn't it nice to have the choice of who we feel comfortable helping without dire consequences if we don't "do our part"?
BTW - Michael did offer to me to work in exchange for help, during our phone conversation. I don't know what he can do, or how much he can do, given his declared disability, but he made the offer. That counts quite a bit to me. Maybe it was part of a scam, but that remains to be seen.
Another thing - just because someone makes some poor decisions in their life (and we don't know enough about how or why Michael came to be here, apart from him declaring to me that he came here to be with the love of his life, in a time when inflation wasn't anything like it is now and many people thought that $1000 USD would be enough to live reasonably well - and who hasn't done something stupid for love?) doesn't mean they don't deserve help as well. Just because others can live without many of the conveniences most of us are used to doesn't mean that they should.
If I had my way, I'd help everyone I could to avoid living in poor conditions - well, my wife and I already do with a large number of Paraguayan immigrants, some of whom have screwed us but many of whom have left their shitty hovels for something better. In Michael's case, supposedly, he is living in a partially burned-out apartment and simply doesn't have the means to correct that issue and feed himself and his wife at the same time. Those who live here on 13K a month often have family members to help them out, loan them money when they have a disaster, help with the repairs, and so on. Michael turned to the expat community, which should be a family of sorts. If he's a scammer, I'll be among the first to cry foul and warn everyone away.
But many of us are one step away from disaster in our lives. Maybe some don't deserve help, certainly some do. It's up to each of us to make those decisions who to help and how much to help.
Well, I've written long enough - now I have to return to repairing my own fire mess. Thank whatever-power-that-be (or pure luck, as the case may be) that I can afford the repairs even without insurance (some help that was!) and that I am whole of body in order to complete it
To me, this situation is a primary example of where people should make their own choices to help or not to help, with each person's conscience clean according to their way of looking at the world and I don't think at all badly of anyone here who doesn't feel comfortable helping in this situation.
I respect and understand each person's thoughts on this. Michael has his own story. Perhaps he could have managed things better Perhaps he could have communicated better. But I suspect many would still have suspicions no matter how he communicated, and with good reason.
As far as judging based on the way he writes - I know many, many smart,and/or wealthy people who can't communicate worth a crap. I know a guy who is as rich as Crassus, who earned his money over his lifetime himself, who has a horrible time putting together two sentences that make any sense. In fact, he has been on the rampage against the Mormon Church for decades and he sends a prodigious amount of emails to lawyers, judges and political folk decrying how they've harmed him with their ways. It's terrible trying to understand what he's even going on about. But he's actually a great, warm-hearted, honest guy. You wouldn't know it from how he communicates with the written word, however.
I know other people who can communicate just fine but are not people worth knowing. I know people who believe that many people in positions of power throughout the world (George Bush, Jr is one, according to many of them) are sentient lizards from another world disguised as humans (I'm serious, not being at all facetious). These people have both idiots and smart people among them, nice people and horrible people as well - they just don't see the world the way I do. And just because the majority of the world believes in a supreme being in one form or another that few have even claimed to see - well, is sanity measured by the beliefs of the majority or by the implausibility of those beliefs? Seems to me it's all relative and cumulative on an individual basis. Many people think I'm absolutely bonkers for not believing in any form. Hell, many people here on the forum think I'm nuts because I'm a Libertarian.
When I spoke to Michael on the phone I let him know that his posts were a part of the issue as to why people don't trust him, obviously mixed in with other things such as experiences that we've all had throughout our lives. I wouldn't ask that anyone else do anything that is against their own beliefs or feelings - I can understand why people would be be suspicious of Michael, and I, personally, don't even know for sure if he's trying to scam us or not. I don't think so, but I have never met the guy in person, much less have been able to know him long enough to know what kind of person he is.
The fact is, there are enough people in this world that will rise to the occasion when needed. I know there are times when I have not, and others have helped. There are times when I will and others won't. But isn't it nice to have the choice of who we feel comfortable helping without dire consequences if we don't "do our part"?
BTW - Michael did offer to me to work in exchange for help, during our phone conversation. I don't know what he can do, or how much he can do, given his declared disability, but he made the offer. That counts quite a bit to me. Maybe it was part of a scam, but that remains to be seen.
Another thing - just because someone makes some poor decisions in their life (and we don't know enough about how or why Michael came to be here, apart from him declaring to me that he came here to be with the love of his life, in a time when inflation wasn't anything like it is now and many people thought that $1000 USD would be enough to live reasonably well - and who hasn't done something stupid for love?) doesn't mean they don't deserve help as well. Just because others can live without many of the conveniences most of us are used to doesn't mean that they should.
If I had my way, I'd help everyone I could to avoid living in poor conditions - well, my wife and I already do with a large number of Paraguayan immigrants, some of whom have screwed us but many of whom have left their shitty hovels for something better. In Michael's case, supposedly, he is living in a partially burned-out apartment and simply doesn't have the means to correct that issue and feed himself and his wife at the same time. Those who live here on 13K a month often have family members to help them out, loan them money when they have a disaster, help with the repairs, and so on. Michael turned to the expat community, which should be a family of sorts. If he's a scammer, I'll be among the first to cry foul and warn everyone away.
But many of us are one step away from disaster in our lives. Maybe some don't deserve help, certainly some do. It's up to each of us to make those decisions who to help and how much to help.
Well, I've written long enough - now I have to return to repairing my own fire mess. Thank whatever-power-that-be (or pure luck, as the case may be) that I can afford the repairs even without insurance (some help that was!) and that I am whole of body in order to complete it
