Food,shelter and cell phone - new paradigm
By hafiz008
@hafiz008 (450)
India
August 29, 2011 1:37pm CST
As we know the basic amenities a person require is food, shelter and clothes. But the time has come to add cell phone to this category. The point why focus on cell phone is that recently I saw a beggar with torn clothes begging money for food and suddenly he took a cell phone to attend a call arrived. I was astonished and stared at him, then finished his phone and starts his routine. what do you think about it ?
6 responses
@lilbabycatapillar (497)
• United States
29 Aug 11
I've never seen a homeless person with a cell phone, I don't see how he could have one. They're pretty expensive for someone whose only income consists of quarters that people give him. I suppose he probably didn't go with an unlimited texting plan, and maybe it's one of those pay-as-you-go ones. But how do you bill a homeless person? Maybe he stole it from someone, but then he wouldn't have a charger. Even if he did have a charger, he doesn't really have a wall to charge it on, unless he could find a wall outlet at an internet cafe or library.
@lilbabycatapillar (497)
• United States
29 Aug 11
I'd like to know who he was talking to, also. If he has any friends or family, and he really is homeless, they ought to take him in. It's not so much the cell phone as the communication, and the ability to communicate with others so easily.
@redmaryjane (891)
• United States
29 Aug 11
Homelessness comes in different forms. I've come across a lot of homeless where I work. Meaning that they don't have a place to stay in and they go from one friend's apartment to another every week. Homelessness is serious. They are asking money simply because they don't have enough for themselves. If you come across a homeless person or a panhandler too often it's because homelessness and poverty are happening to more people that we all care to think.
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
30 Aug 11
Hi hafiz008!
Homeless people need phones so they can mobilize flash mobs so they can steal from convenient stores. This is happening more and more in the United States. Also they need to update their Facebook status to "sad" because they are homeless. Homeless people need to tweet each other so they can find good panhandling spots. The GPS on their phone helps them locate good boxes to sleep in. I hope this answers your questions.
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
Yep, cellphone is in demand nowadays. You gotta have one or you're going to be pretty hard to reach. I make sure I bring my cellphone because I also expect people to contact me whenever I'm out. It might be something important like schedule changes, meetings, etc.. so I always bring it with me.
@redmaryjane (891)
• United States
29 Aug 11
Actually, I'd say internet connection. Or add it to that list.
@waflay (2737)
• Nairobi, Kenya
29 Aug 11
I don't trust beggars, they are mostly the smartest people to deal with. The story does not surprise me at all, I know one beggar who does this and at night he is the busiest guy in night clubs, and the most generous man when it come to giving out money.
@ronadelle (1547)
• Philippines
29 Aug 11
Oh my! You know, I think that beggar is making his way to make money by getting mercy from people but actually if he has phone and probably has load in it too, I don't think that he deserves pity. I think that's absurd.
