argh! kicking myself: missed the photo op of a LIFETIME

[dukebound85]

This man made his decisions long ago to take this path, I have no sympathy for him.

As for finding it funny, I'm not sure about that, I would rather be annoyed than amused.

I don't care what sort of excuses people come up with, your life is in your own hands and if you want to do something with it then it is within your power to do it. If you choose to become a waste of a man then that's your choice, and you have to be prepared to face the consequences of your decisions.

I wouldn't go that far. Although alot is determined at how you handle your own life, some of it may be just bad luck. There have been many instances of people losing their fortunes due to greedy bast**ds who just want to take advantage of them. What if he lost his job due to outsourcing? What if his wife whom he cherished passed away and he doesn't know how to deal with it? YOU are in no position to judge that man's life.

People deal with circumstances differently. I seriously hope you can show some sympathy for those who may not have it as well as you.

For you on the other hand, I hope people aren't as cruel and pass judgment on you as quickly as you have this man if you happen to come into hard times.

 

[Abstract]

I don't care what sort of excuses people come up with, your life is in your own hands and if you want to do something with it then it is within your power to do it. If you choose to become a waste of a man then that's your choice, and you have to be prepared to face the consequences of your decisions.

When do people make these decisions? Sorry, I wasn't given the option.

 

[Bobdude161]

wow, so when did this suddenly become a Politics, Religion, Social Issues Thread? Go troll elsewhere please.

 

[ChrisWB]

I don't see any humor in this poor man's situation. Do you always find your humor in mocking those who are less fortunate than yourself?

Did you think to ask if he was alright? How do you know he was drunk? He could have been ill and in need of help.

 

[Lau]

Those of you who say he doesn't deserve any sympathy or that he made his choice to use alcohol or drugs, would it still be ok to take photos if he was homeless, dirty and asleep because of a mental illness instead of alcohol or drugs?

 

[iBlue]

to walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

would have been a lot funnier if it were some yuppie prick passed out at the iMac. perhaps one of your friends could mock this up for your photo opp of a lifetime pose. eh?

 

[Abstract]

I don't see any humor in this poor man's situation. Do you always find your humor in mocking those who are less fortunate than yourself?

Too bad he didn't have leprosy as well. It would have gone from funny to hilarious! Haha...damn lepers!

 

[rdowns]

This man made his decisions long ago to take this path, I have no sympathy for him.

As for finding it funny, I'm not sure about that, I would rather be annoyed than amused.

I don't care what sort of excuses people come up with, your life is in your own hands and if you want to do something with it then it is within your power to do it. If you choose to become a waste of a man then that's your choice, and you have to be prepared to face the consequences of your decisions.

<insert violation of MR TOS here>

 

[srf4real]

For those of you who think this is amusing, next time you're down and out and on the streets, dealing with a substance abuse problem, probably unwashed and filthy, and regardless of wherever you are taking some rest, I hope you get a crowd of snap-happy preppies taking pictures of you for fun and hysterical laughs.

Your point is very valid.

That said, in an artistic yet respectful manner, a photograph of this situation speakes volumes about our society and would definitely be a keeper and possibly worthy of publication.

I have been the homeless addict taking ridicule. Builds character.

 

[floriflee]

This man made his decisions long ago to take this path, I have no sympathy for him.

As for finding it funny, I'm not sure about that, I would rather be annoyed than amused.

I don't care what sort of excuses people come up with, your life is in your own hands and if you want to do something with it then it is within your power to do it. If you choose to become a waste of a man then that's your choice, and you have to be prepared to face the consequences of your decisions.

I'd like to see if you say the same thing when the person actually happens to have a connection to you--family, friend, or whatever--and you actually have to feel some of the consequences of their actions. It's not so easy to just brush them off and feel nothing for their decisions in that case. Things happen and people make mistakes--sometimes mistakes that end up leading them down a path that ruins their life and hurts the lives around them. To brush them off just because of this is to say that there is absolutely no hope for these people so they aren't worth your time. That sounds a bit too inhuman for me. Everyone deserves to have at least a little compassion felt for them--even the worst among us--because we never know their full story.

I say stop patting yourselves on the back for all the good choices you've made and the good lives you have and start working on trying to make other lives better because you actually have the ability and mental capacity to do so.

 

[someguy]

I still think it's funny.

 

[dukebound85]

haha well i think glenn beck's opening line to his show may be appropriate here for most people lol

 

[echeck]

I wouldn't go that far. Although alot is determined at how you handle your own life, some of it may be just bad luck. There have been many instances of people losing their fortunes due to greedy bast**ds who just want to take advantage of them. What if he lost his job due to outsourcing? What if his wife whom he cherished passed away and he doesn't know how to deal with it? YOU are in no position to judge that man's life.

People deal with circumstances differently. I seriously hope you can show some sympathy for those who may not have it as well as you.

For you on the other hand, I hope people aren't as cruel and pass judgment on you as quickly as you have this man if you happen to come into hard times.

When do people make these decisions? Sorry, I wasn't given the option.

<insert violation of MR TOS here>

I'd like to see if you say the same thing when the person actually happens to have a connection to you--family, friend, or whatever--and you actually have to feel some of the consequences of their actions. It's not so easy to just brush them off and feel nothing for their decisions in that case. Things happen and people make mistakes--sometimes mistakes that end up leading them down a path that ruins their life and hurts the lives around them. To brush them off just because of this is to say that there is absolutely no hope for these people so they aren't worth your time. That sounds a bit too inhuman for me. Everyone deserves to have at least a little compassion felt for them--even the worst among us--because we never know their full story.

I say stop patting yourselves on the back for all the good choices you've made and the good lives you have and start working on trying to make other lives better because you actually have the ability and mental capacity to do so.

Every one of you are chastising me for judging someone when you are all judging me!

Am I the only one that finds this horribly ironic?

None of you know me. None of you know the extreme hardships I've had in my own life, how many family members I've seen become just like this man, or how hard I've worked to get where I am now.

You all seem to think I've just had handouts my entire life. Think again, folks. I've worked EXTREMELY hard for what I have, and there have been many times that I could have thrown in the towel and ended up just like this man, or worse.

But I didn't. Why?

Because I made the choice to keep fighting, and every single one of us has that option available to us. The real question is what is the measure of your own strength? Do you have the desire to keep going?

The man in question here has given up. He has undoubetly been faced with some hard times, but he made the choice to give up. That choice is his and his alone.

 

[dukebound85]

Every one of you are chastising me for judging someone when you are all judging me!

Am I the only one that finds this horribly ironic?

None of you know me. None of you know the extreme hardships I've had in my own life, how many family members I've seen become just like this man, or how hard I've worked to get where I am now.

You all seem to think I've just had handouts my entire life. Think again, folks. I've worked EXTREMELY hard for what I have, and there have been many times that I could have thrown in the towel and ended up just like this man, or worse.

But I didn't. Why?

Because I made the choice to keep fighting, and every single one of us has that option available to us. The real question is what is the measure of your own strength? Do you have the desire to keep going?

The man in question here has given up. He has undoubetly been faced with some hard times, but he made the choice to give up. That choice is his and his alone.

your comments are what I am judging you on as they revealed quite alot about your attitude towards those less fortunate. tell me how that is the same as what you are doing on this man.

so in other words, you said your family members have fallen into the same state as that man and yet you feel no sympathy at all because the solution to everything is hard work right?

well it isn't. tell that to the migrant farmer who probably works harder than most people in the world and still is poor. tell that to the people of india who are limited in their social standing just because of the chaste system. how can you possibly say everyone has an equal playing field in life. you truly are ignorant if you believe it is


back to the topic, anyone who enjoys making fun of a person in this state is cruel as it is very heartless. this is why society sickens me as they are quick to embarrass and reluctant to help

 

[Rodimus Prime]

This man made his decisions long ago to take this path, I have no sympathy for him.

As for finding it funny, I'm not sure about that, I would rather be annoyed than amused.

I don't care what sort of excuses people come up with, your life is in your own hands and if you want to do something with it then it is within your power to do it. If you choose to become a waste of a man then that's your choice, and you have to be prepared to face the consequences of your decisions.

And this just goes to show how incentive people are and how incentive you are as a person. You clearly do not know what it like to be down on your luck and having to deal with heart break after heart break, things just not working time and time again. After a while you just lose the ability to care because it easier on oneself. It a defense mechanisms and a damn strong one at that. Come back and talk to me after you delt with major depression, or truly had to deal with what it is like to loss almost all hope. A man can only take so much before something breaks.
A broken person is not someone who deserves the ridicule or humiliation. They deserve help because they do not have anything left. I am only standing right now because I had the support of friends and family to drag my sorry ass though some trouble times when I was losing all hope. You just stop caring. You stop caring to eat, you cannot sleep and things are falling apart. Trust me it not as easy as it makes it out to be. \
Yet people like you do not understand. People like you make me SICK because it people LIKE YOU that is what is wrong with this world. It is people like you who do not understand.
Learn what it is like to lose all hope and tell me that you can still stand with out help. you ****ing cannot. And making fun of those people just makes it worse.

 

[Mechcozmo]

As a comment about society, I'd have taken the picture. It would have been very interesting, to say the least.

However the Apple guys at the store near me get odd looks in their eyes whenever someone pulls out a camera, and there are stories of people being asked to leave if they have been taking pictures of the store. I don't know if you'd have been able to.

In any case, this thread has gotten a bit out of hand.

And in any other case, this was most certainly not the photo op of a lifetime. Good example of a missed photo op? I was riding my bike, the sun started to set, and I came up over a hill. The clouds had formed into a mushroom shape, and with the reflection of the setting sun on them, it looked like a nuke had gone off over the city. That was a missed photo op. I've seen footage of nuclear bombs exploding, and this could have been a frame from one of those reels. A part of me felt like finding cover. That was how real it looked and how scary it was.
You missed the opportunity to take a picture of someone sleeping on an iMac which may have made an interesting picture. That's all. Not the greatest photo ever. No sympathy for you, bud. Sorry.

 

[obeygiant]

And this just goes to show how incentive people are and how incentive you are as a person.

I think you mean insensitive. Incentives are something you get when you buy or lease a vehicle when the next model is about to come in.

 

[QCassidy352]

If this happens to be your photo op of a lifetime then I'm sorry.

By far the best comment of the thread.

I thought this was going to be about finding yourself in line next to Steve Jobs or something and not having a camera handy. I mean, that itself would be a pretty sad "photo op of a lifetime," but it would be about 10x better than this.

 

[RedTomato]

I've had people very close to me go through being homeless, and it's no joke.

I know people who gone through being homeless and come back while being black, deaf, unable to speak, no knowledge of sign language, unable to effectively read or write cos the state has just dumped on them.

I do find it hard to have sympathy for homeless white ablebodied males who know how to speak, read or write. They have so many options that were not open to me (I'm also deaf) or to other people around me.

I still try to remember that they may also have invisible disabilities - mental health issues, family abuse, sudden death of loved ones or loss of job or other inflicted trauma.

No-one just chooses to be a bum.

 

[someguy]

I know people who gone through being homeless and come back while being black, deaf, unable to speak...

What does being black have to do with it?

I'm black, so I hope you didn't mean that in a racist way as if it's some kind of disability or something.

 

[Abstract]

None of you know me. None of you know the extreme hardships I've had in my own life, how many family members I've seen become just like this man, or how hard I've worked to get where I am now.

You all seem to think I've just had handouts my entire life. Think again, folks. I've worked EXTREMELY hard for what I have, and there have been many times that I could have thrown in the towel and ended up just like this man, or worse.

But I didn't.

And so because you have had hard times in the past *cough*, you have earned the right to laugh at everyone in a worse situation than yourself?

I can certainly judge you by your behaviour. I can judge the OP by what he said in his original post. I can't judge the homeless man because.....well.....he may not have just "given up." I don't know anything about him. Maybe the OP should have asked him.

And I was sort of serious about the leprosy. If he had leprosy, surely the photo would have been even better for someone like yourself and the OP.

so in other words, you said your family members have fallen into the same state as that man and yet you feel no sympathy at all because the solution to everything is hard work right?

well it isn't. tell that to the migrant farmer who probably works harder than most people in the world and still is poor. tell that to the people of india who are limited in their social standing just because of the chaste system. how can you possibly say everyone has an equal playing field in life. you truly are ignorant if you believe it is

I guess evilGEEK has never worked for the Fair Trade movement. He just laughs at farmers and sweatshop workers around the world.

That said, in an artistic yet respectful manner, a photograph of this situation speakes volumes about our society and would definitely be a keeper and possibly worthy of publication.

That's why I don't mind the photograph itself. What I do mind is why he felt so bad about missing this chance at photographing him.


(I wonder when this thread will close.......)*

 

[RedTomato]

What does being black have to do with it?

I'm black, so I hope you didn't mean that in a racist way as if it's some kind of disability or something.

No, I just meant that it's harder to get up off the bottom in a white culture if you're not white. Racism does exist. I studied deafness and mental health for a while, and the disparity between white and black deaf people in the mental health system is horrific.

And by the way, I don't believe deafness is a disablity either. (It can be, but it doesn't have to be).

If you don't know sign language and came to my house or met my family or visited my company, or visited Gallaudet University in Washington DC, you'd be the one suffering from a severe disablement, not me.

You'd have to apply for Govt financial help to pay for interpreters to help you understand what we were signing to you (and yes this does happen)

 

[echeck]

your comments are what I am judging you on as they revealed quite alot about your attitude towards those less fortunate. tell me how that is the same as what you are doing on this man.

If I have no right to judge this man, then what right do you have to judge me?

so in other words, you said your family members have fallen into the same state as that man and yet you feel no sympathy at all because the solution to everything is hard work right?

Yes, I have had family members in similar situations. One of which was my older brother, to whom I'm very close to. At the time he felt the world owed him something and he wasn't willing to put forth the effort to get to where he needed to be. Thankfully he did eventually realize that it was up to him and him alone to make the change that was necessary. And you'll never guess what it took for him to get to where he needed to be... dedication and hard work. It may sound cliche, but it's true regardless.

well it isn't. tell that to the migrant farmer who probably works harder than most people in the world and still is poor.

I worked right alongside these folks. I grew up on a poor farm and these people were NOT our employees, rather we worked alongside them on other farms when not working on our own.

tell that to the people of india who are limited in their social standing just because of the chaste system. how can you possibly say everyone has an equal playing field in life. you truly are ignorant if you believe it is

I'm ignorant for believing you can do anything you put your mind to? Well, I believe you're ignorant for comparing the man in question to someone in another country where there obviously aren't as many opportunities because of various reasons to which it would be pointless to go in to right now.

This man has opportunity all around him. He can get a job if he wants to. There are shelters that he could go to and get cleaned up in, and even get a clean pair of clothes or wash his existing clothes. Why can't this man do these things? Or more importantly, why is it my responsibility to hold his hand and get him back on his feet when he has clearly given up?

And this just goes to show how incentive people are and how incentive you are as a person. You clearly do not know what it like to be down on your luck and having to deal with heart break after heart break, things just not working time and time again. After a while you just lose the ability to care because it easier on oneself. It a defense mechanisms and a damn strong one at that. Come back and talk to me after you delt with major depression, or truly had to deal with what it is like to loss almost all hope. A man can only take so much before something breaks.
A broken person is not someone who deserves the ridicule or humiliation. They deserve help because they do not have anything left. I am only standing right now because I had the support of friends and family to drag my sorry ass though some trouble times when I was losing all hope. You just stop caring. You stop caring to eat, you cannot sleep and things are falling apart. Trust me it not as easy as it makes it out to be. \
Yet people like you do not understand. People like you make me SICK because it people LIKE YOU that is what is wrong with this world. It is people like you who do not understand.
Learn what it is like to lose all hope and tell me that you can still stand with out help. you ****ing cannot. And making fun of those people just makes it worse.

Rodimus, might I suggest you read the rest of the thread before posting? It can prevent things like this from happening, things that make you look like a fool. But I will respond to your comments all the same.

You apparently have some sort of insight in to my life. You're making assumption after assumption about my life yet you don't know me, and you're wrong on every one.

I have dealt with major depression, both on a personal level and with others around me having it. I have suffered major loss in my life. I have been "down on my luck", and many times I have felt that it would be easier to just give up because I've failed time and time again. But I didn't give up because I didn't want to take the easy way out and call it quits.

There have been so many people saying that my attitude is what is wrong with society.

Why?

Because I believe we should be accountable for our own actions? I ask again, why is it my responsibility to take care of these people when they won't even take care of themselves?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

well clearly Evil geek you action here say a lot about you.

Either
A) you are full of crap about your past and do not understand

B) You did die on the inside and you lost you ability to really care any more and you did let you hard times defeat you and I truly feel sorry for you because losing ones ability to care about others in general is just sad.

C) you are just a jerk.

But based on your last post looks like you hard times did defeat you.

Either way my point stands people like you make me sick. and it is people like you that are part of what is wrong with America. Their are things in this world that can get you trapped in poverty. If you are never given the opertinity to pull out of it then there is no hope.

Oh btw you do not know what it is like to lose all hope. Because if you did you would know why people like him need to have there hand held to get back on their feet.

 

[jsw]

(I wonder when this thread will close.......)*

Now.

No good can come of it.