Hacker News Reader

Comment by empath75 | Hacker News Reader

Who cares if it’s an effective form of charity. It’s nothing for you and a big deal for that person. Not everything needs to be minimaxed to death. Same deal with haggling in the developing world. It’s just a gross thing to do when there is a big wealth inequality.

View on HN

> Same deal with haggling in the developing world.

This bugs me too. I’m from a developing world but have a well paying job thanks to IT. It’s quite funny seeing colleagues haggle with auto rickshaw (three wheeled taxis) for 10Rs ($0.12) but part with 200Rs at Starbucks for a coffee without batting an eyelid.

Not that I wasn’t like this before, but once the severity of income inequality hit me I stopped doing such pity things. It’s not that I’m doing it out of charity but rather the whole situation reeks of injustice so it’s my way of respecting their dignity of labor.

On the haggling part, there are places where it's culturally insensitive not to haggle. I find that super irritating as a person who does not enjoy playing the game.

I live in Venezuela (which is Cuba lite) but earn a foreign salary.

"It’s nothing for you" compromised around half of my expenses before I started budgeting.

I hate forced charity.

@danlugo92 never disclose your income to anyone. This goes for anyone who earns a foreign salary in any country

.. especially considering the conditions which allow the heinous income equality situation in Cuba, in the first place, are directly related to American's continued ignorance of their military industrial complex' threats against 'lesser cultures' .. and/or complacency/complicity in the equation.

With respect, sir, my anecdote is rather being minmaxed to death, and there’s no need for you to do that either, as it is well in the past.

Are you trying to adjust my attitude or something? Lay off, chill out.

but it's also what creates the expectation that visitors have a lot of money and it attracts the wrong kind of people. they do not know that the money you give them is nothing for you.

besides, $15 isn't exactly nothing for me either. i would quickly blow my travel budget if i were that generous.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com