Sympathy is a powerful tool

These past few days, I noticed something interesting.

There are a lot of people on social media. There a lot of people who want to do good on the Internet. People are trying hard to find something good or give something good. Interestingly, many also see this as an opportunity to take advantage on others.

It doesn't take a lot. All that is needed is a few pictures and a few sob stories. Of course, I'm well aware some of the stories are true. There truly is people with sad stories and really need our help. But the social media is fast becoming a place where people think they can just use people's sympathy to gain something, or specifically, money. I have seen a few posts that requested money for their first cars. I really do hope those are fake posts.

But if it is not, seriously, what made some people think they are entitled to donations for things that they supposedly pay for with their own money?

Listen, how do you think people get money in the first place? There are people who worked the whole day (some the whole night) to earn money for their family and pay debt. And the same people might want to help other people in need or they have a kind heart. The operative word here is 'in need'. Do you think asking for money to buy a new car?

It is bad enough that we have scammers who ask from money in public places like KL Sentral. Those sob stories like, ' I need RM 10. I just met with an accident and need money for a ride home', ' I need money because I forgot my wallet,' ' I need RM 35 for the ERL ticket because I live in Putrajaya and just lost my wallet.' These are just lies. If they are really in need, there is a police station in KL Sentral. In fact, there are policemen milling around the area.

I know my friend will not agree to this. ' Just give this person a few ringgit. Don't carelah what he does with it.'

This is actually the formula being used by these scammers on the road. I believe if people start saying this, we are just giving birth to more scammers. My father always said, ' if you want to help these people, buy them food instead of money.'

Of course, all of us want to make the world a better place. Of course we want to be there for each other. But we have to do this with caution too. There are people who are really in need and there are also people who are just milking others' sympathies.

Life is bad enough with the inflation and bad economy; it is unfair manipulate the sympathies from Good Samaritans. Everybody is suffering but many are trying hard to survive. We can all do with the extra money but manipulating or worse, lying is not.

I'm ranting a lot on this Friday but I had to let it out. It saddens me to see young people trying to start GoFundMe for causes that are totally selfish. Please, do it for a good cause. If we cannot help the world to be a better place, just don't be the extra burden.