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People being nasty to Big Issue sellers
Moll Flanders
Posts: 1,392 Forum Member
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I live near a large city where there are loads of homeless people, and people with drug and alchohol problems, etc. And a lot of people, including those recovering from these problems, sell the Big Issue.
There is one seller in particular with whom I am good friends. I'll call him X. I always stop for a chat with him. He's such a nice man. He has a hell of a lot of problems, both physical and emotional - a very serious physical disease, and lots of mental hang-ups due to a childhood filled with abuse. However, instead of moping around feeling sorry for himself, he's out there, come rain or shine, selling his magazines. And being really nice to anyone who bothers to be nice to him.
But he's told me that so many people - passers-by, out shopping - say nasty things to him, and make very snide remarks about the most incredible things. They seem to think that a Big Issue seller equals "scum". And they seem to think that the fact he is standing there, selling his magazines, gives them carte blanche to say something really horrible, totally unprovoked, just due to the malicious pleasure it seems to give them to do it.
It would be bad enough to have people being horrible to you if you were a healthy, happy person, for whom everything in your life was rosy. But imagine what it must be like for someone who's got a myriad of problems and is very vulnerable to start with?
It just astounds me - or am I being naive? - that people can behave like this. Even if you for some reason disliked homeless people, what on earth would induce you to actually say something abusive to someone?
The things he tells me that people have said to him leave me dumbfounded. And very sad. Whatever happened to compassion?
Thoughts, anyone?
There is one seller in particular with whom I am good friends. I'll call him X. I always stop for a chat with him. He's such a nice man. He has a hell of a lot of problems, both physical and emotional - a very serious physical disease, and lots of mental hang-ups due to a childhood filled with abuse. However, instead of moping around feeling sorry for himself, he's out there, come rain or shine, selling his magazines. And being really nice to anyone who bothers to be nice to him.
But he's told me that so many people - passers-by, out shopping - say nasty things to him, and make very snide remarks about the most incredible things. They seem to think that a Big Issue seller equals "scum". And they seem to think that the fact he is standing there, selling his magazines, gives them carte blanche to say something really horrible, totally unprovoked, just due to the malicious pleasure it seems to give them to do it.
It would be bad enough to have people being horrible to you if you were a healthy, happy person, for whom everything in your life was rosy. But imagine what it must be like for someone who's got a myriad of problems and is very vulnerable to start with?
It just astounds me - or am I being naive? - that people can behave like this. Even if you for some reason disliked homeless people, what on earth would induce you to actually say something abusive to someone?
The things he tells me that people have said to him leave me dumbfounded. And very sad. Whatever happened to compassion?
Thoughts, anyone?
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Same here.
I have no idea why anyone could be bothered to to make nasty remarks to Big Issue sellers.
I am yet to meet any magazine seller who is 'in your face' about selling the mag.
Most appear to be very cheery and polite, so IMO there is just no need to be rude to them.
I think in the end some people just say nasty things to others regardless of who they are or what they are selling.
I think you're right, but I just can't get into the mindset of people who are like that.
Ditto, I do exactly the same to a seller on Norwich Market.
Whilst I've not experienced that reaction I have received very sarcastic and rude responses from one Big Issue seller. It certainly does work both ways!
I agree with both these points. Whilst I'd never actively be rude to anyone (at least, not consciously!) I have definitely been abrupt with some Big Issue sellers who can be unpleasant. There is one guy in Sheffield who, if you walk past without responding, starts shouting abuse at you for being a heartless bitch etc etc. I've seen shop staff speaking to him several times and telling him to stop, or move away, as he's very aggressive. And the reason I walk past him without responding is that he never smiles, doesn't say anything friendly, just moves in front of you when you're trying to leave a shop and barks 'BIG ISSUE!' as if it's an order, and then if you don't immediately respond, he starts getting aggressive.
"Oooh brilliant" remarked my ex. And without a hint of irony added "You can go home now".
We split up shortly after.
I don't buy it anymore. I live in London and in recent years the number of people in our small town went up to four or five at times. One at the back entrance to the supermarket one at the front. Cross the road and there's another,30 seconds walk another, and one more joined in for a bit. All of them just repeating 'big issue darling' as if someone had taught them just that one slightly inappropriate phrase. You couldn't possibly buy off them all and I felt harassed having to walk past them all every day and say no thanks. My conscience wasn't troubled because I give to charity when I chose and not when people ask.
Someone told me that selling it means you can say you are working so you become eligible for benefits . There is a couple that do it together,one outside sainsburys one outside m and s in another town up the road . They swap over on different days, don't seem that bothered about selling it just sit on camping stools chatting.It doesn't seem to be changing their lives in any way,I've seen them every weekday for over a year. It was an admirable project when it started but seems to have lost its way. Which isn't an excuse to abuse the sellers, but it can be irritating to be offered something you don't want and made to feel bad about it.
She's not as dense as you think ........ Most of them have got houses .... And in many cases, cars.
How do they get to be big issue sellers? Surely the people who run the programme know where they live or stay?
Did he wink at the end, as he may have just been joking
Or maybe he was just a good judge of character and telling the truth
The quid won't even cover what they paid for the magazine so you're actually shortchanging them.
Each magazine costs £1.25 for the homeless person to buy, and they sell them at £2.50.
http://www.bigissue.com/how-become-vendor
Its not often I buy one ill admit but will reply by saying 'No thanks pal' or similar.
Just can't understand why anyone would through abuse at them to be honest, it would take more effort to throw abuse than to simply walk on by and ignore, or say no thanks?
Maybe its a 'I'm better than you' culture that they want to show?
Slightly off topic, but really boils my piss when there are so many Government schemes to send money abroad to help other less well of nations when we have so many issues with homelessness on our own soil. Why should it be left to charities to help.
Realise that there a few people on the streets that choose to be there but would imagine, most would appreciate the right lift and support to get them into a place of safety with a roof over their head and a guiding hand.
They like to demonstrate to themselves that there is a lower form of life than themselves.
I don't get the idea of being nasty to anyone to tbh
Kay Burley aside of course , that's a given .
There is still the awful stigma of people associating the homeless as drug abusers, alcoholics and wasters.
Unfortunately snobbery is starting to creep back into society, being led on by its cheerleaders, the Conservative party and right wing commentators like Katie Hopkins.