Marcello comments on AndrewH's observation and opportunity costs - Less Wrong

22 Post author: Yvain 23 July 2009 11:36AM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 23 July 2009 05:15:31PM 20 points [-]

I would still be better off just giving the beggar the money!

Increasing the payoff of begging just increases the number of beggars until the average wage once again falls to the point where it is just marginally unattractive - or so I've heard. I think someone once suggested that if you visit a poor country and want to help, do not under any circumstances give money to beggars; find someone who seems to be doing something productive, and give the money to them.

Comment author: Marcello 23 July 2009 06:10:28PM 7 points [-]

I recently visited Los Angeles with a friend. Whenever we got lost wandering around the city, he would find the nearest homeless person, ask them for directions and pay them a dollar. (Homeless people tend to know the street layout and bus routes of their city like the backs of their hands.)