What I find particularly irritating is not just their persistence, but the fact that some motorists, in their generosity, unknowingly extend the wait time for everyone behind them. A few seconds of alms-giving often lead to a ripple effect of delay, while the traffic builds up and tempers flare. Yet, police officers stand seemingly indifferent, oblivious to the mounting congestion and the plight of impatient motorists.
What’s striking is how organized this street-level operation appears. Each member of the team has a role:
- The youngest of the gang usually carries a cloth or a wipe, rushing to your windshield before you can protest, swiping it with a theatrical flair. You didn’t ask for it, but by the end of it, you feel a peculiar sense of obligation to pay for the effort.
- The oldest member, typically a frail man with a stick, ambles up to your window, attempting to sell earbuds, pens, or other trivial items. His tired eyes and worn-out appearance tug at your heartstrings.
- A female member carries a young child, cradling them while she pleads for money, ostensibly to feed the infant. The sight of a child, hungry and helpless, is a powerful nudge to open your wallet.
- The male member, more assertive, sells balloons or glass sun shields, often approaching with a sales pitch that is hard to ignore in the few moments you have.
It’s a choreographed act, a well-rehearsed routine designed to extract sympathy - and ultimately, money - in mere seconds. But what fuels this response? Why do we feel compelled to give, even when we know it might be part of a larger racket?
The Psychology of Guilt and Enabling
This behavior at traffic signals mirrors something deeper in our psychology. As described in research, financial enablers often suffer from guilt over their own financial stability. They may feel undeserving of their own success and become duty-bound to “help” those who are visibly struggling, even if the struggle is part of an organized act. The same way a financially stable friend or relative may bail out someone who is irresponsible with money, we find ourselves handing out cash at traffic signals, not out of pure generosity, but out of guilt and the desire to relieve our discomfort.
These enablers often discount the role of effort and attribute the misfortune of others solely to bad luck. It’s easier to give a few rupees and feel like a savior than to question the system that perpetuates this cycle. Interestingly, many of these enablers are not big donors to public causes; their generosity is restricted to these close, immediate circles where they can visibly witness their “help” being accepted.
Money, after all, offers power, control, prestige, social acceptance, and approval. Some even hide their own financial strains to continue offering support - whether to beggars at a signal or to irresponsible friends and family. This behavior, while seemingly charitable, can also demotivate, undermine, and perpetuate dependence.
The Broader Social Reflection
If we extend this analogy to our social circles, the pattern becomes clearer. Why does a relative or friend, who is better off financially, continually bail out someone who is financially reckless? Research indicates that the giver often suffers from a kind of “money disorder.” They feel an obligation, rooted in guilt or misplaced loyalty, to step in and save someone from their own financial irresponsibility. And just like at the traffic signal, this behavior only enables the cycle to continue.
The beggary at traffic junctions is more than just a minor inconvenience—it’s a window into our collective psyche. It’s a reflection of how guilt, misplaced compassion, and the need for social acceptance drive us to enable patterns of dependency, both on the streets and in our personal lives.
Perhaps the next time you’re at that signal, instead of giving in to guilt, you might think twice about what you’re really enabling.
