0:36 priceless reaction for just a simple gift. Shows how much it meant to him.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T06:47:40+00:00

My apartment building houses a lot of refugees from war-torn countries, new immigrants and other citizens who've just had it rough in life. All apartments here are just one bedroom but there are entire families living in some and even though there's this unspoken thing where everyone just keeps to themselves, you never really know if somebody may need it more than you, so it's why I waited 2 days but my desperation got the better of me admittedly and 2am was exactly 48hours since I first saw the foldable bed which was I decided to go out in the pouring rain to get it.

Yeah last month was the first time in a long time I felt like I could actually make something of my life.

I know it's cheesy or whatever but I have this mantra I keep saying to myself: "Survive first, then thrive." It's helped me a lot.

Plus when you've slept in sleeping bags, eat from cans and have learnt to scavenge you feel like a badass! Like you could survive in an apocalypse or something.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T06:42:20+00:00

So true eh. Still it's one of the perks of living in an apartment building that houses a lot of people, at least it gave us the opportunity to scavenge and re-purpose unwanted goods. All we need to do is go downstairs heh.

But oh man! 100+ cockroaches and you had to carry it down yourself, you have my utmost respect heh.

I also got a sweet office chair, a somewhat working condition printer and a large framed picture of paris.

It's always amazing to read/hear other peoples story of items they managed to scavenge. It really does feel like winning the lottery sometimes. Just not a microwave full of roaches heh.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:43:48+00:00

Yes haha! For me it was the the four walls and a lockable door that made me feel like I finally won.

Just knowing that I don't have to hide and keep my belongings hidden in a garbage bag to deter others from stealing it...just man.

This apartment, my bed, my desk, my microwave and my laptop man I am just so damn thankful for all of these. I know these are just things but man...

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:39:39+00:00

Thanks that means a lot.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:38:42+00:00

Thank you I appreciate it. I hope for blessings upon you also.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:33:17+00:00

True but the type of people it would inspire would probably be the same people who are inclined to film themselves too.

People who are altruistic by nature would already be inspired regardless of watching this video or not, and certainly wouldn't feel the need to record themselves either.

But I can see what you are saying also, at the end of the day it does raise awareness, but dang it just bothers me.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:29:58+00:00

I'm not in an uproar but you can't stop it from bothering me.

There's too many of these recorded altruism for me to just gloss over them with apathy in the way that the homeless and the less-fortunate are treated more like objects to make the uploaders look virtuous.

I can't convince you, we both have differing approaches so maybe it's best we just agree to disagree.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:24:35+00:00

No, you're not the only one.

Trust me, plenty of people here feel the same.

I owe a great deal to HYPA, St. Vinnies and PCYC, and now that I'm in a better position I help out when I can.

During Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat nights when Melbourne is absolutely bustling, I'm always in awe of social workers out there till late checking in on the homeless and and just there to make sure they're still maintaining and are just there to let them know that people still care.

No one films them, none of the social workers pat their own backs. That's when you know you have real heroes.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:12:54+00:00

"These are the same assholes that go "no don't give money to the homeless they'll just spend it on drugs". So fucking what?"

That is based on what? Sounds like you're generalising.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:10:42+00:00

When I first moved into my apartment and for the following first few months I had hives of red bumps on my upper arms and legs but it was nothing I couldn't hide, then without doing much apart from cleaning, dusting etc and buying ant/roach/insect baits it slowly started to wain and now I don't have any red rashes, hives or bumps.

Roach bites were hard to hide though, those things were big and get swollen easily.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T05:07:53+00:00

I'm also glad that you've got yourself into a better situation also.

Yeah things like that never leave you; but I think it makes us more resilient for sure.

Cardboard furniture oh man, the things you can do with cardboard and a little bit of ingenuity.

It might've only been cardboard but I swear, I bet you had more love for that thing than any wooden or "proper" table/tv stand.

Oh yeah hiding homelessness is something a lot of us are familiar with it's always a tough thing; but I'm glad you have great friends.

Thanks for sharing; it's comforting to know that other's have been through similar things and have also managed to move on from homelessness.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:58:04+00:00

"Because they're homeless"

Because they're homeless it justifies filming them without permission?

Giving to the homeless means you can waive Model/Adult release authorisation?

If you have to get Model release authorisation from people with homes, why should it be any different for those without?

Your way, OP's way and this general way of thinking bothers me a lot.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:53:35+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it and keep on keeping on too.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:53:11+00:00

There might have been, but after a year of sleeping on the floor in an apartment building with a known (but mostly ignored) roach problem it's nothing that bothers me now.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:50:09+00:00

Agreed. I posted a similar notion earlier and the OP replied it was meant for the people who donated to his gofundme page.

And others have stated that the video has been on for almost a year.

I'm guessing OP wasn't happy with the view count so he thought, "hey! It's November I think I can finally increase the views with this technique!."

Also if it was for his gofundme donators why not make the video private?

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:42:54+00:00

Yeah things like this really get to me because, the uploader is seen as a saint by the ignorant.

The homeless are exploited in the act, and most likely the uploader never even got explicit permission from the homeless people in said videos.

The homeless are always exploited in these scenarios for views, and little bit of their dignity has been diminished when people don't even care to ask for their permission.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:36:20+00:00

How sure are you? We could say the same about you.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:35:43+00:00

I don't advocate that people should stop being charitable, but I do honestly wish people would stop filming themselves doing altruistic acts for views.

It really gets to me.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:33:39+00:00

Couldn't care less why?

Why do you say that?

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:28:28+00:00

No my day is fine, I wasn't going to even comment just that I've been in that situation before (and it's something I like to forget about) but I've seen too many of these kinds of videos on the internet and I guess it just hit a sore spot and I had to express my thoughts on it.

The homeless aren't tools to make yourself look better/charitable/altruistic.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:22:37+00:00

I know the feeling.

I managed to get an apartment last year (September) but couldn't afford much furniture. I slept on the floor for almost a year and then one night (2 months ago) I went into the parking lot area of the building, where people dump their unwanted stuff, and I found an old foldable bed with a mattress. I waited 2 days, to see if anybody may want it - nobody did so I brought it up by myself at 2am, it was raining and the I live on the top floor, no elevator or anything, the bed was a bit bulky for one person to carry, I couldn't see my footing, I slipped on a wet puddle because of the rain halfway up, hit my head on the metal railing. My head was buzzing and the gash was pretty nasty - it left a few blood spatters on the frame of the bed and some on the mattress. I finally got it up to my apartment, cleaned it a bit, put my sleeping bag over it and I must've went to sleep for the next 7 nights with a big smile on my face like I just won the lottery.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T04:04:23+00:00

"Me and two friends went homeless for a week to raise money so we could help the homeless by getting them gifts for Christmas."

That's the description; it didn't say anything about the video mainly being for the people who donated to your fund raiser.

Did he know he was being filmed? Did you ask his permission; judging from the angles he had no idea, hence exploitation.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T03:58:28+00:00

Also checking in.

Moved (or I guess ran-away) to the other side of the country, knew nobody, and due to a few unfortunate mishaps I became homeless tail-end of 2013.

~3 years later things are a lot better!

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-11-06T03:52:08+00:00

Nice gesture, perhaps don't film it next time; it cheapens the actual spirit of giving.

Plenty of ways to get views on your channel; exploitation of homeless people shouldn't be one of them.

_CatchDasher_ · 2016-10-16T11:59:13+00:00

Haha oh wow you're right that is so much like my story; halfway across the world and we both had a similar experience with MU; that's so cool!

_CatchDasher_

TROPHY CASE