Taxi Fare 5?

What make us generally distrustful when someone asks us for money? I had a friend who once said that he likes to help people who don't ask for anything, but does not like to help someone who asks. Why? Jesus didn't say give to only those that do not ask.

To speak for myself, I have this aversion to being taken advantage of. I think it relates to a bad experience I had buying my first new car. I was sucker for the old car salesman's switcheroo technique. Funny thing was, I seemed to know I was being taken advantage of, but felt helpless. I remember crying after I bought that first Toyota Tercel (for $3000 brand new!). To this day, I hate buying cars and all car salesmen.

I think it is a Type 1 versus Type II error situation. Type I error is false positive, and Type II error is False negative.

So, the lady who asked me for $10 either needed the money for what she said she did (positive) or she did not (negative), and I either give her the money or I do not. There are four outcomes in this situation, two are correct and two are errors. The two errors in this situation would be to give the money to her when she really didn't need it for what she said she did (Type I - false positive), and I don't give her the money when she really did need it for what she said she did (Type II error - false negative).

Since we can never really know the truth in situations like this, we have to respond in a way that reduces one of the two type of errors. As you reduce one type of error, you increase the other. I could completely minimize Type I error by never giving money to those that ask, and I would never be taken advantage of; however, I would make lots of Type II errors by failing to be generous to lots of trully needy people. I could also give to all who ask, minimizing Type II errors, but I would increase Type I errors by inadvertantly giving money to lots of crackheads.

Which error is more tolerable? Is it worse to be taken advantage of or to fail to be generous to someone in need. Of course, we want to be smart and balance the two types of errors in some optimal fashion.

For much of my life, I was driven by some type of neurotic fear of being taken advantage of. It wasn't until I failed a test, where I sent away a desparate mother of three kids because of this fear, that my eyes were open to that part of myself. I have been determined to not fail the next test; however, I also do not want to give money to crack heads.

Should I give her the$10? Quiet. Listen. Talk to her again. Breath.