Tourists taking pictures of homeless people

[Jeff777]

While in Boston, I witnessed more homeless people than I've seen in my entire life sleeping in public, begging for change and holding up signs. Some tourists took pictures. Question of ethics? Or just tourists being tourists?

[no-Name]

tourists would take pictures of their own feet if they hadn't seen them before. on second though, some can probably pride themselves on that achievement. I don't see what ethics are being bent or broken here. is it an invasion of privacy? making a human zoo? treating homeless as another sight to see? it's silly, but I'm not sure how unethical it is. if I'm missing something, please inform me.

[Xei]

I agree with the nameless one here, I can't see why it would be wrong. This is the second time in as many days that you have said we should put a damper on expressing the truth; I find that a bit concerning. Photography is often a brilliant means to honestly represent the world; would you rather the tourists went home and lied to others and, even worse, themselves, that it was a perfect place? Do you think we should have banned these photos because they violated the dignity of those pictured? Or do you think what these pictures actually do is highlight the indignities that others have committed?

[sloth]

I think that depends on the impression that it leaves upon the viewer of the photograph.

[Jeff777]

I agree with the nameless one here, I can't see why it would be wrong. This is the second time in as many days that you have said we should put a damper on expressing the truth; I find that a bit concerning. Noones on a righteous mission fighting for the first amendment or anything relatively similar in a situation like this or the other thread which you're referencing. These are tourists, mostly Asians from what I saw.. walking up to homeless people with about 3 feet of distance in between them.. and snapping pictures. I'm fairly positive they aren't journalists writing up a piece for the Boston Herald on the effect the economy is having on Bostonians. [extreme pictures here] Come on dude. Again such extremes. Pictures like the ones you posted bear significance and are worth showing to the world. Tourists taking pictures of a homeless man while saying "Ohhh!", aren't. Perhaps ethical may not have been the best word to use but I will say that I personally think it's rude. Life is shitty for you, let me take a picture and show my friends back home!

[Marvo]

People take pictures so they can look back and remember. Apparently they don't want to forget that there were homeless people, as Xei said.

[Xei]

Come on dude. Again such extremes. Pictures like the ones you posted bear significance and are worth showing to the world. Tourists taking pictures of a homeless man while saying "Ohhh!", aren't. If your morality doesn't work in accentuated circumstances where it's thrown into sharp contrast, why on Earth do you think it would work in more moderate ones? Obviously shoving a camera right in somebody's personal space when they don't want it is rude, but that's not what the OP says, is it?

[Spartiate]

Poverty is an extremely popular topic in street photography, which is like half of what nat geo photographers do. It can be quite artistic and powerful. Then again there's probably a bunch of people just going "LOL hobo!" who find the poor man's predicament amusing. A tad insensitive, but hey what can you do... I remember once in Boston, a friend stepped on a homeless guy lying in the street and he got up and chased him. Sure wish I had my camera then.

[Descensus]

I've really only been to the nice parts of Boston, like around UMass, Mass General, and the Science Museum. I did go to Dorchester once for some family gathering when I was a kid. Wasn't a fan of that.

[Jeff777]

You all have a point. I suppose the issue of ethics morality lies in intent and purposes.

[nina]

Then again there's probably a bunch of people just going "LOL hobo!" who find the poor man's predicament amusing. A tad insensitive, but hey what can you do... Hmm, maybe...insensitive teenagers or drunk college kids and such...but everyone I have ever known has felt awkward sympathy for homeless people at the very least, rather than amusement. Stereotypically, asian tourists photograph everything, so I don't see a reason why they would leave homeless people out.

[Descensus]

Hmm, maybe...insensitive teenagers or drunk college kids and such...but everyone I have ever known has felt awkward sympathy for homeless people at the very least, rather than amusement. Stereotypically, asian tourists photograph everything, so I don't see a reason why they would leave homeless people out. And there are TONS of Asians in Boston.

[DrunkenArse]

I'm technically homeless though I say that "home is where your books is." It's hard for me to have sympathy for homeless people. Have sympathy for the disease that causes their condition, not the condition itself. Often times, this is alchohol or drug addiction but in rare cases, it's something else. In my case it's the decision that because of my profound lack of social skills, I gain nothing from being employed and having a house (i.e. I'm a social outcast either way) and would rather have the time available to study things that interest me than waste time working to pay taxes to support US Imperialism. There are tons of Homeless people in Hawai'i. If you can avoid getting pass-out-drunk for the first half of the day (surprisingly hard for many people), it's easy to get signed up for food stamps, go swimming in the ocean to get cleaned off and get in and out of towns so that you're not sleeping on the sidewalk. You can collect recycling in the civilized states to get some spending cash. If you're not an addict, it can be a pretty good life. I certainly enjoy it much more than I've ever enjoyed working. It's really the first time in my life that I've actually been excited when I wake up in the morning. I lovingly ask myself "what sort of mischief are we going to get into today you stupid, hairy monkey?" The answer? Anything permitted by the laws of physics. I have zero obligations. If you are an addict, then you end up filthy, stinking and sleeping in public. Some non-addicts go through a phase like that when they're first adjusting but others generally spot them and help them out. I can't really say anything about having my picture taken because I'm homeless though, because most of the time, I don't really look like it. The times I have my picture taken are because I look like a hippy. It depends on my mood what my reaction is but most of the time, it doesn't bother me. The times it does, I look at them and hold up two fingers and say (in my best pidgin accent) "fo-to: two dollah".

[Jeff777]

I'm technically homeless though I say that "home is where your books is." It's hard for me to have sympathy for homeless people. Have sympathy for the disease that causes their condition, not the condition itself. Often times, this is alchohol or drug addiction but in rare cases, it's something else. In my case it's the decision that because of my profound lack of social skills, I gain nothing from being employed and having a house (i.e. I'm a social outcast either way) and would rather have the time available to study things that interest me than waste time working to pay taxes to support US Imperialism. There are tons of Homeless people in Hawai'i. If you can avoid getting pass-out-drunk for the first half of the day (surprisingly hard for many people), it's easy to get signed up for food stamps, go swimming in the ocean to get cleaned off and get in and out of towns so that you're not sleeping on the sidewalk. You can collect recycling in the civilized states to get some spending cash. If you're not an addict, it can be a pretty good life. I certainly enjoy it much more than I've ever enjoyed working. It's really the first time in my life that I've actually been excited when I wake up in the morning. I lovingly ask myself "what sort of mischief are we going to get into today you stupid, hairy monkey?" The answer? Anything permitted by the laws of physics. I have zero obligations. If you are an addict, then you end up filthy, stinking and sleeping in public. Some non-addicts go through a phase like that when they're first adjusting but others generally spot them and help them out. I can't really say anything about having my picture taken because I'm homeless though, because most of the time, I don't really look like it. The times I have my picture taken are because I look like a hippy. It depends on my mood what my reaction is but most of the time, it doesn't bother me. The times it does, I look at them and hold up two fingers and say (in my best pidgin accent) "fo-to: two dollah". Are you accessing this forum via public library computers or..?

[khh]

Actually I think it just goes to show that there's something really strange about America. You just don't see those sights elsewhere. Isn't that what you should be left thinking of?

[dajo]

Well, in the cities where I lived in (the north of) Germany there were quite a few homeless as well. Although cities in Europe are profoundly safer than in the US.

[tommo]

Actually I think it just goes to show that there's something really strange about America. You just don't see those sights elsewhere. Isn't that what you should be left thinking of? What? lol There's homeless people everywhere. Oh and also, yeah they should just be a little more considerate of the person's feelings. But I have a feeling that Asians sort of consider the entire rest of the world a zoo. Just the way they go about things.

[Xei]

It is a little tiresome in Cambridge when you're trying to get to lectures and some Asian lady literally stands out in front of you and puts a camera in your face, and a few moments later just walks on as if nothing happened. About half of the people on the streets at any time are Chinese tourists actually, it's really impressive how reverent they are...

[tommo]

Don't get how that equates to reverence but ok lol

[Xei]

Because they've come from the other side of the globe to visit a city chiefly renowned for being an ancient bastion of academia. An central part of Asian culture is a great deference for education. This in contrast to the majority of the UK who don't really give a toss about education as a whole and have never set foot in the place despite it being a couple of hours down the road.

[tommo]

How do you know they go there for that reason?

[Wayfaerer]

I could see why a long standing environment of knowledge and inquiry would be revered. Taking pictures of random students may be getting a little carried away though lol

[Xei]

How do you know they go there for that reason? How do you know people go to Paris for food, art, and architecture? That's what Cambridge is famous for. That's what makes it a tourist destination. I don't see such swathes of Chinese tourists in any of the other medieval British towns (except a few in a couple of other ancient university towns).

[DrunkenArse]

Are you accessing this forum via public library computers or..? Yup. And I have my own laptop but I have that stored away. I'll pull it out if I find the need to do some heavy numerical coding or something but I don't like carrying it around. The library is my temple.

[Spartiate]

Yup. And I have my own laptop but I have that stored away. I'll pull it out if I find the need to do some heavy numerical coding or something but I don't like carrying it around. The library is my temple. Where do you sleep?