Don't wanna donate

This is a short guide on how to tell people that you don't want to donate.

Note that a while back I talked about New Age Robbers, the sort that bugs you to donate. Now they infiltrate S11 such that you can't even eat in peace. Since WE want to eat in peace, we should not give to others what we do not want others to do to us. (己所不欲，勿施于人 - the Chinese say）

(Shit, my Chinese teacher would be so darn proud of me.)

Thus, instead of designing very direct-insult IN YOUR FACE t-shirt designs (like in the past), I've come up with a more peaceful solution this time. All in the name of peace.

This is what you do.

Hi. I'm (so-and-so) from (so-and-so) charity, would you like to donate?
Yes I would.
(slight pause)
..but a pity, I don't think I've enough money with me at the moment.

Your $10 can go a long way..
I could cab from Bishan to around Bedok, yes.

I have a licence, there can you see it?
Yes of course I can, but that doesn't make me any richer.

(If the guy's a persistent bugger, then perhaps you can apply a bit of aggression. Not too much, mind - just enough to stir him up a bit and hopefully make him go away.)
Won't you just donate $2, if you don't have $10? Each of you and your friends just chip in $2, together you can buy one ticket, $10 just nice. It's for charity.. etc. (obscure name comes up)
I'm not going to put $1 commission in your pocket. You're bloody getting 10% commission, do you think I don't know?

Of course that would make you sound and look like a bastard..

But hey wait, who said you are obliged to donate in the first place? They are appealing to your conscience that you should be a good citizen and donate, but the truth is sometimes these youths pocket some commission, the charity organisation pockets some money to cover losses, and only a tiny bit of that $10 goes to the poor people they claim they are helping.

Heck, I'd rather go give the money to them direct.

I'm not saying that donating to charity organisations is bad, but respectable charity organisations won't bug you when you're having a meal. So there.

Thus don't worry - you won't be a bastard by refusing those New Age Robbers your extra cash. They're playing mind games with you, you are a good guy if I say so. Next time you don't want to donate, stand your ground, then sit down and continue eating your food.

But of course, while settling everything peacefully =) even if you don't donate there's no need to start a fight. Unless they do so, but that's another story I shall reserve for another time.