Take the homelessness problem in Seattle. The city thought it would help to throw money at the problem. So they put more than $100,000/homeless person/year into “solving” the problem and ended up making it markedly worse with increased homelessness, higher crime and suicide rates and more drug dependency than ever.

If there is a simple, obvious way to help my dear friend, Chad then I’m happy to help in that way. Money, however, is as likely to make the problem worse as it is to help.

Sadly, these situations are typically extremely nuanced. Hence the need to think carefully and critically on the modes one employs in administering help.