I bristle at the approach "You look like nice people..." myself, because it's a manipulative challenge to me to *prove* that I am nice by doing what they want. "You look like a nice person!" -> "Why yes, I am nice." -> "Give me money (it's the nice thing to do)"
Yes. This.
I can't speak to Mom or her impressions in this situation. I can say, however, that I might have felt irritated and resentful at the panhandler's approach, subsequently guilty about that irritation/resentment, and made comparable (though by no means the same) comments to reassure myself and convince you that I'm a 'nice person' despite having to respond to a question that effectively claims, "Do what I'd like you to do or prove yourself a not nice person!"
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(no subject)
27/11/11 17:34 (UTC)Yes. This.
I can't speak to Mom or her impressions in this situation. I can say, however, that I might have felt irritated and resentful at the panhandler's approach, subsequently guilty about that irritation/resentment, and made comparable (though by no means the same) comments to reassure myself and convince you that I'm a 'nice person' despite having to respond to a question that effectively claims, "Do what I'd like you to do or prove yourself a not nice person!"