Competing for compassion makes losers of us all

From people who are reduced to begging on our streets, to the big charities — it seems that all of our responses to the homelessness issue involve the marketing of human misery, writes Caroline O’Doherty.

As sales pitches go, it was a half-hearted attempt.

“Any spare change,” the gruff voice muttered without intonation to indicate whether it was a question or a command.