There's no confusion. People like this just don't think a homeless person deserves anything.

I imagine they take it as an affront, that a homeless man could have the "gall" to take charity from them, while he has a phone "hidden" in his pocket, as if that means he's a con-man, and not really in need at all.

In their mind, if a homeless man owns a phone, then he can't be genuinely destitute. If he was then he should sell that phone to afford his next meal, instead of begging on the street.

Never mind that a phone is probably the single most important tool to in modern life to stay informed and connected, not to mention and entertained and sane.

Never mind that a phone could be the difference between staying homeless for ever, or finding work.

No - if you are homeless then you certainly aren't allowed to own any tools that would help you get out of it.

Old person mentality: smartphones are expensive and food is cheap.

If you're homeless or low income, there are programs through DHS that will send you a free phone and plan. It's not a great phone, but they still give people the ability to apply for jobs online, contact hospitals/case workers/ shelters, and to be safe in case of an emergency. I'm not sure if other states have it, but Michigan and Colorado do

The same person is confused that Africans also have phones: "What they are not using stone tools in Africa?"

The original person's comment made sense up until about the 2010s if it was referring to 'smartphones'. Smartphones are extremely accessible to someone who is destitute today comparative to 15 years ago.

Most phone providers in the US at least, have programs where when you register a single line, you usually get either a basic "razor-esque" smartphone, or in some cases even the newest apple or Samsung line, because it costs them pennies to provide, but they profit off the recurring contract income.

Back in 2008, the only way you were getting the newest smartphone was if you had $500-1k in disposable income. But cell phones in general have been an inexpensive commodity since at least 2000.

I bet he ate Avocado Toast once too

Long ongoing way to undermine poverty for middle class audiences:

I mean they have refrigerators ... how poor can they be ?

Could have made sense in 1995, at the latest(?)

There is a Czech "film" (more like home video tape) documenting the wedding of Prague homeless people in 2000, and the titular character famously uses his Nokia to organize the event in the hours prior. Someone apparently could not believe it and tagged it "scifi" on IMDB.