Questions/Thoughts on the Homeless

[Anathema]

Many of you seem to forget that the homeless are people just like you and me, and most of them simply have no means to pull themselves out of their misery. It's not that they don't want jobs - but who would employ a homeless person? NO ONE.

Wich is why the government should help out anybody who genuinely wants to work.

[nemafakei]

Think not of homelessness as the reason, but of the reason for homelessness.

That is, you are likely to be homeless because:

- You are antisocial, or a criminal, and have no regard for society and its rules

- You have some kind of disability like mental illness

- You are unlucky

The former will cause messy toilets, the medial might, and the latter probably won't. But because one part of the homeless section of society will mess up the loos, then your toulet ends up in the sordid state described above, even though most of the homeless may be respectable lavatory-users.

[sneezer3]

Think not of homelessness as the reason, but of the reason for homelessness.

That is, you are likely to be homeless because:

- You are antisocial, or a criminal, and have no regard for society and its rules

- You have some kind of disability like mental illness

- You are unlucky

The former will cause messy toilets, the medial might, and the latter probably won't. But because one part of the homeless section of society will mess up the loos, then your toulet ends up in the sordid state described above, even though most of the homeless may be respectable lavatory-users.

Unlucky and don't like to work.

[Andrew]

Society should help, but not by giving them money to spend as they(homeless) see fit. they did not earn that money therefore society(government) should regulate how to spend it on them based on whereabouts they dwell. and there needs. the gov should also put them to work(if applicable) in return for the help(money).

[GhostHunter]

Goverment should now do what Roosevelt did, get forsay homeless together, and make them work on making the cities better etc and pay them ( One ways America got out of depression ) and when there done with that it'll help their chances of getting a job etc...

[Edric O]

Unlucky and don't like to work.

You, sir, are an idiot.

They WANT to work, but due to circumstances (plain bad luck in life - maybe they were born in a very poor family, etc.) they got into a position where NO ONE WILL HIRE THEM.

[nemafakei]

"Unlucky and don't like to work."

This could be another reason, but it does not replace the existing category Unlucky; there still would remain people who would like to work, but are not able.

[sneezer3]

"Unlucky and don't like to work."

This could be another reason, but it does not replace the existing category Unlucky;

Thats what i meant.

Some are able but just don't want to.

[Acriku]

Edric, you, sir, are an idiot as well. You say they want to work, well if they wanted it hard enough they will find it! They can gather loose change from people by begging, or salvaging, and then buy a cheap outfit, shampoo, soap, toothbrush+paste, and get a no-brainer job. Society is not automatically declined to the homeless, they just have to work for it. Some work for it, some are born to it. It's the luck of the draw.

[sneezer3]

Edric, you, sir, are an idiot as well. You say they want to work, well if they wanted it hard enough they will find it! They can gather loose change from people by begging, or salvaging, and then buy a cheap outfit, shampoo, soap, toothbrush+paste, and get a no-brainer job. Society is not automatically declined to the homeless, they just have to work for it. Some work for it, some are born to it. It's the luck of the draw.

Sorry but it works both ways. Maybe you din't read all that was posted before but some may have mentel illness. Been born into poor famlys Been abused by parents etc etc

All that i was trying to say was. SOME CAN WORK but won't but most however can't.

And stop calling people idiots. Even if they are you don't have to call them that. :P

[Acriku]

I was calling him one to make it go along with his post, gotta have a theme ;)

Sure some have illnesses, hell I probably have a mental illness, but the homeless aren't just a bunch of crazies on the sides of the road humping the parking meter. The homeless in Central Florida are pretty stable, and we had a thanksgiving feast for them and they all were real people like you and I. No parking meter humping crazies were there.

[undsputed]

All homeless hump parking meters huh =)

I'm not sure about that. A disease is often hard to tell. I mean it takes time and education to recognize a schizo., especially since I doubt you've been trained in any of that. They suffer from problems like lack of emotion, hallucinations, delusions (like they may believe people are out to get them), strange speech at times, etc. Unfortunately, not everyone gets help with medication. Some who do, rougly a third, will se no imporvement from medication. Others may stop taking their medication.

One of the key criteria for many mental disorders is that it impairs their life in some way (work, school, relationships, etc.). So, to say to tell them to get a job just isn't enough.

[Edric O]

You know, Acriku, they can't really use that small change to buy nice clothes, seeing as how they need to actually EAT every once in a while... ::)

The homeless can't AFFORD new clothes. They need every scrap of food they can get to prevent themselves from starving to death.

Oh, and of course I agree to stop the name-calling. I was infuriated by what seemed to be an elitist, short-sighted and uninformed reply. But I assumed wrong. :)

[sneezer3]

You know, Acriku, they can't really use that small change to buy nice clothes, seeing as how they need to actually EAT every once in a while... ::)

The homeless can't AFFORD new clothes. They need every scrap of food they can get to prevent themselves from starving to death.

Oh, and of course I agree to stop the name-calling. I was infuriated by what seemed to be an elitist, short-sighted and uninformed reply. But I assumed wrong. :)

You almost had to assume. I should have been more specific on what i was saying.

[SurlyPIG]

There are different reasons why the homeless get the way they are...

1) Addiction: A substance or gambling addiction could see them lose their jobs, therefore their money, therefore their home, thus they end up on the street. Gamblers usually turn around before this point, as do most drunks, but heavy substance abusers are almost doomed to remain on the streets and die on the streets.

2) Mental illness: Anyone in any lifestyle can become mentally ill. For some, it's genetic. For some it's stress related, and stress reactions to the same situations can be completely different for the individuals. All homeless studies have found, and statistics have always shown that the number of homeless on the street in a given area varies inversely with the amount of space in and amount of money spent on mental hospitals and institutions.

3) Masachism: Some may enjoy the suffering. Some might like to think of themselves as victims. In a way, this, too, is a mental illness.

4) Escape: Escape the pressures of their job, their life, their family, whatever. A total breakdown. They just give up. This could most definately be interpreted as more mental illness, though it can be remedied.

5) "Lazy"(this one is far more rare than the typical extremist would think). Someone said before, they have no regard for how society works, and refuse to conform.

[TMA_1]

Good stuff ACE but you forget those who fall through the cracks. Some people are just truly unfortunate and do not make it. People who may be hard workers and good people. They too sometimes find themselves in poverty.

[SurlyPIG]

Quite true. But I was referring to chronically homeless people, as in those who never get off the streets. The people you refer to almost always seem to get back on their feet. Many take advantage of second-start social programs in place that allow them to get back into action. Others do it on their own. One of the greatest actors of this time, Kelsey Grammar, lived in a sleeping bag in Central Park for a few months while he attended an arts/drama school.