homeless people

[Doc...]

i was having an arguement with a mate of mine about homeless people when i noticed that i had no idea what i was on about. i see them as victims of society rather than a bunch of useless fucks who are 2 lazy 2 work (his arguement).i cant explain or back up my arguement.

need advice, please give generously

[Intifada]

The society we live in treats a home as an investment rather than what it should be - a roof over a human being's head.

Homelessness is a result of the capitalist system.

[Doc...]

i see what u mean intifada, but it feels like there isnt much to say when somebody argues that the homeless are lazy hence homeless. have any ideas about that?

[rioters bloc]

i would put a coupla thoughts down but im abt to go to sleep *yawns*

try wikipedia for a start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeless

the section under 'causes' lists a number of issues which aren't adequately dealt with by governments: things such as inadequate social services, strict housing regulations, not enough health care for the mentally ill.

[Doc...]

thanks rioters bloc, that artical helped a lot :D

[Bannockburn]

9 times out of ten, people who are homeless are victims of circumstance, rather than just “lazy”. Actually, I would argue that homeless people actually are really active, and work hard. Could we, who have a home, a “place of comfort” know how to survive day in and day out on the streets? Know how to keep warm, to find food, drink, and shelter? I doubt it. The homeless in fact are fun of creative potential that should be used, and not disregarded as, “lazy”. What is lazier here? Going to work and pushing a keyboard, or doing what the homeless do? Its not the former.

[KC]

Some people prefer to be homeless.

[anomaly]

Lazar's right. The homeless man who lives in my town does not want to work, so I suppose he'd fit into the 'too lazy to work' category, depending on one's point of view.

But is an inner city boy who had to work, rather than go to school, to support his family really homeless now because of his own faults? You have to put forward such scenarios, as these happen relatively often in urban areas. If one is poor as a child, one is more likely to be poor as an adult. And if one is rich as a child, one is morel likely to be rich as an adult. Social mobility isn't so easy as 'laissez-faire' supporters make it sound.

[Comrade Yastrebkov]

You need an address to have a job - if you don't have a job you can't have an address. Its a vicious cycle, which isn't the fault of the homeless (in the majority of cases).

[TheLiberal]

Homelessness is not the fault of society rather than the fault of a fault in society whereby accomodation is not provided for every person who would otherwise be living on the streets.

[bombeverything]

Originally posted by [email protected] 12 2005, 12:45 PM
i see what u mean intifada, but it feels like there isnt much to say when somebody argues that the homeless are lazy hence homeless. have any ideas about that?

Sure. Unemployment is not only the result of capitalism; it is itself necessary within a capitalist system. In a capitalist economy a pool of cheap and available labour is necessary to promote market "efficiency". Keeping people out of work ensures that there are always individuals who are willing and ready to work with low pay, accept poor working conditions, and compete for work. This keeps wages down and profits up.

It is impossible for everyone to work (at the same time) in a capitalist society. In Australia for instance, it was estimated that there are 7 people to every 1 job. Put simply, there are not enough jobs! However as problems such as unemployment are inherent within capitalism, in order to maintain the current system, social problems need to be presented as the fault of the individual, rather than the system itself.

The view of homeless people as "lazy" is the result of a false ideological division that has been forged between the poor by the ruling class. For instance, people often think of some people as "deserving" of aid and sympathy, whilst viewing others as "undeserving" of societies support (such as individuals who are seen as having the "ability" to work but who, by some apparent fault of their own do not).

This distinction imposes labels on the unemployed, which presuppose that it is their personal characteristics (i.e. that "they are lazy"), rather than general labor market inequality, that are at the root of the continuing unemployment problem.

Now people need money to live. Thus homelessness is inevitable within capitalism. I hope that helps.

:)


Some people prefer to be homeless

Sure, but that doesn't change the fact that it is compulsory for many under capitalism.


Homelessness is not the fault of society rather than the fault of a fault in society whereby accomodation is not provided for every person who would otherwise be living on the streets.

But ... social democracy is hardly the solution as the main cause of the problem (i.e. capitalism) still exists. Social democracy can be nothing more than a constant band-aid solution -- rather pointless in my opinion.