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> except for the subtext that homeless people are all fucked up losers who aren't really trying/can't really be helped. I would never say that. My point is onl

> except for the subtext that homeless people are all fucked up losers who aren't really trying/can't really be helped. I would never say that. My point is only that with even if we had "unlimited free money" to give, there's only a fraction we will save. I'm not saying "don't give money" and saying need more than just money. I'm actually living near the poverty line and surrounded by people with similar financial situations. I make just too much to afford food stamps, but my medical bills (and large debt from student loans and a period of having to live off credit cards) basically throw me below the line. Money would absolutely help me. I need bills paid. I need treatment. All I want to do is get back to my career. (Read: fixing me would generate a net gain in GDP.) But I'm also surrounded by many people who are not interested in getting better. I'm surrounded by people who (to quote someone else) "act poor"--that is, even though we're poor we don't keep our house like a trashheap with stuff piled up. We don't associate with people with drug problems, stealing problems, and more. We're poor but you've never guess at face value because we spend very carefully, and we're entirely functional adults. Meanwhile, there are people who make more money than us who--through their conscious and subconscious decisions--are constantly in trouble with the law. Giving these people money won't magically stop them from having drug dealers in their extended family. Give two people the same internet (everyone has internet on their phones these days), one uses it to read Wikipedia and watch instructional videos, and another uses it to watch videos of people fighting all day. Clearly one is statistically more likely to succeed than the other.

Mz 9y ago
except for the subtext that homeless people are all fucked up losers who aren't really trying/can't really be helped. I would never say that... But I'm also surrounded by many people who are not interested in getting better. I'm surrounded by people who (to quote someone else) "act poor"--that is, even though we're poor we don't keep our house like a trashheap with stuff piled up. We don't associate with people with drug problems, stealing problems, and more. We're poor but you've never guess at face value because we spend very carefully, and we're entirely functional adults. Meanwhile, there are people who make more money than us who--through their conscious and subconscious decisions--are constantly in trouble with the law. Giving these people money won't magically stop them from having drug dealers in their extended family. I agree that you can't force people to get better. But you absolutely said explicitly what was only subtext in your previous comment. You genuinely do feel that a lot of these people are simply lazy fuck ups -- unlike you. You have real problems. This is a really common attitude. I am aware it is hard to figure out what really works. It is a hard problem to solve. But there are systemic problems here that tremendously compound the problems of folks who already have personal challenges in trying to get their act together.

Mz 9y ago

except for the subtext that homeless people are all fucked up losers who aren't really trying/can't really be helped. I would never say that... But I'm also surrounded by many people who are not interested in getting better. I'm surrounded by people who (to quote someone else) "act poor"--that is, even though we're poor we don't keep our house like a trashheap with stuff piled up. We don't associate with people with drug problems, stealing problems, and more. We're poor but you've never guess at face value because we spend very carefully, and we're entirely functional adults. Meanwhile, there are people who make more money than us who--through their conscious and subconscious decisions--are constantly in trouble with the law. Giving these people money won't magically stop them from having drug dealers in their extended family. I agree that you can't force people to get better. But you absolutely said explicitly what was only subtext in your previous comment. You genuinely do feel that a lot of these people are simply lazy fuck ups -- unlike you. You have real problems. This is a really common attitude. I am aware it is hard to figure out what really works. It is a hard problem to solve. But there are systemic problems here that tremendously compound the problems of folks who already have personal challenges in trying to get their act together.