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Did anyone else notice this euphemism treadmill update? "for people experiencing homelessness" "the number of people experiencing homelessness" "of those exp

Did anyone else notice this euphemism treadmill update? "for people experiencing homelessness" "the number of people experiencing homelessness" "of those experiencing homelessness" This softer language with more syllables is not for the benefit of the homeless, it's for everyone else so they don't feel as bad about it. Which makes it less likely anything will be done. George Carlin made this point brilliantly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuEQixrBKCc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuEQixrBKCc

paulpauper 5y ago
Lol I am feeling more homeless today than usual
KerrickStaley 5y ago
The point of this wording is that "homeless" is not an identity, not a classification that permanently groups people into one category or another. Rather, it's a condition that people can experience, whether chronic or transient.
- deleted 5y ago
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DoreenMichele 5y ago
No, that's absolutely got nothing to do with sparing the feelings of a stigmatized group or anyone else. It's entirely about helping people better understand that "the homeless" are not some separate, distinct group of people. They come from the general population. Anyone can end up homeless. The more we make it hard on individuals to leave that situation and rejoin society, the more we cut our own throats.
- xanaxagoras 5y ago
  If you talk to me about "the homeless" if you have something interesting to say I'll listen. If you talk to me about "people experiencing homelessness" my eyes glaze over and I stop listening.
  - DoreenMichele 5y ago
    I'm not someone who uses that framing. I'm just telling you why it gets used. I typically talk about "the homeless population" or "homeless individuals." I spent years homeless. I have had a college class on Homelessness and Public Policy. I'm a blogger and freelance writer and I think language matters but I also generally agree that people sometimes get too hung up on language to the point where it's counterproductive. I try to not get too hung about it or be too nitpicky, personally.
xanaxagoras 5y ago
Very timely and apropos Carlin reference. My landlord is a company that manages Apartment Communities each of which has a couple of hundred Apartment Homes. It's nauseating. Makes me think of a point that Hicks made brilliantly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbAAVLcMzr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbAAVLcMzr4
Chiron1991 5y ago
Speaking of George Carlin, he also made a bit on homelessness and came to the same conclusion the article did: https://youtu.be/lncLOEqc9Rw?t=202 https://youtu.be/lncLOEqc9Rw?t=202
marto1 5y ago
I was just about to make the exact same point. Housing is warfare. You'll find few friends. Be extremely careful with advice.

paulpauper 5y ago

Lol I am feeling more homeless today than usual

KerrickStaley 5y ago

The point of this wording is that "homeless" is not an identity, not a classification that permanently groups people into one category or another. Rather, it's a condition that people can experience, whether chronic or transient.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

DoreenMichele 5y ago

No, that's absolutely got nothing to do with sparing the feelings of a stigmatized group or anyone else. It's entirely about helping people better understand that "the homeless" are not some separate, distinct group of people. They come from the general population. Anyone can end up homeless. The more we make it hard on individuals to leave that situation and rejoin society, the more we cut our own throats.

xanaxagoras 5y ago
If you talk to me about "the homeless" if you have something interesting to say I'll listen. If you talk to me about "people experiencing homelessness" my eyes glaze over and I stop listening.
- DoreenMichele 5y ago
  I'm not someone who uses that framing. I'm just telling you why it gets used. I typically talk about "the homeless population" or "homeless individuals." I spent years homeless. I have had a college class on Homelessness and Public Policy. I'm a blogger and freelance writer and I think language matters but I also generally agree that people sometimes get too hung up on language to the point where it's counterproductive. I try to not get too hung about it or be too nitpicky, personally.

xanaxagoras 5y ago

Very timely and apropos Carlin reference. My landlord is a company that manages Apartment Communities each of which has a couple of hundred Apartment Homes. It's nauseating. Makes me think of a point that Hicks made brilliantly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbAAVLcMzr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbAAVLcMzr4

Chiron1991 5y ago

Speaking of George Carlin, he also made a bit on homelessness and came to the same conclusion the article did: https://youtu.be/lncLOEqc9Rw?t=202 https://youtu.be/lncLOEqc9Rw?t=202

marto1 5y ago

I was just about to make the exact same point. Housing is warfare. You'll find few friends. Be extremely careful with advice.