4 ms·

Many people go through a “homeless” period of not having a permanent address. Couch surfing. Motels etc. It’s not fun. It’s very stressful. Our systems have a

by groundzeros2015 2mo ago

Many people go through a “homeless” period of not having a permanent address. Couch surfing. Motels etc. It’s not fun. It’s very stressful. Our systems have a positive feedback loop against financial instability. However there is another category of homeless which is a person pushing a shopping cart on the side of the road. And this is an exteme level of dysfunction and despair. I saw a tweet that summarized this issue as “you’re as likely to become a CEO or NBA player as you are to become homeless.” Meaning that it’s a track of genetics and behavior resulting in dysfunction several standard deviations away from normal.

inigyou 2mo ago
If you took an average person and then forced them to stop paying rent or anything more expensive than their current rent (so no motels)—the scenario being discussed here—which category of homeless would they likely end up in?
- groundzeros2015 2mo ago
  What are you talking about? What is “rent”? You can rent an individual room. You can rent a double-wide trailer. You can move to Kentucky. You can work 40 hours (guaranteed 40-50k year). > stop responding to all incentives and deliberately go against the grain of every system and form of aid. Yep, that’s a pretty unique kind of person.
  - inigyou 2mo ago
    I'm talking about this scenario we are discussing, where someone saves money by not paying rent. Which kind of homeless will they be?
    - groundzeros2015 2mo ago
      Saves money by not renting? This sounds like an Upper class 20 year old activity. Are they not renting a trailer so they can put $200/month in Tesla? The level of discipline and focus to be that kind of super saver doesn’t sound like the origin story of a guy with a shopping cart. Another aspect that gives ms pause is living in ann unmaintained apartment where you don’t have insurance etc is miserable. And that’s the reality of being poor. I’m not sure why we need to pretend we can all become homeless when the actual danger is already real and bleak.

inigyou 2mo ago

If you took an average person and then forced them to stop paying rent or anything more expensive than their current rent (so no motels)—the scenario being discussed here—which category of homeless would they likely end up in?

groundzeros2015 2mo ago
What are you talking about? What is “rent”? You can rent an individual room. You can rent a double-wide trailer. You can move to Kentucky. You can work 40 hours (guaranteed 40-50k year). > stop responding to all incentives and deliberately go against the grain of every system and form of aid. Yep, that’s a pretty unique kind of person.
- inigyou 2mo ago
  I'm talking about this scenario we are discussing, where someone saves money by not paying rent. Which kind of homeless will they be?
  - groundzeros2015 2mo ago
    Saves money by not renting? This sounds like an Upper class 20 year old activity. Are they not renting a trailer so they can put $200/month in Tesla? The level of discipline and focus to be that kind of super saver doesn’t sound like the origin story of a guy with a shopping cart. Another aspect that gives ms pause is living in ann unmaintained apartment where you don’t have insurance etc is miserable. And that’s the reality of being poor. I’m not sure why we need to pretend we can all become homeless when the actual danger is already real and bleak.