4 ms·

In their defence, a lot of the social programmes in the USA are rather demeaning. Food stamps comes to mind. But that being said; even in a country like mine,

by Svip 13y ago

In their defence, a lot of the social programmes in the USA are rather demeaning. Food stamps comes to mind. But that being said; even in a country like mine, where there is larger 'social security net' (as I hear Americans term it) for homeless people, there are still those who choose to be homeless. But they are few and far in between, that I would not consider them a problem here (for public transportation, that is).

dragonwriter 13y ago
Perhaps more relevantly, many of the programs related to homelessness (e.g., shelters) are both of inadequate availability and hazardous; homeless shelters are often, from reports I've seen, a trade-off where you get better protection from the elements in exchange for a higher rate of criminal victimization, compared to being on the streets.
- frozenport 13y ago
  In highschool I volunteered at a homeless shelter. Homeless shelters often had rules about drugs and drinking that people couldn't deal with. The real problem is substance abuse levels that are significantly above the EU.
drstewart 13y ago
I don't see how food stamps are in any way demeaning, compared to, say, visiting an NHS hospital or living in council housing or any other social program?
- steveplace 13y ago
  I believe that parent assumes that food stamps are physical stamps instead of EBT cards.
- laurencerowe 13y ago
  Visiting an NHS hospital is no different than sending your kids to a public (state) school - the NHS is used by almost everyone, it's not Medicaid. Food stamps are demeaning because they send the message that those receiving them cannot be trusted to choose how to spend that money wisely. They deny any flexibility to recipients, what if you need to buy new shoes for your kid one week?
  - jpadkins 13y ago
    can't give cash because of drugs. Addicts will spend money on meth instead of their kids shoes. If you have a better solution, fire away.
    - lmm 13y ago
      At the moment drug addicts buy groceries and then sell them for drug money. Experiment suggests that on average the poor do better when given cash than more complex/restricted handouts like food stamps.
  - pbhjpbhj 13y ago
    >Food stamps are demeaning because they send the message that those receiving them cannot be trusted to choose how to spend that money wisely. // So your starving and need food, the community has a whip-round [an impromptu collection] someone takes you to the supermarket and buys your shopping. Your response is what, gratitude or "that's so demeaning". If one feels embarrassed that one is getting more out of society than they're providing in benefit - I assume that's the source of feeling demeaned by charity - then one can work to improve that position. I don't think I need to start listing things you can do for free that are public goods, do I.
    - laurencerowe 13y ago
      No, benefits should be paid in cash as they are in other developed countries.
  - rdouble 13y ago
    Food stamps were meant to be demeaning. Being poor is considered a moral failing in the USA.
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  > I don't see how food stamps are in any way demeaning Then you probably haven't seen the condescending manner in which people using them are treated by cashiers in many of the places that accept them. (Now, admittedly, the places where this is an issue tend to have generally crappy service for everyone, but the people using food stamps tend to have less choice of where to go.)
- lmm 13y ago
  There certainly is a stigma attached to living in council housing.
learc83 13y ago
>Food stamps comes to mind. How are food stamps demeaning? My family was on food stamps for a few months after my dad left. This was over 10 years ago and even then they gave you an EBT card, not actual stamps. At most grocery stores you swipe it yourself, so it looks like you're just using a debit card.
- Svip 13y ago
  Food stamps are implying that the government doesn't trust you, just because you cannot afford stuff (due to a large number of possible circumstances for being in that situation), I find that prospect demeaning.

by Svip 13y ago

dragonwriter 13y ago

Perhaps more relevantly, many of the programs related to homelessness (e.g., shelters) are both of inadequate availability and hazardous; homeless shelters are often, from reports I've seen, a trade-off where you get better protection from the elements in exchange for a higher rate of criminal victimization, compared to being on the streets.

frozenport 13y ago
In highschool I volunteered at a homeless shelter. Homeless shelters often had rules about drugs and drinking that people couldn't deal with. The real problem is substance abuse levels that are significantly above the EU.

drstewart 13y ago

I don't see how food stamps are in any way demeaning, compared to, say, visiting an NHS hospital or living in council housing or any other social program?

steveplace 13y ago
I believe that parent assumes that food stamps are physical stamps instead of EBT cards.
laurencerowe 13y ago
Visiting an NHS hospital is no different than sending your kids to a public (state) school - the NHS is used by almost everyone, it's not Medicaid. Food stamps are demeaning because they send the message that those receiving them cannot be trusted to choose how to spend that money wisely. They deny any flexibility to recipients, what if you need to buy new shoes for your kid one week?
- jpadkins 13y ago
  can't give cash because of drugs. Addicts will spend money on meth instead of their kids shoes. If you have a better solution, fire away.
  - lmm 13y ago
    At the moment drug addicts buy groceries and then sell them for drug money. Experiment suggests that on average the poor do better when given cash than more complex/restricted handouts like food stamps.
- pbhjpbhj 13y ago
  >Food stamps are demeaning because they send the message that those receiving them cannot be trusted to choose how to spend that money wisely. // So your starving and need food, the community has a whip-round [an impromptu collection] someone takes you to the supermarket and buys your shopping. Your response is what, gratitude or "that's so demeaning". If one feels embarrassed that one is getting more out of society than they're providing in benefit - I assume that's the source of feeling demeaned by charity - then one can work to improve that position. I don't think I need to start listing things you can do for free that are public goods, do I.
  - laurencerowe 13y ago
    No, benefits should be paid in cash as they are in other developed countries.
- rdouble 13y ago
  Food stamps were meant to be demeaning. Being poor is considered a moral failing in the USA.
dragonwriter 13y ago
> I don't see how food stamps are in any way demeaning Then you probably haven't seen the condescending manner in which people using them are treated by cashiers in many of the places that accept them. (Now, admittedly, the places where this is an issue tend to have generally crappy service for everyone, but the people using food stamps tend to have less choice of where to go.)
lmm 13y ago
There certainly is a stigma attached to living in council housing.

learc83 13y ago

>Food stamps comes to mind. How are food stamps demeaning? My family was on food stamps for a few months after my dad left. This was over 10 years ago and even then they gave you an EBT card, not actual stamps. At most grocery stores you swipe it yourself, so it looks like you're just using a debit card.

Svip 13y ago
Food stamps are implying that the government doesn't trust you, just because you cannot afford stuff (due to a large number of possible circumstances for being in that situation), I find that prospect demeaning.