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> We need solutions, not platitudes. Dissolving the free-zone was a solution. Dissolving the free-zone was a solution to the problem of having to deal with hom
by md224 13y ago
> We need solutions, not platitudes. Dissolving the free-zone was a solution.
Dissolving the free-zone was a solution to the problem of having to deal with homeless people, not the problem of homelessness itself. I agree we need solutions and not platitudes, but we also have to be cognizant of how our "solutions" merely decrease the salience of pervasive ills rather than attempting to tackle them head-on.
- jlgreco 13y agoIt isn't the job of transit to tackle homelessness itself. Their priority is transit... because they are transit. Their job is to provide clean, safe, effective transportation, not rolling makeshift homeless shelters.
- vacri 13y agoThat being said, transit doesn't operate in a vacuum. Problems like homelessness aren't going to be addressed by only one sector, because every sector can say "it's not my problem".
- dragonwriter 13y agoIts not the job of government to handle transit alone.
- dragonwriter 13y agoIt isn't the job of government to handle transit alone.
- kevinpet 13y agoHomelessness is a problem for the homeless. Homeless people sleeping on the buses are a problem for commuters. Sometimes you're just looking to get to work without having to put on a show of saving the world.
- Someone 13y agoHomelessness is a problem for the homeless. That is a matter of opinion. Other people think it is a problem of society.
- IgorPartola 13y ago> Sometimes you're just looking to get to work without having to put on a show of saving the world. Agreed. You do not need to be in "Save the World!" mode at all times. > Homelessness is a problem for the homeless. Homeless people sleeping on the buses are a problem for commuters. Disagreed. Homelessness is a problem for everyone. While homeless people exist, they will necessarily cause problems for the rest of the society. Here are my takes on it: 1. Homelessness is a spot in society. If you take all the non-homeless people in your community and move to a brand new piece of land that is completely isolated from the rest of the world, new homeless people will appear. This is because being homeless is inherent to certain societal setups and the percentage of homeless population can be determined "at compile time" via static analysis of the rules and initial state of the society. 2. The homeless/poor/hungry are a problem for everyone and everyone pays the cost. It is rarely direct (e.g.: not everyone gets mugged), but often indirect. For example, your car or renter's or homeowner's insurance is higher. You have to pay for a security guard in your apartment building. You have to pay for your bus ticket. You have to buy a more expensive bike chain. 3. Given #1 and #2, it is in everyone's best interest to solve the problems of homelessness/poverty/hunger. I am not saying that we should drop everything and not stop until it is solved. I am saying that it should be a pretty high priority and that the question of whether we tackle it should be "yes".
- frozenport 13y agoCan't we kick the homeless off the buses?