Homelessness is no easier social scenario to approach than other social situations. Its hard to determine whether the individual is genuine or not. I have known citizens, friends of mine, who have offered Peoria homeless people work and they refused. They only wanted money. I have seen Peoria homeless with cell phones and expensive bicycles. I personally feel that true homeless people are not typically out begging on the corner for money. Just volunteer down at the Peoria Rescue Mission, and you'll meet them. The homeless, per se, that we see at the entrance to the mall, are the true deviants from society. Many choose to panhandle instead of conforming to conventional society. I'm sure a percentage of them are legitimately downtrodden. My brother used to drive a cab in Peoria, and many are veterans with mental instabilities, and normal societal integration is not easily attainable for them. Many of them receive government assistance but spend it all on drugs or alcohol. Packers001
Overall I would agree that most people in our society would not choose to deviate from the rest of us as far as not having a place to live in. And they probably would have too much pride to beg for money. I believe that this is where we all can help in some way, at shelters like you said, actually do something to help them if they want it that is. WonderWoman001
I think it is important to realize there are many factors that contribute to homelessness. I have volunteered and worked with the homeless. When people take time to listen to each of their stories you will find that most were “normal” at some point in their life. I think some have a deviant side that almost overcomes their “normal” self. In our society it would not take that many poor choices to change your way of living. SVT001.
I completely agree with you Packers001 because if they were truly homeless they would except jobs offered to them or figure out some source of income. The ones who sit at corners and beg for money are the ones who are being lazy and not setting any expectations for themselves. These are the ones i don't feel bad for because I constantly see them at the same corner everyday begging for money and not voluntering or chosing a different life for themsleves. Yes everyone is different and has their own feelings but if they were to try and help themsleves they would automatically see a difference in their life. Summer001
Drugs and alcoholism I believe plays a huge part in their deviance and I see that whatever their vice is they would take it over food any day of the week. I do feel for the vets that come home and are unable to join society again and I'll give to them every time and thank them for their services. PTSD is a very real thing and I have a good friend with it. It only takes once to call someones parents and tell them that your orders got their son killed. TooTall001
I'm not 100% that homelessness is a crime of some sort so basically these people are deviant as in violating cultural norms. I've known people who choose this way of life, they have skills but overall they abuse drugs and alcohol and choose to live on the streets. They will get sober, an apartment, try to live like the rest of us and it won't work out for one reason or another. I do believe that sometimes it is out of some homeless people's control for whatever reason they end up on the streets. I would imagine it would be very difficult to survive this way and that it would just be an easier route to live like the rest of us do. It is probably very difficult to climb out of that hole. When I do see homeless people it's hard not to judge them or even question how they got to where they are. You do wonder if they are on drugs and just don't want to work. I use my intuition when it comes to handing someone change on the street. Most of the time I would rather help them find a place to stay, a job, and whatever way that could get them back into society where they could thrive. Not because it's the "right" way or our way of living but because everyone if they want it should have a chance to live in a decent, healthy, safe way. WonderWoman001
I definitely don't feel its a crime, in a lot of places its still illegal for homeless to ask for spare change. in my opinion this only helps reinforce the stereotypical negative attitudes society has towards the homeless. grateful001
I can agree with you Wonderwoman001 I don’t feel like being homeless is a crime not at all. Some people choose to live that life and some have no choice but it’s hard to say which ones you can put into those categories. I have witnessed a lot of people go from good to downright bad in a matter of just a month, they get a little pocket money and back to the drugs and alcohol they go. LAWS001
Being homeless hasn't traditionally been considered a crime because the US legal system used to believe in the innate freedom of an individual based on the constitution. It is a sad result when in recent years more controlling politically-minded activists try and prosecute these people who may or may not have gotten put into the situation or put themselves into (it's irrelevant in the context of the crime anyway). Our society has shown a strong positive correlation between Decreasing Individual Liberty and Increasing Sociocentric Ideology. It is a shame what this country is willing to accept something like criminalization of homeless people who either had no ability to effect their outcome in the first place or have led themselves to become that way and get attacked solely due to their socioeconomic status. FreedomUnderGod001
I honestly have never looked down on homeless people. The person panhandling for money when they are driving a BMW parked around the conner, well that s a different story. People have been living that way since the begging of time. The word handicap is a derogatory word that came from the saying "hand in cap", wounded veterans retuning from the war would sit with there hand in their ball cap and beg for money. Some of homeless people you see living on the streets are deviants of society and no doubt some do it out of protest our system. But I think most of them are just legitimately homeless, and have some type of mental or physical disorders. I have seen whole families sitting on the streets of downtown Chicago with multiple young kids not asking for thing at all, just there waiting for the shelter to open. They are not being deviant i don't think, but rather just stuck in a bad situation or can't get the help they need to survive and live well. grateful001
I did not know that about the work handicapped. Thank you for sharing that. Another factor of our social perspective or social profile is that we say things, at time, that are not meant to harm, but we are ignorant of the original meaning. I guess, sometimes, culture hijacks the true meaning behind common words and phrases and we lose touch with the reality of what was originally meant. Does that fit into culture lag? Words change meaning so quickly in this society. Packers001
I think that trying to determine the true need of the homeless is the hardest part. If we are going to try and help someone, we have to try and discern what their problem is, which involves passing some kind of judgment. The person who is "homeless" and begs for money to feed their addiction to drugs needs something very different from the person who lost their job or was kicked out of their home. What the first person really needs is some form of rehabilitation, and not just money. If you give money to somebody who's addicted to drugs, this will most likely not help them at all. On the other hand, the second person probably really could benefit from a few bucks if that will help them get public transportation to a shelter or some other city where they have friends or family. I think that if we really want to help the homeless, we have to be willing to try and find out what their problem is, and not just pass judgment on them and give or not give them money. thestig001
When looking at society there is a lot of judgment that is passed onto the homeless population. Most people in our society do not know what it is like to be homeless. Homelessness is generally not a chosen path within our modern society. The homeless are considered deviant by a lot of people in our society. It is very judgmental to assume that all homeless individuals are on drugs. It is important to understand that many factors contribute into homelessness. For example the video stated people can become homeless at a young age when parents kick them out of the house. As a society it is our responsibility to help the homeless and work on some of their deviant behaviors. I think we could do more to help individuals with mental illnesses that are homeless. SVT001.
I think that the very last guy brought up a good point. Since every culture has different norms, pretty much anything we do will be considered deviant by some group of people. Homelessness is a good example of deviance because homelessness itself isn't really positive or negative. I don't think that being homeless is the best lifestyle, but I'd be willing to bet that most people who are homeless didn't choose that way of life. It's also interesting to see the variety of reactions people have to the questions this video asked about homelessness. Some of the homeless who abuse drugs and beg for money could be categorized as belonging to a retreatist subculture. thestig001
Good point. I like the retreatist subculture idea to place those who deviate from expected norms of society. Having shelter, food and clothing are the basics of life, so when people don't or can't bother to attain those basics, then it puts them in a catagory that makes people wonder what is wrong with their situation that those basics aren't met or sought for. Arizona001
I agree different cultures consider different things deviant. Likewise, I don't really empathize with homelessness because I saw a lot of poor people in India. So for me that is like I grew up watching people on streets so I don't look them as deviant. khush001
Having a sickness or an incurable disease is not tolerated in our society. It is hard work to care for them, day in and day out. There aren’t “babysitters” for those who need such help and so the brunt of that work is on the family. Without programs to help or out-patient institutions to provide necessary diagnoses and medication, the family’s hands are tied. We have homes in Chillicothe where the high functioning ones can live, with a nurse and caretaker who come in to help out. I haven’t seen that in any other community I’ve lived in, but it seems like a good program to keep people off of the streets. The deviance comes when people make a choice to live that way. ARizona001
Even if the person is homeless or is not, deep down inside we all have a feeling of guilt for not giving them money and sorry for them. I thought it was interesting what some people thought of the homeless. Because you never really know if someone is homeless or if they are just begging for money for their habits. I do believe that homeless people have chosen to be homeless because they didn't want to deal with house/rent payments, car payments and day to day problems. Also, I do agree with how society has made some people homeless because of wages/prices of things that we pay for. Some people don't come from money and when a person is constantly bechind on bills it's hard for them to catch up and better themselves when they are already so far behind. So in some cases I do feel bad for the homeless but then again for some cases I don't. Summer001
I agree. I am always torn if I should feel sorry for the homeless or not. I think as people who are fortunate to have more than enough, we should give some assistance to them. I do not think giving them money on the street is wise, though, because as one person said in the video they could take the money and buy booze. Giving them nice clothes to help them get a job would be a realistic way of helping. swimmer001
Homelessness is a very hard topic. How do you tell if someone is truly homeless or if they are just lazy and want free money? Homeless people are considered deviant because they are going against the social norms which would be to get a job and work for your money. However, some of these people cannot help being homeless. Kids who age out of the foster care system a lot of times become homeless. I do think that if homeless people truly wanted to change their situation, they could. Peoria Rescue Mission and the South Side Mission are just two organizations that are there to help homeless people in Peoria. These organizations can also help homeless people to get jobs and teach them skills. Some reasons homeless people are homeless is because of societal factors like low paying jobs. swimmer001
Its kind of interesting that you brought up the homeless shelters and saying that they can help themselves. It reminds me of the example Dr. White brought up in class saying that if "those two are homeless then its their problem, but if everybody is homeless then it's societies problem". I don't know this is a hard topic to discuss because I think that each individual will have their own beliefs about what is right and wrong when helping the poor. glassonion001
I can't speak for all homeless but a really good friend of mine grew up in a nice house in Morton and now is homeless. He works the system very well, he travels the U.S. working and making good money at it but living in homeless shelters the whole way. Every couple years he'll come home to see his friends and family and tell his stories. He is well dressed and always clean with pocket full of money just doesn't want to be tied down with bills and rent. Shelter living is free and he said as long as you get there early enough he always has a bed to sleep in. TooTall001
I don't really know the factors of and what causes some people to homeless. The reason being especially here in United States there are so many programs out there for people with low incomes, it is hard for me to believe that people are actually homeless. There is of course something major that leads to homelessness but I don't empathize enough only and purely because I don't know what it is to be one or how they becomes so economically low. khush001
I agree with you that there are a lot of programs to help people. But a single night in a bed at the homeless shelter is hardly a helpful program. And you have to be completely down and out before you can get a room at a homeless shelter. And generally it seems that the government help isn't for single people. Single moms with kids get the apartments and aid first. How does someone become homeless? How awful to have just lost your job, right when the rent is due and then woala! Just that quick your homeless. Or maybe there was a devistating death in your family- that could stunt someone into depression enough to hit the streets. Maybe a fire wiped everything you had away. Maybe after 40 yrs of work, your factory downsized your position, and you loose everything. God only knows how someone becomes driven to shut themselves out of society. Rosebudd001
I've had a very interesting experience with people begging for money that I thought were homeless. My family and I were going to eat at Wendy's somewhere in Oklahoma, and there was a man at the entrance begging for money. My mom said to not give him money. Being younger I felt terrible about that, but as we ate our dinner the man got up and went to a parking lot across the street got into a vehicle. So I have seen scammers that do it because they want to, not out of necessity. I do believe though there are some people who beg for money because they really do need it. But the hard part about that is knowing when the person is being honest or dishonest about their financial position. glassonion001
I agree, when I was younger I would have believed or felt bad for almost anyone. It is hard to see people suffer but it is harder to see people abuse help they are giving. At the end of the day you want to do what is morally right and if someone scams you at least it is not on your conscious but, you and your family did the right thing. Toby001
When I see a homeless person I feel a sense of sorrow for them because I know that I am more privileged then them, whether or not they chose to be homeless. I know many people do not feel this way because most people think it is their own fault due to abusing drugs or alcohol. By definition and from what I have learned in class I guess you can label homelessness as deviance. I do not necessarily consider homelessness as a bad deviance if they are not harming themselves or others. I am a strong believer in helping the less fortunate even if the only reason they are on the streets is because of drug/alcoholism. For example, a homeless person was sitting outside of a McDonalds and he asked for five dollars. Instead of giving him the money I went back inside and bought him a meal because I did not want him to lie and use the money for drugs/alcohol. Toby001
I feel the same as well when I see homeless people. I've never been homeless but I've known how it is hard for a parent to struggle just scraping money together, so not having anything is devastating to me. Even if these individuals are retreatisst, I still feel the same way towards them. They are causing thier own struggles, but it's still hard to see this because it's not normal for me to interact with homeless people. I give any time I see one just to feel like I did something to help them. I would lie to associate this with the deviance and power relation. Homeless people are powerless and are looked down upon for that reason on my opinion. If homeless are begging and not following the social norms of the rich then there's a "problem." Taylojj2
Homeless people are all over for many reasons such as they lost their jobs, mental health, they don’t want the responsibilities that adults have. Being homeless can be deviant they feel like standing on the streets begging for money, cigarettes, food is a job to them so they can pay for their habit. I always say if you can’t afford your habit then don’t do it. I work on the riverfront and when I see all the homeless people around the area I don’t feel bad for them because I don’t know their stories but I feel they can get jobs like the rest of us, and I especially do not feel bad for the ones begging for a beer or cigarettes. If I do give someone homeless a dollar every now and then it’s just because they caught me on a good day never because I feel sorry for them. LAWS001
I disagree because it's not enough jobs for everyone. then it's hard to get a job if you smell and wear nasty clothes. Then not every homeless person smoke , drink or do drugs . I just recently watched a video were a man give a homeless man one hundred dollars thinking he was going to buy alcohol but the man ended up going buying food and giving it away to other people. Yes we don't know there story but in my opinion we should get to know it because everyone one isn't to blame for being homeless Some times it's society. Player001
I think homelessness can be seen deviance in our society because it goes against our norms. they don't have a job a house some no education, but I think society is a little more OK with it because a lot of people feel bad for them. Then you have the fake homeless people who missing it up for the real ones which is were I really think deviance comes in at. The fakes lie and use people to get money and you also have the real homeless people who just use the money to just get drunk and buy drugs.player001
i agree with your point how the fake homeless mess it up for the real homeless. I used to give to almost any homeless person I saw when I lived in a major city. However when I saw how organized they were and how many lies they told to get the money they begged for it made me realize that I can't trust them to use the money for things that they actually need and not for the things that out them into homelessness like booze and drugs. Delta001
In my opinion, the homeless people that are born into poverty, have lived in difficulty all their lives; they may not know that there is another way out for them.They may not concieve that they are even able. Then, there are other homeless that have simply wanted to disappear off government radar. They choose to be transient. Their mindset is of that which they live around. I think that some homeless people are trapped in their own community because it is void of the usual daily living taking place around them. By choosing not to work, or pay bills, or even live in a stable home, they place themselves in a outcast role. They are definately deviants to the social norm. And most people see them as so very different, but they are just ordinary people who have had to withstand unordinary trials. Rosebudd001
The beginning of the video really made me upset. First, I would like to point out that the girl who first starts talking in the video has what looks like organic green juice. She sounds like she is making excuses to not feel sympathetic towards those less fortunate. I do understand how some may be afraid of the homeless because of them possibly committing a crime out of desperation. If they have nothing to lose, this could be a possibility. In class it was considered a bit deviant if everyone in the class had full time jobs while two didn't work at all. We would look at them as deviant individuals. It is how the homeless are being looked at. What if there was suddenly another depression? Now we all can't afford food and are asking to borrow cigarettes. It is understandable to place those don't want to work in the deviant category because in out society and culture, it's all about working hard. Taylojj2
Homelessnes is tough issue to talk about. There are many homeless who are forced in that situation and can't get out of it as it is a cycle like how the guy in the video said. However there are many homeless who view it as a 9-5 job. If you go to chicago and walk down michigan avenue you will notice a few homeless people begging on the street. At first I feel sorry for them but then I hear stories about how they are dropped off there in a van every morning at the same spot that they view as their territory and just sit there and beg all day. They are not making an effort to search for a job or find a way to live that doesn't depend on other people's charity. This is what makes me mad about those people. They only can ask and they don't give anything back to society. While I know that they don't have much to give they still don't make an effort to give. The ones who view homelessness as a job are the ones that I get upset about. Delta001
It true, many homeless people do have organized systems for begging in Chicago and many other urban cities, but I do not believe that this is something to get mad about. This people we are talking about cannot be stigmatized as bums or victims, rather as individuals in a very vulnerable position. For the most part these people are trapped, either by their own mistakes or by social forces. They have little to no opportunities for social mobility, having very little resources and social networking. Even if they were searching for jobs, the likelihood of them obtaining one is slim to none due to homeless stigmas. Karma001
What always strikes me in the topic of homelessness is the amount of social isolation and disempowerment caused by it. Some of the most vulnerable people are the homeless. Though we hear of homeless people creating territories for themselves to earn money, ultimately they have very little to no control over their lives. In general these people do not have the social networking we have. They cannot easily access the internet to look for job listings or to create a resume. They do not have the social network many of us take for granted to be referred to an employer. Also they are already stigmatized as lazy or incompetent, which makes it nearly impossible to find any job. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be in this position. Begging can be seen as a job, but from what I have experience it is a last resort. Karma001
Growing up, my father lived his childhood in poverty. He has always urged me to look at the world from other people's perspective. The poor was something he always talked about caring for and understanding. His interactions with other poor families put into perspective how hard it is to work yourself up, and that has built respect for my grandfather for being able to do what he did. In my religion, bragging about giving charity is considered as nullifying the charitable act in the eyes of God (in the context of the path your soul will take after death). The point of charity is not only to build humility of one's own wealth, but to build a greater understanding and human connection with others. I didn't realize how much my father helps poor people until I started catching him in the act. I remember when I was younger we were driving somewhere and saw a homeless man on the side of a highway. He picked this dude up, set him up for a week in the nearest hotel and gave him a couple hundred dollars. Never gave the guy his number or any way to contact him again. Never spoke of him again to anyone, not even me who witnessed the act. If you met my father, you would think of him as an old school mean dude who didn't put up with any crap. Yet his upbringing led him to truly understand what kind of a situation some of those people were in. I get frustrated with the stupidity and/or ignorance of some people. Consider charity donations, in 2012 CharityWatch released donation statistics detailing how about 5% on average of the money that you donate goes to the fundraising and administrative processes. They advise you to do research when donating to a charity to make sure you are actually helping people, and point out that a 25% F&A allocation is the point at which one should not donate to a charity due to either diminishing returns or wasteful spending procedures. But then, that's all fine and dandy when we are talking about non-politically tied charities. The Clinton Foundation was found recently to spend 60% of all money donated to "other" costs, and 45% to F&A processes. only 15% of all money donated goes to the people who actually need it. This is not simply a statistical anomaly. This is hundreds of millions of dollars of people who think that they are giving to the poor actually returning straight back into the costs of the rich. This is why it is important to be an informed voter. If I didn't push myself to learn about these injustices then I wouldn't have ever learned what kind of people are running for president, and what they actually think of the poor people. It is disgusting that these people are even being considered as a legitimate administration for the advancement of our society, while they completely ignore the legitimate problems of people like the homeless. FreedomUnderGod001
Homelessness is no easier social scenario to approach than other social situations. Its hard to determine whether the individual is genuine or not. I have known citizens, friends of mine, who have offered Peoria homeless people work and they refused. They only wanted money. I have seen Peoria homeless with cell phones and expensive bicycles. I personally feel that true homeless people are not typically out begging on the corner for money. Just volunteer down at the Peoria Rescue Mission, and you'll meet them. The homeless, per se, that we see at the entrance to the mall, are the true deviants from society. Many choose to panhandle instead of conforming to conventional society. I'm sure a percentage of them are legitimately downtrodden. My brother used to drive a cab in Peoria, and many are veterans with mental instabilities, and normal societal integration is not easily attainable for them. Many of them receive government assistance but spend it all on drugs or alcohol. Packers001
ReplyDeleteOverall I would agree that most people in our society would not choose to deviate from the rest of us as far as not having a place to live in. And they probably would have too much pride to beg for money. I believe that this is where we all can help in some way, at shelters like you said, actually do something to help them if they want it that is. WonderWoman001
DeleteI think it is important to realize there are many factors that contribute to homelessness. I have volunteered and worked with the homeless. When people take time to listen to each of their stories you will find that most were “normal” at some point in their life. I think some have a deviant side that almost overcomes their “normal” self. In our society it would not take that many poor choices to change your way of living. SVT001.
DeleteI completely agree with you Packers001 because if they were truly homeless they would except jobs offered to them or figure out some source of income. The ones who sit at corners and beg for money are the ones who are being lazy and not setting any expectations for themselves. These are the ones i don't feel bad for because I constantly see them at the same corner everyday begging for money and not voluntering or chosing a different life for themsleves. Yes everyone is different and has their own feelings but if they were to try and help themsleves they would automatically see a difference in their life.
DeleteSummer001
Drugs and alcoholism I believe plays a huge part in their deviance and I see that whatever their vice is they would take it over food any day of the week. I do feel for the vets that come home and are unable to join society again and I'll give to them every time and thank them for their services. PTSD is a very real thing and I have a good friend with it. It only takes once to call someones parents and tell them that your orders got their son killed. TooTall001
DeleteI'm not 100% that homelessness is a crime of some sort so basically these people are deviant as in violating cultural norms. I've known people who choose this way of life, they have skills but overall they abuse drugs and alcohol and choose to live on the streets. They will get sober, an apartment, try to live like the rest of us and it won't work out for one reason or another. I do believe that sometimes it is out of some homeless people's control for whatever reason they end up on the streets. I would imagine it would be very difficult to survive this way and that it would just be an easier route to live like the rest of us do. It is probably very difficult to climb out of that hole. When I do see homeless people it's hard not to judge them or even question how they got to where they are. You do wonder if they are on drugs and just don't want to work. I use my intuition when it comes to handing someone change on the street. Most of the time I would rather help them find a place to stay, a job, and whatever way that could get them back into society where they could thrive. Not because it's the "right" way or our way of living but because everyone if they want it should have a chance to live in a decent, healthy, safe way. WonderWoman001
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't feel its a crime, in a lot of places its still illegal for homeless to ask for spare change. in my opinion this only helps reinforce the stereotypical negative attitudes society has towards the homeless.
Deletegrateful001
I can agree with you Wonderwoman001 I don’t feel like being homeless is a crime not at all. Some people choose to live that life and some have no choice but it’s hard to say which ones you can put into those categories. I have witnessed a lot of people go from good to downright bad in a matter of just a month, they get a little pocket money and back to the drugs and alcohol they go. LAWS001
DeleteBeing homeless hasn't traditionally been considered a crime because the US legal system used to believe in the innate freedom of an individual based on the constitution. It is a sad result when in recent years more controlling politically-minded activists try and prosecute these people who may or may not have gotten put into the situation or put themselves into (it's irrelevant in the context of the crime anyway). Our society has shown a strong positive correlation between Decreasing Individual Liberty and Increasing Sociocentric Ideology. It is a shame what this country is willing to accept something like criminalization of homeless people who either had no ability to effect their outcome in the first place or have led themselves to become that way and get attacked solely due to their socioeconomic status. FreedomUnderGod001
DeleteI honestly have never looked down on homeless people. The person panhandling for money when they are driving a BMW parked around the conner, well that s a different story. People have been living that way since the begging of time. The word handicap is a derogatory word that came from the saying "hand in cap", wounded veterans retuning from the war would sit with there hand in their ball cap and beg for money. Some of homeless people you see living on the streets are deviants of society and no doubt some do it out of protest our system. But I think most of them are just legitimately homeless, and have some type of mental or physical disorders. I have seen whole families sitting on the streets of downtown Chicago with multiple young kids not asking for thing at all, just there waiting for the shelter to open. They are not being deviant i don't think, but rather just stuck in a bad situation or can't get the help they need to survive and live well.
ReplyDeletegrateful001
I did not know that about the work handicapped. Thank you for sharing that. Another factor of our social perspective or social profile is that we say things, at time, that are not meant to harm, but we are ignorant of the original meaning. I guess, sometimes, culture hijacks the true meaning behind common words and phrases and we lose touch with the reality of what was originally meant. Does that fit into culture lag? Words change meaning so quickly in this society. Packers001
DeleteI think that trying to determine the true need of the homeless is the hardest part. If we are going to try and help someone, we have to try and discern what their problem is, which involves passing some kind of judgment. The person who is "homeless" and begs for money to feed their addiction to drugs needs something very different from the person who lost their job or was kicked out of their home. What the first person really needs is some form of rehabilitation, and not just money. If you give money to somebody who's addicted to drugs, this will most likely not help them at all. On the other hand, the second person probably really could benefit from a few bucks if that will help them get public transportation to a shelter or some other city where they have friends or family. I think that if we really want to help the homeless, we have to be willing to try and find out what their problem is, and not just pass judgment on them and give or not give them money.
Deletethestig001
When looking at society there is a lot of judgment that is passed onto the homeless population. Most people in our society do not know what it is like to be homeless. Homelessness is generally not a chosen path within our modern society. The homeless are considered deviant by a lot of people in our society. It is very judgmental to assume that all homeless individuals are on drugs. It is important to understand that many factors contribute into homelessness. For example the video stated people can become homeless at a young age when parents kick them out of the house. As a society it is our responsibility to help the homeless and work on some of their deviant behaviors. I think we could do more to help individuals with mental illnesses that are homeless. SVT001.
ReplyDeleteI think that the very last guy brought up a good point. Since every culture has different norms, pretty much anything we do will be considered deviant by some group of people. Homelessness is a good example of deviance because homelessness itself isn't really positive or negative. I don't think that being homeless is the best lifestyle, but I'd be willing to bet that most people who are homeless didn't choose that way of life. It's also interesting to see the variety of reactions people have to the questions this video asked about homelessness. Some of the homeless who abuse drugs and beg for money could be categorized as belonging to a retreatist subculture.
ReplyDeletethestig001
Good point. I like the retreatist subculture idea to place those who deviate from expected norms of society. Having shelter, food and clothing are the basics of life, so when people don't or can't bother to attain those basics, then it puts them in a catagory that makes people wonder what is wrong with their situation that those basics aren't met or sought for. Arizona001
DeleteI agree different cultures consider different things deviant. Likewise, I don't really empathize with homelessness because I saw a lot of poor people in India. So for me that is like I grew up watching people on streets so I don't look them as deviant.
Deletekhush001
Having a sickness or an incurable disease is not tolerated in our society. It is hard work to care for them, day in and day out. There aren’t “babysitters” for those who need such help and so the brunt of that work is on the family. Without programs to help or out-patient institutions to provide necessary diagnoses and medication, the family’s hands are tied. We have homes in Chillicothe where the high functioning ones can live, with a nurse and caretaker who come in to help out. I haven’t seen that in any other community I’ve lived in, but it seems like a good program to keep people off of the streets. The deviance comes when people make a choice to live that way. ARizona001
ReplyDeleteEven if the person is homeless or is not, deep down inside we all have a feeling of guilt for not giving them money and sorry for them. I thought it was interesting what some people thought of the homeless. Because you never really know if someone is homeless or if they are just begging for money for their habits. I do believe that homeless people have chosen to be homeless because they didn't want to deal with house/rent payments, car payments and day to day problems. Also, I do agree with how society has made some people homeless because of wages/prices of things that we pay for. Some people don't come from money and when a person is constantly bechind on bills it's hard for them to catch up and better themselves when they are already so far behind. So in some cases I do feel bad for the homeless but then again for some cases I don't.
ReplyDeleteSummer001
I agree. I am always torn if I should feel sorry for the homeless or not. I think as people who are fortunate to have more than enough, we should give some assistance to them. I do not think giving them money on the street is wise, though, because as one person said in the video they could take the money and buy booze. Giving them nice clothes to help them get a job would be a realistic way of helping.
Deleteswimmer001
Homelessness is a very hard topic. How do you tell if someone is truly homeless or if they are just lazy and want free money? Homeless people are considered deviant because they are going against the social norms which would be to get a job and work for your money. However, some of these people cannot help being homeless. Kids who age out of the foster care system a lot of times become homeless. I do think that if homeless people truly wanted to change their situation, they could. Peoria Rescue Mission and the South Side Mission are just two organizations that are there to help homeless people in Peoria. These organizations can also help homeless people to get jobs and teach them skills. Some reasons homeless people are homeless is because of societal factors like low paying jobs.
ReplyDeleteswimmer001
Its kind of interesting that you brought up the homeless shelters and saying that they can help themselves. It reminds me of the example Dr. White brought up in class saying that if "those two are homeless then its their problem, but if everybody is homeless then it's societies problem". I don't know this is a hard topic to discuss because I think that each individual will have their own beliefs about what is right and wrong when helping the poor. glassonion001
DeleteI can't speak for all homeless but a really good friend of mine grew up in a nice house in Morton and now is homeless. He works the system very well, he travels the U.S. working and making good money at it but living in homeless shelters the whole way. Every couple years he'll come home to see his friends and family and tell his stories. He is well dressed and always clean with pocket full of money just doesn't want to be tied down with bills and rent. Shelter living is free and he said as long as you get there early enough he always has a bed to sleep in. TooTall001
ReplyDeleteI don't really know the factors of and what causes some people to homeless. The reason being especially here in United States there are so many programs out there for people with low incomes, it is hard for me to believe that people are actually homeless. There is of course something major that leads to homelessness but I don't empathize enough only and purely because I don't know what it is to be one or how they becomes so economically low.
ReplyDeletekhush001
I agree with you that there are a lot of programs to help people. But a single night in a bed at the homeless shelter is hardly a helpful program. And you have to be completely down and out before you can get a room at a homeless shelter. And generally it seems that the government help isn't for single people. Single moms with kids get the apartments and aid first.
DeleteHow does someone become homeless? How awful to have just lost your job, right when the rent is due and then woala! Just that quick your homeless. Or maybe there was a devistating death in your family- that could stunt someone into depression enough to hit the streets. Maybe a fire wiped everything you had away. Maybe after 40 yrs of work, your factory downsized your position, and you loose everything. God only knows how someone becomes driven to shut themselves out of society. Rosebudd001
I've had a very interesting experience with people begging for money that I thought were homeless. My family and I were going to eat at Wendy's somewhere in Oklahoma, and there was a man at the entrance begging for money. My mom said to not give him money. Being younger I felt terrible about that, but as we ate our dinner the man got up and went to a parking lot across the street got into a vehicle. So I have seen scammers that do it because they want to, not out of necessity. I do believe though there are some people who beg for money because they really do need it. But the hard part about that is knowing when the person is being honest or dishonest about their financial position. glassonion001
ReplyDeleteI agree, when I was younger I would have believed or felt bad for almost anyone. It is hard to see people suffer but it is harder to see people abuse help they are giving. At the end of the day you want to do what is morally right and if someone scams you at least it is not on your conscious but, you and your family did the right thing. Toby001
DeleteWhen I see a homeless person I feel a sense of sorrow for them because I know that I am more privileged then them, whether or not they chose to be homeless. I know many people do not feel this way because most people think it is their own fault due to abusing drugs or alcohol. By definition and from what I have learned in class I guess you can label homelessness as deviance. I do not necessarily consider homelessness as a bad deviance if they are not harming themselves or others. I am a strong believer in helping the less fortunate even if the only reason they are on the streets is because of drug/alcoholism. For example, a homeless person was sitting outside of a McDonalds and he asked for five dollars. Instead of giving him the money I went back inside and bought him a meal because I did not want him to lie and use the money for drugs/alcohol. Toby001
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as well when I see homeless people. I've never been homeless but I've known how it is hard for a parent to struggle just scraping money together, so not having anything is devastating to me. Even if these individuals are retreatisst, I still feel the same way towards them. They are causing thier own struggles, but it's still hard to see this because it's not normal for me to interact with homeless people. I give any time I see one just to feel like I did something to help them. I would lie to associate this with the deviance and power relation. Homeless people are powerless and are looked down upon for that reason on my opinion. If homeless are begging and not following the social norms of the rich then there's a "problem." Taylojj2
DeleteHomeless people are all over for many reasons such as they lost their jobs, mental health, they don’t want the responsibilities that adults have. Being homeless can be deviant they feel like standing on the streets begging for money, cigarettes, food is a job to them so they can pay for their habit. I always say if you can’t afford your habit then don’t do it. I work on the riverfront and when I see all the homeless people around the area I don’t feel bad for them because I don’t know their stories but I feel they can get jobs like the rest of us, and I especially do not feel bad for the ones begging for a beer or cigarettes. If I do give someone homeless a dollar every now and then it’s just because they caught me on a good day never because I feel sorry for them. LAWS001
ReplyDeleteI disagree because it's not enough jobs for everyone. then it's hard to get a job if you smell and wear nasty clothes. Then not every homeless person smoke , drink or do drugs . I just recently watched a video were a man give a homeless man one hundred dollars thinking he was going to buy alcohol but the man ended up going buying food and giving it away to other people. Yes we don't know there story but in my opinion we should get to know it because everyone one isn't to blame for being homeless Some times it's society. Player001
DeleteI think homelessness can be seen deviance in our society because it goes against our norms. they don't have a job a house some no education, but I think society is a little more OK with it because a lot of people feel bad for them. Then you have the fake homeless people who missing it up for the real ones which is were I really think deviance comes in at. The fakes lie and use people to get money and you also have the real homeless people who just use the money to just get drunk and buy drugs.player001
ReplyDeletei agree with your point how the fake homeless mess it up for the real homeless. I used to give to almost any homeless person I saw when I lived in a major city. However when I saw how organized they were and how many lies they told to get the money they begged for it made me realize that I can't trust them to use the money for things that they actually need and not for the things that out them into homelessness like booze and drugs.
DeleteDelta001
In my opinion, the homeless people that are born into poverty, have lived in difficulty all their lives; they may not know that there is another way out for them.They may not concieve that they are even able. Then, there are other homeless that have simply wanted to disappear off government radar. They choose to be transient. Their mindset is of that which they live around. I think that some homeless people are trapped in their own community because it is void of the usual daily living taking place around them. By choosing not to work, or pay bills, or even live in a stable home, they place themselves in a outcast role. They are definately deviants to the social norm. And most people see them as so very different, but they are just ordinary people who have had to withstand unordinary trials. Rosebudd001
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the video really made me upset. First, I would like to point out that the girl who first starts talking in the video has what looks like organic green juice. She sounds like she is making excuses to not feel sympathetic towards those less fortunate. I do understand how some may be afraid of the homeless because of them possibly committing a crime out of desperation. If they have nothing to lose, this could be a possibility. In class it was considered a bit deviant if everyone in the class had full time jobs while two didn't work at all. We would look at them as deviant individuals. It is how the homeless are being looked at. What if there was suddenly another depression? Now we all can't afford food and are asking to borrow cigarettes. It is understandable to place those don't want to work in the deviant category because in out society and culture, it's all about working hard. Taylojj2
ReplyDeleteHomelessnes is tough issue to talk about. There are many homeless who are forced in that situation and can't get out of it as it is a cycle like how the guy in the video said. However there are many homeless who view it as a 9-5 job. If you go to chicago and walk down michigan avenue you will notice a few homeless people begging on the street. At first I feel sorry for them but then I hear stories about how they are dropped off there in a van every morning at the same spot that they view as their territory and just sit there and beg all day. They are not making an effort to search for a job or find a way to live that doesn't depend on other people's charity. This is what makes me mad about those people. They only can ask and they don't give anything back to society. While I know that they don't have much to give they still don't make an effort to give. The ones who view homelessness as a job are the ones that I get upset about.
ReplyDeleteDelta001
It true, many homeless people do have organized systems for begging in Chicago and many other urban cities, but I do not believe that this is something to get mad about. This people we are talking about cannot be stigmatized as bums or victims, rather as individuals in a very vulnerable position. For the most part these people are trapped, either by their own mistakes or by social forces. They have little to no opportunities for social mobility, having very little resources and social networking. Even if they were searching for jobs, the likelihood of them obtaining one is slim to none due to homeless stigmas. Karma001
DeleteWhat always strikes me in the topic of homelessness is the amount of social isolation and disempowerment caused by it. Some of the most vulnerable people are the homeless. Though we hear of homeless people creating territories for themselves to earn money, ultimately they have very little to no control over their lives. In general these people do not have the social networking we have. They cannot easily access the internet to look for job listings or to create a resume. They do not have the social network many of us take for granted to be referred to an employer. Also they are already stigmatized as lazy or incompetent, which makes it nearly impossible to find any job. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be in this position. Begging can be seen as a job, but from what I have experience it is a last resort. Karma001
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, my father lived his childhood in poverty. He has always urged me to look at the world from other people's perspective. The poor was something he always talked about caring for and understanding. His interactions with other poor families put into perspective how hard it is to work yourself up, and that has built respect for my grandfather for being able to do what he did. In my religion, bragging about giving charity is considered as nullifying the charitable act in the eyes of God (in the context of the path your soul will take after death). The point of charity is not only to build humility of one's own wealth, but to build a greater understanding and human connection with others. I didn't realize how much my father helps poor people until I started catching him in the act. I remember when I was younger we were driving somewhere and saw a homeless man on the side of a highway. He picked this dude up, set him up for a week in the nearest hotel and gave him a couple hundred dollars. Never gave the guy his number or any way to contact him again. Never spoke of him again to anyone, not even me who witnessed the act. If you met my father, you would think of him as an old school mean dude who didn't put up with any crap. Yet his upbringing led him to truly understand what kind of a situation some of those people were in. I get frustrated with the stupidity and/or ignorance of some people. Consider charity donations, in 2012 CharityWatch released donation statistics detailing how about 5% on average of the money that you donate goes to the fundraising and administrative processes. They advise you to do research when donating to a charity to make sure you are actually helping people, and point out that a 25% F&A allocation is the point at which one should not donate to a charity due to either diminishing returns or wasteful spending procedures. But then, that's all fine and dandy when we are talking about non-politically tied charities. The Clinton Foundation was found recently to spend 60% of all money donated to "other" costs, and 45% to F&A processes. only 15% of all money donated goes to the people who actually need it. This is not simply a statistical anomaly. This is hundreds of millions of dollars of people who think that they are giving to the poor actually returning straight back into the costs of the rich. This is why it is important to be an informed voter. If I didn't push myself to learn about these injustices then I wouldn't have ever learned what kind of people are running for president, and what they actually think of the poor people. It is disgusting that these people are even being considered as a legitimate administration for the advancement of our society, while they completely ignore the legitimate problems of people like the homeless. FreedomUnderGod001
ReplyDelete