Homelessness, in the volume it exists, is largely a result of social/cultural decay in my estimation.
It's the result of degradation of family and community and other important social structures.
On one hand we have made housing something like a Ponzi scheme so that some may realize profit without effort. Nothing is free. When someone gets without producing someone else loses. Housing isn't the only example of this either. Much of our economic reality is one make-money-at-the expense-of-the-other-guy-while-giving-as-little-as-possible scheme after another.
But also we have embraced "liberation ideology" largely starting in the 1960's. Yes, our former culture was oppressive, stiff and judgmental. Women stayed home and cooked. Get divorced, and everyone will give you the stink eye around town, so I hope he doesn't beat you too badly when drunk. Gays stayed in the closet. The mentally ill were forcibly confined and abused. "Bums" got beat up by the local sheriff and dropped outside the town limits instead of being given free needles and a pass to shoplift. Church ladies gossiped and judged and it was a very hard time being "different". Hope you belong to the right secret men's organization because that's how you get in with local banker and judge and get a start on the good job ladder.
But also people helped one another. Encouraged one another (even if it was through judgement and social pressure and occasionally violence). There was a greater sense of community. People at that time were culturally closer to the era when they had to band to together to travel to and settle a new land and build towns.
Now it's I have a credit card so I'll do what I want and move where I want and this place I live isn't a community and I don't talk to my neighbors anyway and one city is another really and everything is anonymous and transactional and no one goes to church anymore. Sexual freedom without regard to consequences (especially the resulting children and lack of long term relationships). Drug use is fine, it's a personal choice, and besides I'm dealing with so much inner pain and trauma and no pain should ever be. In fact the doctor may just give you something to numb you and shut you up altogether so you can keep being a good cog and not a squeaky wheel.
So, we are seeing the results of all this. What we had before wasn't good, but this isn't either.
I don't know what the answer is. I believe people should do what they want. I do what I want personally. Just observing and noting what I think the root cause might be.
Maybe our real culture in America hasn't developed yet but I can't believe it's ultimately sterile communities where people don't look out for their neighbors and people shooting up drugs on streets with a few rich hiding behind gated communities and controlling law makers. But maybe it is, maybe that is what we are about as a society. I like to think not.
Sorry for the rant, but this I believe is the root cause and until we solve it (somehow) the problem remains.
It's the result of degradation of family and community and other important social structures.
On one hand we have made housing something like a Ponzi scheme so that some may realize profit without effort. Nothing is free. When someone gets without producing someone else loses. Housing isn't the only example of this either. Much of our economic reality is one make-money-at-the expense-of-the-other-guy-while-giving-as-little-as-possible scheme after another.
But also we have embraced "liberation ideology" largely starting in the 1960's. Yes, our former culture was oppressive, stiff and judgmental. Women stayed home and cooked. Get divorced, and everyone will give you the stink eye around town, so I hope he doesn't beat you too badly when drunk. Gays stayed in the closet. The mentally ill were forcibly confined and abused. "Bums" got beat up by the local sheriff and dropped outside the town limits instead of being given free needles and a pass to shoplift. Church ladies gossiped and judged and it was a very hard time being "different". Hope you belong to the right secret men's organization because that's how you get in with local banker and judge and get a start on the good job ladder.
But also people helped one another. Encouraged one another (even if it was through judgement and social pressure and occasionally violence). There was a greater sense of community. People at that time were culturally closer to the era when they had to band to together to travel to and settle a new land and build towns.
Now it's I have a credit card so I'll do what I want and move where I want and this place I live isn't a community and I don't talk to my neighbors anyway and one city is another really and everything is anonymous and transactional and no one goes to church anymore. Sexual freedom without regard to consequences (especially the resulting children and lack of long term relationships). Drug use is fine, it's a personal choice, and besides I'm dealing with so much inner pain and trauma and no pain should ever be. In fact the doctor may just give you something to numb you and shut you up altogether so you can keep being a good cog and not a squeaky wheel.
So, we are seeing the results of all this. What we had before wasn't good, but this isn't either.
I don't know what the answer is. I believe people should do what they want. I do what I want personally. Just observing and noting what I think the root cause might be.
Maybe our real culture in America hasn't developed yet but I can't believe it's ultimately sterile communities where people don't look out for their neighbors and people shooting up drugs on streets with a few rich hiding behind gated communities and controlling law makers. But maybe it is, maybe that is what we are about as a society. I like to think not.
Sorry for the rant, but this I believe is the root cause and until we solve it (somehow) the problem remains.