#homeless individuals

[livingwellnessblog]

California's Homelessness Crisis: Addressing the Tragedy of Unhoused Individuals and Mental Health Reform

In the heart of California, where dreams are often synonymous with palm-lined streets and golden sunsets, there exists a shadowed reality that has long eluded the postcard image – the homelessness crisis. The scale of this epidemic is staggering, with tho

In the heart of California, where dreams are often synonymous with palm-lined streets and golden sunsets, there exists a shadowed reality that has long eluded the postcard image – the homelessness crisis. The scale of this epidemic is staggering, with thousands of vulnerable individuals left to weather the harshness of the streets each night. California’s Homelessness Crisis and Mental Health…

[yb-cringe]

good god. good fuckin lord disabled is not a dirty word just say disabled stop saying differently abled im gonna actually blow a gasket

[alpaca-clouds]

Understanding Individualism vs Collectivism

Making that post about individualism and capitalism yesterday, I got some questions, that showed me the same problem as the person I was talking about had: A lot of people do actually not know what individualism and collectivism mean. So, let me try to explain.

I had kinda hoped that Abigail from Philosophy Tube might have made a video on this, but no such luck. So, I guess I have to try and explain it, even though I mostly know it from sociology, rather from the philosophic origins where it comes from.

Basically, both concepts originate with socialist philosophy in the early 19th century, which correctly identified the early capitalist society as individualist and saw the dangers coming with it. It argued that an individualist society will be harmful on a societal level, because the society at large would always focus on the self, rather than the other. Capitalist philosophy however picked this up was like: “Yeah, awesome, right?” And especially in the 20th century they really started to run with it, realizing that they could use it to make people into better consumers.

Now, individualism does not mean “a sense of self”. This is not connected to it. You will still have a sense of self in a collectivist society and nobody says that you shouldn’t have. Rather it means that the focus of everyone should be on the individual. Both themselves – but also the individual actors in society. It is as such not a surprise that the idea of “Great Man Theory” came up and started to thrive during early capitalism in the 19th century.

So, if individualism does not mean “a sense of self”, what does it mean?

I would argue there are two aspects to it. Once the aforementioned tendency to put the individual above the society and apart from it, but also to create and sell a personal philosophy that people are defined by their differences from others, rather than what they have in common. It tells people that they are all so very different from everyone else, which is a useful political tool for capitalism to fight collective actions such as unions, but also collective action for things like environmental protection. In the same vein it is used to keep people riled up against one another within society, as they focus on their differences, rather than what they have in common.

The most anarchistic professor I had at university put it very well: “If you as a worker talk to a factory worker from Bangladesh, you will find you have a lot in common. In fact you will always have more in common with this other worker rather than any billionaire there is.”

Which brings me to the other aspect that individualism is about: It sells you an individualistic dream. Which is why capitalism focuses so much on those rags to riches stories (that tend to be lies most of the time). “See, this millionaire started out his business in daddy’s garage. So you can also become a billionaire if you have the right idea.” Fellow leftist might know the saying: “You are just one bad day away from homelessness, but you will never be a billionaire.” Which is basically the counter argument to this.

See, capitalism tries to convince you, that “I am the better system, because in me you could become a billionaire,” to sell you not only on your own exploitation, but the exploitation of the masses.

And more than that, capitalism also has realized that it can use individualism to make you a better consumer. I alluded to this a bit further up. But the long and short of it is, that capitalism pushes this idea of “you are, what you consume”. Your individuality is defined by the things you spent money on. Maybe by you having the most expensive things, but also by you having maybe the weirdest things or something. You know, the “not like the other girls” girl will probably spend as much, if not more on the things that make her special, as “the other girls”.

This also goes into the whole idea of greenwashing, pinkwashing and rainbow capitalism. All this is about getting you to consume something to gain some sort of individual aspect from it. Basically, through buying the “green” stuff, you are a better consumer.

Ironically this also goes into the entire anti-shipping discourse, which basically also says that your goodness as a person is defined by the things you consume.

Capitalism is selling you your identity. Your individual identity.

But sadly this is an idea very, very deeply engrained into the heads of most who have grown up in capitalism. Because it is everywhere in media. Sure, there is some media that calls it out, but most of it actually peddles the idea of the individual.

Because this is the second aspect at the core of individualism: The myths that only individuals can change something, rather than a collective. Which is what I call out so often when I am talking about the entire punk-genre stuff.

Even though it is less punk, let me take Star Wars as an example, because it is an amazing example of this. Especially the original trilogy, in which the Rebellion battles the Empire. However, the evil Empire is not defeated because the Rebellion manages to somehow outwit or outmaneuvre the Empire. Or because maybe the collective of the workers in the Empire turn against it. Rather it gets defeated because Luke, the individual, turns Darth Vater, an individual, and defeats the Emperor, the individual. Which goes back to this idea of the “great man”. It is those unique individuals who will save the world, rather than collective action.

This idea of some individuals being the ones to save the world, rather than we – the people – as a group and ourselves, is used to keep the people pacified under capitalism. They are waiting for “a good billionaire” to solve climate change, homelessness and all the other problems for us, rather than getting active themselves. They keep telling themselves: “Hey, under capitalism everyone can be a billionaire, including myself, and also my life isn’t that bad right now. So who cares that under socialism/communism everyone could be lifted up?”

Look, folks. I am saying this lovingly. But you are not as much of an individual as you think. You are your own person, but you are not unique. In fact, if you talk to a random person on the street – no matter who they are – and you and them are not instantly judging each other for one reason or another, you will find that you have a lot more in common than you think. Capitalist individualism just taught you to not see this, because your empathy can be its undoing.

[irawhiti]

i wish i could help more but since i have a bit of a reach from posting about polynesian issues especially after the past month, i'll try this. any kānaka maoli are welcome to reblog this post and start a reblog chain with their paypal/cashapp etc. or the info of anyone they know needs help after the fires and i'll boost it as much as i can. if you can't donate i'd ask people to reblog to spread the word around and get a bigger reach.

kia māia, kia kaha me kia haumaru, tōku hawai'i whānau. waimarie ki a koutou me kia ora tō whānau. te kotahitanga i waenganui i nga tangata moana.

[rebellum]

I feel like... Perhaps... Arguing that transphobia is defined by murder and that anything other than murder doesn't even matter... May NOT be conducive to fighting for trans rights.

Like... people want the right to exist as they are. They want to have access to hrt and surgeries and prosthetics. People want access to clothes that fit them and reflect how they want to be seen. People want access to medical care (eg. Getting screened and treated for sex-based forms of cancer can be impossible if you have the "wrong" sex listed to receive those tests). People want to be respected and treated well. People want to not be sexually assaulted and beaten and abused. People want to have access to housing and jobs, and the protection to not lose those things for being trans. People want access to shelters for homeless people or survivors of domestic abuse. People want name changes.

Acting like all of those things don't matter because at least they weren't murderered by an individual (and instead die of suicide or state violence, or survive and suffer) isn't okay.

[edoro]

Speaking of csa subtext i feel crazy that i dont see more people acknowledging, let's talk about the fact that Thistle was abandoned by or taken from his birth parents and then raised for the next 20something years by people who cared enough about him to teach him how to play two different instruments but not enough to give him a name and also sold him to the first two assholes who came by and offered enough money. Let's just contemplate what's at the overlapping center of the venn diagram of "people who take in and raise an unwanted or orphaned child for multiple decades and teach him entertaining skills" and "people who sell that child." Let's all sit with those implications.

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

someone has never lived with a coke addict. lmao

no but for real i see these posts a lot and while the basic idea is 100 % correct (drug addiction and homelessness are not personal or moral failures and people affected deserve respect and dignity), they usually take a direction or have implications i dont agree with.

first off, drug addiction is not a class issue. people of all backgrounds are drug addicts. ceos too. so i dont know what this has to do with leftism? as someone who struggles with substance abuse and for that reason has lived with and been around addicts, there are good reasons for people to be biased against them. in active addiction, many people are erratic, unpredictable, and egoistic. being wary of active addicts is self-preservation, not „bourgeois“ or whatever the reference to leftism is supposed to imply. this is also partly a gendered issue because men tend to exhibit addiction, egoism, and aggression at higher rates than women.

secondly, especially at the intersection of homelessness and drug addiction - i see a lot of these posts taking the direction of „mind your business if a homeless man is next to you mumbling to himself“ etc - it seems these people also romanticise what drug addiction with nothing to lose can do to a person. a friend of mine was hit in the face by a homeless man walking by, someone else i know was stabbed by a homeless man after they took him in. just because someone is underprivileged you dont have to stop listening to your insticts and keeping your distance to erratic and intoxicated men who seem like they might do something unpredictable. this doesnt just mean homeless men by the way, i dont trust any men exhibiting this behavior, and yeah would possibly call the cops if someone like that hung around my home or work (never have though).

on the other hand, when a homeless woman was hanging out in the hallway i let her be. my neighbor wanted to call the cops but i told her not to. personally i dont even care if she shoots up there, but if i had kids i might not want her around either.

are homeless drug addicts vulnerable and more likely to be harmed than harm someone else? yeah. do cops and doctors treat homeless people like shit? yeah. these are important conversations to have, but i wish they would happen without romantisation.

talk to any woman who has worked with homeless men, myself included - marginalisation is not virtue. many still harrass and even assault women. and these posts never take a gendered perspective: how most homeless and drug addicted women land in prostitution, how they are not safe in homeless shelters because of the men, etc.

im not saying op here said all of this but from the tone (and the tags and reblogs) it struck me as one of those posts that shames people for being alert around drug addicts and alcoholics when there is ample reason to, especially if youre a woman and theyre a man. and they never take a gendered perspective which is really important in this context, as it usually is.

[trans-girl-azzi]

Hey you see that person shoplifting?

No you didn’t.

You see someone sleeping in their car?

No you didn’t.

People are already struggling don’t make it worse.

[mariemariemaria]

Does anybody else feel like mental health awareness has done very little to help them in material reality

[milfbro]

I was brainstorming in my head ways to try and get the public back to movie theatres in brasil right I was like

tickets are expensive and people genuinely do not have that habit of visiting theatres to see whats on today, and ticket purchasing is pulverised to many websites and there's just no unified way to get info to people about movies

and movie theatres aren't a place you go to to hang out, so to encourage that what if you payed a flat rate right say once a month and you had a right to go see any movie if there were seats available when you got there- wait nevermind I just invented the subscription model

[yuridovewing]

sorry i keep bringing up the leafstar victim blaming scenes, i know some of yall are probably sick of it but i keep coming back to it and being bewildered all over again. like i cannot stress this enough- THEY HAD LEAFSTAR SCREAM AT AND VICTIM BLAME AN ABUSED PREGNANT LADY. THEY HAD HER SENT HER AWAY TO BE HOMELESS. THEY THEN HAD HER WANT TO PHYSICALLY ASSAULT HER FAMILY FOR BEING LIKE “hey we dont want her to have zero support actually??” AND. WE. WERE. SUPPOSED. TO. BE. ON. LEAFSTAR’S. SIDE.

[vastiitas]

thoughts,,, abt the cowboy as american mythology vs the reality, per chance,,,

[ausetkmt]

A homeless person on the streets with essential items for survival in extreme cold-weather conditions: thermal clothing, sleeping bags, insulated footwear, and nutritious food.

Winter is a daunting season for those living on the streets. For the homeless, plummeting temperatures and harsh conditions transform daily survival into a formidable challenge. Understanding the essential items that can aid their survival is crucial, not just for the individuals themselves but also for those looking to offer help. This article outlines the top five things a homeless person needs to survive in cold-weather conditions, explaining how each item contributes to their safety and well-being.

1. Thermal Clothing and Layering

The first line of defense against the cold is appropriate clothing. Thermal clothing, including insulated jackets, thermal underwear, and woolen socks, is essential. These items are designed to trap body heat and provide a layer of insulation against the cold. Layering clothing is equally important as it creates multiple barriers against the cold, allowing for adjustments based on temperature changes. For a homeless person, having access to these kinds of clothing can mean the difference between staying warm and suffering from hypothermia.

2. Sleeping Bags and Blankets

At night, temperatures can drop drastically, making it extremely dangerous for those without shelter. A high-quality sleeping bag, particularly one designed for low temperatures, can save a life. Sleeping bags provide a portable shelter that retains body heat and shields from the cold ground. Additionally, blankets, especially those made from wool or fleece, add an extra layer of warmth and can be used to cover oneself during the day or to add insulation to the sleeping bag at night.

3. Waterproof and Insulated Footwear

Footwear is often overlooked but is crucial in cold weather. Waterproof and insulated boots can protect against frostbite, a condition that homeless individuals are particularly at risk of developing. Boots should be sturdy enough to handle icy conditions and have a good grip to prevent falls. Keeping feet dry and warm not only helps in maintaining overall body temperature but also in preventing foot injuries, which can be debilitating for someone living on the streets.

4. Nutritious Food and Hydration

Maintaining energy levels and hydration is vital in cold weather. The body burns more calories trying to stay warm, making nutritious, calorie-rich food essential for homeless individuals. Non-perishable items that can be easily consumed, such as energy bars, nuts, and canned food with pull tabs, are particularly useful. Access to clean drinking water is also critical as dehydration can lead to serious health issues and can be as dangerous in cold weather as it is in hot conditions.

5. Shelter and Temporary Housing

While not a portable item, access to temporary shelters or housing is a crucial need for homeless individuals during winter. Shelters provide a warm, safe space to sleep and access to other essential services like hot meals, bathrooms, and sometimes medical care. Even temporary relief from the harsh outdoor conditions can significantly reduce the risk of hypothermia and other cold-related illnesses.

For those living on the streets, the winter months are a battle against the elements. Thermal clothing, sleeping bags, appropriate footwear, nutritious food, and access to shelter are not just comforts but necessities that can mean the difference between life and death. Understanding these needs is vital for anyone seeking to assist the homeless during these challenging months. Beyond the immediate provision of these items, there is also a need for systemic solutions to address the broader issue of homelessness, ensuring that everyone has access to safe and warm housing.

Beyond the Basics: Lesser-Known Survival Items for the Homeless in Extreme Cold Weather

While thermal clothing, sleeping bags, and shelters are widely recognized as essential for the homeless during winter, there are several lesser-known items equally crucial for survival in extreme cold weather. These items, often overlooked, can make a significant difference in the lives of those who must endure the harshness of winter on the streets. This article explores a range of such items, explaining their importance and how they contribute to the survival of homeless individuals in challenging conditions.

1. Hand and Foot Warmers Disposable hand and foot warmers are compact, inexpensive, and can be life-saving in frigid temperatures. These small packets generate heat through a chemical reaction and can be placed in gloves, boots, or pockets. They provide immediate warmth, helping to prevent frostbite and hypothermia, particularly in the extremities, which are most susceptible to cold injuries.

2. Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets While not a substitute for conventional blankets or sleeping bags, Mylar thermal blankets are lightweight, compact, and effective at retaining body heat. Made from heat-reflective thin plastic sheeting, they are often used in emergency situations. For the homeless, these blankets can be a vital additional layer of protection against the cold, especially when other resources are not available.

3. Windproof and Waterproof Clothing In addition to insulated clothing, windproof and waterproof garments play a vital role in protection against the cold. A sturdy, waterproof jacket or windbreaker can significantly reduce the impact of cold winds and wet weather, helping to maintain body heat. For those living on the streets, these items are indispensable in creating a barrier against the elements.

4. Portable Heat Sources Portable, safe-to-use heating solutions like battery-powered heaters can offer a respite from the cold. While their use is limited by the need for power, they can provide temporary relief in particularly harsh conditions. Additionally, solar-powered chargers can be useful for keeping electronic devices powered, which may be critical for communication or emergency calls.

5. Moisture-Wicking Clothing Moisture-wicking clothing, typically made from synthetic fabrics, is designed to draw moisture away from the body. This feature is particularly important in cold weather, as dampness can significantly increase the risk of hypothermia. Clothing that keeps the skin dry can help maintain warmth and comfort in extreme conditions.

6. Multi-Tool and Basic Repair Kits A multi-tool can be a versatile and valuable item for the homeless, especially in winter. It can be used for various purposes, from making minor repairs to clothing and gear to opening cans of food. A basic repair kit, including items like needles, thread, and duct tape, can also be crucial for mending torn clothing or damaged shelter materials.

7. Lip Balm and Skin Moisturizers The harsh winter weather can cause severe skin dryness and chapping. Lip balm and skin moisturizers may seem like minor comforts, but they are essential for preventing painful cracks and sores that could lead to infections, especially when access to healthcare is limited.

8. High-Calorie Snacks While not a substitute for nutritious meals, high-calorie snacks such as peanut butter, energy bars, or trail mix can provide a quick energy boost and essential nutrients, helping to sustain body warmth and energy levels during cold spells.

9. Hats, Gloves, and Scarves Though often mentioned in the context of clothing, the specific importance of hats, gloves, and scarves warrants emphasis. A significant amount of body heat is lost through the head, hands, and neck, making these items crucial for warmth. They are particularly important for those who might not have access to high-quality thermal clothing.

10. Information on Local Resources Finally, knowledge can be as vital as physical items. Information on local resources, such as warming centers, soup kitchens, and emergency health services, is crucial. Flyers, resource guides, or even word-of-mouth information can guide the homeless to essential services and aid.

The battle against the cold for those living on the streets involves more than just the obvious items of clothing and shelter. It encompasses a range of lesser-known but equally important items, each playing a critical role in survival. Understanding and providing access to these items can significantly improve the lives of homeless individuals in extreme cold weather. As we continue to address the broader issue of homelessness, recognizing and meeting these varied needs is essential in our collective effort to offer support and compassion to those facing life on the streets during the harshest season. 

[mariacallous]

Everyone wants homelessness to go away, but almost no one wants to actually implement or pay for it, and instead just want homeless people to either "stop being homeless" or "go elsewhere" or simply die.

[disabledpeeps]

Giving money to people that panhandle

I think it's pretty estabilished our unwillingness to give some exchange to people in need (or perceived as in need). The underlying reason is that they are lying about their intentions in spending the offered money.

Instead of spending in food, they do spend on substances being drugs or alcohol. Therefore, due to this possible dishonesty, they might as well be thieves. There are two things that need to be discussed.

1. How do you perceive a person as someone in need?  Why do you have to? You gaze at their appearance, clothing, speech to evaluate their "poverty" so you can decide if you should tip or not. If you perceive that person as someone in need, you prevent yourself from the guilt. 

The guilt of giving away your money you earned. The inner humiliation of someone taking advantage of you. Those emotions are valid, especially if you are struggling financially. Most of us are in conflicts against each other bc of the discrepances inside the class itself.  Those are not helpful for our fight against the actual problems: exploitation and capital hoarding, that is not the fault of people that panhandle.

About the perception: the more dirtier, the more chances they have to be perceived as poor. If they look disabled, higher chances. Invisibly disabled people are also very prone to poverty but we can't use the "disablity card" for compassion (that is key to suspend guilt).

2. Intentions to use the money. I'm an apologist that when the money that they politely asked gets into their hands, it's theirs. Even if it is for drugs. Those are ways to cope (in a maladaptive way tho). Mental health services here are very overlooked.They should get their needs. Going cold turkey bc of abstinence, could lead them to convulsions and possible death. Both options are not ideal. In an individualistic society, the options of letting them die by addiction or letting them die by deprivation are possible

In such society, people prioritize their needs before others, to a fault. Even tho the prioritization is dysfunctional. Do rich people have so many unmet needs that makes them hoard capital? This is a terrifying scenario given there are thousands of people with unmet basic needs.