Aggressive Homeless People

[26 Inf]

I've worked at an actual, church based homeless outreach center and at a shelter in the past and am here to tell you that substantially more than an insignificant minority of those folks are doing nothing but actively gaming the system to get whatever they can out of it. A huge percentage of the homeless are indeed homeless because they wore out their welcome with their entire network of family/friends. They wore out their welcome with others who would have otherwise cared about them by being antisocial parasites who care about no one but themselves and their immediate, basest needs.

The overwhelming majority of the homeless I come into contact with on a daily basis spend their entire existence trying to get something for nothing. They are, for the most part, utter failures at life because they are utterly devoid of the ability to make sound decisions and unable to come to grips with the fact that it is largely their own fault. Many of them have extensive criminal histories with the majority of the offenses being assaultive crimes or theft. The bottom line is that as a rule, they are the type of people that don't play well with others. The end result is that they eventually get shunned by everyone they come into contact with. I equate them in some ways to pedophiles in the sense that they absolutely cannot be fixed. ETA...That does not make me feel an ounce of compassion for them.

While I don't often look for the good in others, I can empathize with almost anyone's plight. Empathize, not sympathize. Your post brings to mind the old 'nature versus nuture' question. A question to which, even though we've raised a couple of foster kids and adopted and raised two infants, I still don't know the answer.

I don't think anyone one day simply says, 'I'm going to be a sociopath,' rather their genetic disposition and the things they experience lead them to that end. Often along the way, as you point out, they are offered help to steer themselves from the path they are on, and often they ignore the opportunity.

Personally, I'm not going to purposely let anyone starve, or freeze to death. If I see someone in those straits I will always act in their behalf. Thankfully, we don't often see someone in those immediate straits during the course of our normal daily activities. So we have to make value judgements on who we help.

I generally try to engage in random acts of unsolicited kindness. When asked for money, I'll generally offer food, or gas if appropriate. If I'm not able to do that because of the venue or the call of other things, I pass by, but offer a silent word of prayer to the God that knows what is in our hearts.

YMMV

[soulezoo]

26 Inf:
There's much good to be said about your post. Certainly it follows Christ's admonition to us regarding charity to our fellow man.

However, I do disagree a little with the statement about saying "I am going to be a sociopath ".

I grew up along MLK Jr. Blvd. in Sacramento. Worst neighborhood in the city.

I can tell you that many of the people there do wake up with an idea of "who can I hustle today?"
While not strictly sociopath in the truest sense, it is certainly self over fellow man.

Those people spend their day engaged in an effort everyday to try to get something for nothing. Those same people find honest labor an anathema to their own wellbeing.

Just so you know, "those people " cover both genders and every race. Sadly, I watched it taught to children by the parents so the behavior carries across generations. "Those people " often feel they are owed something, pick the reason, and often have no interest in bettering themselves in any manner that comes from honest effort or enterprise.

Certainly that's a broad brush. But my personal experience is that what I describe represents many people in that neighborhood.

Sad, yes. But more common than I think you may realize.

[SteyrAUG]

While I don't often look for the good in others, I can empathize with almost anyone's plight. Empathize, not sympathize. Your post brings to mind the old 'nature versus nuture' question. A question to which, even though we've raised a couple of foster kids and adopted and raised two infants, I still don't know the answer.

If there was a "one size fits all - always works" answer we'd be able to fix the problem. Usually it is a combination of individual and the environment. It's not hard to break a kid and send him down the wrong path but at the same time I know some people who grew up in the worst places and were subjected to some really bad things and they are better than a lot of people I've had to deal with.

And of course I've known people who were born with everything they needed to be successful in life and they started doing real drugs by middle school and made a serious mess out of everything.

Life is hard no matter what. It's hard to be objective with your own circumstances. I laugh at the shit wealthy people consider hardship, but I'm on easy street compared to others and they would laugh at my problems. I have friends who are at such a financially precarious place I know I couldn't hack it and they've been doing it for years.

I wish I was wealthier because I'd love to safety net them because they are such genuinely good people.

[26 Inf]

26 Inf:
There's much good to be said about your post. Certainly it follows Christ's admonition to us regarding charity to our fellow man.

However, I do disagree a little with the statement about saying "I am going to be a sociopath ".

I grew up along MLK Jr. Blvd. in Sacramento. Worst neighborhood in the city.

I can tell you that many of the people there do wake up with an idea of "who can I hustle today?"

We are in total agreement - my thought is something brought them to that point. Who knows what it is. There are kids that are abused and turn into abusers, there are kids who are abused and model the exact opposite behavior.

You posted 'Sad, yes. But more common than I think you may realize.'

Unfortunately, it is very common, I believe their are many people in society who fit the 'who can I hustle today' mold. They just camouflage it under a veneer of seemingly acceptable behavior. I believe there are more predators on the 'right' side of the law as there are on the 'wrong' side of the law. Their behavior is just accepted by society.

Off the soap box.

[yellowfin]

We're not metrosexuals so Starbucks isn't an option..

Starbucks isn't just for metrosexuals, ya know. If you have azaleas, roses, or any fruit trees at your house (and I have all three), it is immensely beneficial to take advantage of the free coffee grounds which they will give you in 5-10lb increments per visit. My roses grow like kudzu with them and the fig tree I grew from a half yardstick long pencil thickness twig to a 7 1/2 foot monster in just a few years. That's worth snagging an occasional coffee and sandwich for and not the least bit unmanly to do so.

[Moose-Knuckle]

I've worked at an actual, church based homeless outreach center and at a shelter in the past and am here to tell you that substantially more than an insignificant minority of those folks are doing nothing but actively gaming the system to get whatever they can out of it. A huge percentage of the homeless are indeed homeless because they wore out their welcome with their entire network of family/friends. They wore out their welcome with others who would have otherwise cared about them by being antisocial parasites who care about no one but themselves and their immediate, basest needs.

The overwhelming majority of the homeless I come into contact with on a daily basis spend their entire existence trying to get something for nothing. They are, for the most part, utter failures at life because they are utterly devoid of the ability to make sound decisions and unable to come to grips with the fact that it is largely their own fault. Many of them have extensive criminal histories with the majority of the offenses being assaultive crimes or theft. The bottom line is that as a rule, they are the type of people that don't play well with others. The end result is that they eventually get shunned by everyone they come into contact with. I equate them in some ways to pedophiles in the sense that they absolutely cannot be fixed. ETA...That does not make me feel an ounce of compassion for them.

Outstanding post, worded it better than I ever could and mirrors my own experiences.

Out of the hundreds of homeless people I dealt with working for a big city I can count TWO that were legit mental illness patients that had NO WAY OUT whatsoever. Both of them had the mental capacity of small children. Both had almost no teeth their heads probably from a combination of tooth neglect and violence. My partner and I did all we would could for these two when we encountered them (different times) as they were legit helpless.

The vast majority of them are not.