What makes a person bad? - Page 3

I agree with what you say.
I don't believe people are lazy and selfish, just short sighted and people create their own consequences, so they learn to become wiser. The most foolish of people if they survive will become the wisest.

Personally I don't agree with giving anything to anyone for free unless they live in a third world country even then foreign aid often leads to political corruption.

I'm surprised nobody responded to the Ithaca Hours idea I presented. Would the world be better if even the homeless had to work for not real money but for rent? Just had to donate time. Sweep the floor, take away jobs from volunteers. Since almost nobody would give them a job, why not have it so they lived in their own society since our society rejects them?

Wow, haha, I actually just read your wiki link about the Ithaca Hours idea - I think it sounds excellent. What do you actually think about it Jacker?

I really think it seems like a good idea though, I mean why not? Why hasn't the idea been adopted more widely if it actually does offer a solution?

And they could do other things too.
In my state, there are homeless people who sell this magazine called "The Big Issue" which is a magazine that pays homeless people to sell their magazines for them on the streets. It's awesome, I buy one everytime I'm in the city and they do follow up stories on their vendors and how they've actually progressed to somewhere better in life. It's really cool.

I think its a great idea because it gives anyone the opportunity to support themselves. Just look at how many homeless people collect recycling for the deposits or squigee kids washing windows for money. There is definitely people out there who would work but no one gives them the opportunity.

I think the magazine is a great idea people of the low income bracket often exhibit great artistic talent. In Vancouver we have an area known as commercial drive, which is often the host to many artists who are struggling to get by. That would be cool!

The reality is most of these people would work if a job presented itself. Its just that they are the last people someone would hire because they are not sanitary, lack of skills etcetera

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Its just that they are the last people someone would hire because they are not sanitary, lack of skills etcetera

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That's true. I've seen the effects of a homeless person actually get a job, because of the vendors that drive the magazines on the streets. I mean once they get a bit of money in their pockets, they tend to scrub up a bit and make themselves look somewhat presentable - they still stand out as people struggling to get by, but they look so much happier.

Also, these homeless people often submit their writings and art to this magazine that actually does publish them. They let you in on what their trouble has been and why they are where they are, and it's so good because it makes you understand that a lot of them aren't just lazy and no-good - sure they'll admit to addictions and gambling problems, but they're people you know? You read their words, you realize that and suddenly you can see their humanity too.

Homeless people just get this bad stigma for being unclean and crazy, but if given some dignity in their work, you can actually see that a lot of them (well, here) end up being none of those things. If anything they just seem shy and awkward to me.

We don't get too many homeless people around where I live and I am always so shocked to see someone actually bunking out on a bench or in an alley or something. It really rattles me, which I think is good because it means I'm not as desensitized to them, which makes me less apathetic about helping them.

Maybe getting them out on the streets volunteering to do all that stuff would make people notice them more, dispel some of the mystery/stigma and be more "into" helping them out. If anything, it would eventually re-introduce them into society.

Hmm, now how would one actually go about getting this Ithaca idea carried out? Who would you go to?

Edit: Actually, I think you should start a new thread for this, since it's your idea. I'd like to know what other peoples opinion on it are, but how would you get to know them if we keep derailing this particular thread?

It'd be cool if we could just move these posts we've made, into a new thread. Thread title could be something general like "Helping the homeless" or some better title you can think of.