Journal 2/30 | On Homelessness

 Well... here we are. Making some obvious modifications to this challenge here. I clearly don't operate on a daily journaling schedule quite yet so it'll just be an objective to finish 30 journal entries. Having thought about it, it's not about the daily uploads that matter most to me, it's being able to set aside time for quality reflection and journaling. Anyhow, to the actual entry: 

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Homelessness. It's probably the biggest negative social externality in metropolitan areas and yet, we don't have a clear solution or even playbook to combat it. Sure there are plenty of programs that attempt to address it but from the one's I've heard about as a passive citizen with no real stake-- and technically I should have a moral one-- in this issue, there doesn't seem to be any plans to address it effectively. Having walked through the streets of Philadelphia for the past 45 minutes, I've seen way too many homeless people which leads me to this journaling/brainstorming session on this issue. 

As an economist, it seems clear to me that, on large, programs or policies can only be sustainable if there are positive outputs to the inputs invested. This is particularly evident when we look at businesses-- economic theory suggests that businesses are profit driven and in an efficient free market, firms don't generate profit in the long run because companies are forward-facing and they are incentivized to reinvest their margins into growing their operations for the future. This means that while certain ideas might be good, if they aren't deemed necessary by the market, they won't be sustainable. And this is the paradox that makes a capitalist system so frustrating. Because it demotes great ideas that might actually allow us to advance as a society. On the flip end, it's a beautiful restraining mechanism because this demonstrates that we as a society prioritizes practicality over philosophy. And that's genuinely beautiful. We can partake in mental masturbation to eternity and convince ourselves that certain policies or ideas are superior to the ones we currently implement. But that's simply not how the world works. The world has order in part because we demand practical solutions that demonstrate clear results and with the right conditions, this type of environment allows for the best solutions to rise to the top. I will admit, this is reductive-- we don't live in a perfectly competitive environment and free markets for the most part don't exist. 

But when it comes to the problem of homelessness, I think it's pretty clear that the incentives just aren't in place to create something resembling a solution that is sustainable and can grow over time. The way we approach homelessness currently is like pouring money down a drain. To be clear, I don't necessarily have a perfect solution but I do think it will take a more creative approach to at the very least try to create incentive structures where homeless programs can turn profits. Profits not for the purpose of ripping people off but for the purpose of creating a sustainable foundation that can continue to grow as the homeless crisis evolves.  

As a college student searching for work, I realize that the only way for me to reach another level on the wealth ladder is to provide something to the economy. And I'll be paid less than what the perceived value of my contribution is. How that's measured is another rabbit hole of a discussion but in theory, that's how it should work. I generate a certain marginal increase in value for a company and get compensated for that. That's beautiful. To be rewarded in the modern day world, we need to give something to those around us. I'm extremely lucky to have been born into a great family that prioritized education and hard work. And while I don't currently have a job, I'm set up for success. If I think about the opportunities for someone who is currently homeless, I don't even have an idea as to the type of jobs that they can even get hired for. To put it another way, what kind of company would I have to be running to happily hire someone who is homeless? 

Having walked by roughly 30 homeless people during my short walk, I have a couple of lasting impressions that I think hold true for a significant chunk of people on the streets. For one, they're mentally drained. Living outside without shelter, basic hygiene, or food not only contributes to physical stress but also deteriorates the mind. We have people from privileged backgrounds who struggle with mental health finding it difficult to operate in the corporate world and have plenty of support programs for them-- I can't even imagine how severe the problem is for someone who doesn't have their basic needs met. Secondly, I see a lot of homeless people partaking in some sort of drug use. I'm not completely sure what they're doing but they're often smoking something or clearly in a deranged state of mind. Based on what I hear on the news, it seems like this could be anything from cigarettes to fentanyl. This is by no means as simple as saying their drug use justifies their situation. If I had to sleep on the streets and a drug offered an escape of some sort, I might take to it too. So yes, we have a drug problem. And people partaking in drugs definitely exacerbates the issue. But before a drug problem, we have a broken system where we can't provide basic needs for people. We talk about the drug problem as if it's something that they choose to do without acknowledging that it's largely their environment that breeds these choices. It's both the choices individuals make-- there are homeless people that don't shoot up-- and the fact that the life they have exacerbates the temptation of escaping from their reality. 

So back to the question, if I were running a successful business, what kind of company would I be to even consider hiring someone who is not only mentally and physically unstable but also prone to relapsing to drug use? Because I can sympathize with their life situation but the moment it becomes a business decision to hire them which then in turn directly impacts my own livelihood, it becomes a different question. It goes from a question of "How do I help them?" to "How can they help me?" And that's an almost insurmountable mountain to climb but it is the right question. The end goal is for those who are currently homeless to eventually contribute to society not because we pity them but because they are capable. It might take some help to get there but we need to take steps towards a synergistic relationship instead of a parasitic one. So again I ask, what kind of work is suitable so at the very least, homeless people can get shelter, food, and mental clarity to start taking on jobs that may be more meaningful to them? 

Well, I think this is not only the problem that programs need to address-- and I'm sure many attempt to-- but also what the focus of discussion should be by everyday people/ in the news. It IS a homeless problem. It IS a drug problem. But at its bedrock, it's an employment problem. How do we as a society prepare people-- no matter what kind of situation they're born into-- for a fair chance to get employed and contribute to others? If we shun and effectively disconnect with a portion of the population, what good does that do for anyone? The question isn't whether or not we need to help. We need to. The question isn't whether or not these people deserve better. They do. The question is how we can set programs in place so we can integrate homeless people into a capitalist system in a healthy manner: 

In other words, how can we help those living on the street so that one day, they can help us?