Hacking Homelessness

28 points by Raplh 17 years ago | 6 comments

param 17 years ago |

other than the fact that the homeless guy in question is a programmer, the article in question does not seem to be related to 'hacking'. I went in looking for details on - how to find free space to sleep in, tips on avoiding the police/getting out of jail easily, finding _healthy_ food etc...

The article focuses on other aspects that are important, but is not hacking.

Raplh 17 years ago | |

There are hints of it, how to deal with authority, even where to be homeless (CSU campus good). Also, if you are interested you would start to explore the directory tree this doc is in and see even more details.

It seems to me that homelessness IS a hack on the regular system. And the way he writes about what happens is informed by his intelligence and his programmer background. To me, the idea of a homeless guy running sims to develop his solution to efficient routing of a traveling salesman while not having a place to plug in his laptop which is his own is pretty hacky.

Maybe this article isn't EVERYTHING you would want in a clever and enjoyable read from a homeless programmer, but it may be the best out there in this genre. This was not a New York Times reporter playing a homeless person, this is the real thing. BTW, I worked with this guy briefly, so I know he is the real thing.

prewett 17 years ago |

The article complains a lot about how the homeless are treated, but I don't think he is very representative of the homeless population in general. Maybe in Fresno, but in Austin, many of the homeless you see out on the streets are alcoholics or trying to make a living without working. One woman I knew who worked with the homeless said that most of them are trying to avoid responsibility, and a guy I know who used to give out sack lunches to the homeless near campus eventually stopped because after talking to them he realized they weren't just unlucky, they'd chosen that lifestyle. I assume that those who don't want to be homeless have a tendency to go to the ARCH, which has training programs and long-term residency.

Raplh 17 years ago | |

I would consider that this guy, being actually homeless, is at least as valuable a source on homelessness as a woman you knew who worked with them.

I suspect that more generally than being alcoholics, these are people who are mentally ill to some extent. I liked this essay (and others from this writer) because this is a homeless guy I could identify with. I could read his stuff and not think this was some situation which could never come close to happening to me or someone I would care about.

mannicken 17 years ago |

Not a surprise. I've lost my faith in humanity, belief in goodness of anything, and trust into anything outside my own head long time ago.

"A previous arrest in which a policeman tried to _force_ my arm back there despite my protests caused me injury and pain, and the policeman's supervisor six months of paperwork, all of which I attempted to explain to a shouting, tugging, and threatening Corporal Underwood to limited avail. "

Just proves how strangely fucked up our world is.

Raplh 17 years ago | |

I loved that even in the midst of being hassled by the police, he gives the one policeman incredible credit for his approach to other humans. There is beauty everywhere.