The advent of better living in America, and the ability to keep the body alive for most Americans into the mid 70s is touted as an improvement of health. But is it wise to keep a body alive longer, if the mind is considerably unhealthy?
We used to be dependent on nature to provide us with the sustenance of survival. Now we’re dependent on human systems for survival. The ebbs and flows of nature were always good at weeding out the best survivors. Human systems are different. Modern society demands that our behavior is consistent with acceptable norms amongst our fellow humans. Is it better to live off human systems or is it better to live off nature?
I guess it depends on whether you are top of the food chain or the bottom. In American Society, and many other societies for that matter, most people have always been highly interested in those at the top of the food chain, those that have the most, because that’s what we all want. We all want to have more than enough to experience the joys of life without having to work hard, pleasure, to feel safe and secure; for ourselves, our family, and those we love.
I think when it comes to society the most important knowledge comes from the bottom of the food chain. We are one species, it makes very little sense economically and for purposes of health and efficiency that some should live extravagantly beyond what’s necessary, while others experience degradation, poverty, and Homelessness.
I am not a communist. I believe all humans should be able to strive to reach the peak of their ability. Capitalism allows this to happen. This is why I love capitalism. What America has shown us is that some people do not fit well in a capitalistic system. I’ve seen with my own eyes, the private grant databases and state funding, there is more than enough money to provide for those that do not fit into the grand scheme of capitalism. To make life comfortable for them and to keep them from doing harm to society out of want and need.
Yet this faction of people that cannot sustain a home or find health in our society continues to grow exponentially. This is because those who manage the wealth scraped from capitalistic gain have done a poor job delegating the monies and responsibility of finding solutions for those who cannot find success in America and become a burden of the state. This is the lie of the wealthy, an effort to hide the breakdown of capitalism on the bottom tear.
If we as a society were to manage the resources appropriately, and improve the living conditions of those at the bottom of the human food chain in America, we would see an improvement going all the way up the ladder. Then the people at the top of the food chain could feel good about creating the Utopian society that America is supposed to be. At this point I know how to do this, because I’ve seen the problems and I’ve calculated the solutions. But who am I to say I’m just a homeless man, albeit by choice, but nonetheless a homeless soul subjected to the winds of failure and opportunity.
I fit well into the cage society has assigned me. I wear my orange jumpsuit with pride. And I don my shackles with dignity, while I still scream to the jailer about the injustice of human plight built out of circumstances, individual ability, and choice, that we are all victims of.
Will I continue this fight to help humanity or will I submit and focus solely on myself. I feel I will fight, since it makes me feel alive. Without the good fight my life becomes a dull gray.
Around 6:00 a.m. I woke up in the tent. I’m finally starting to feel a little bit better getting over the trifecta sickness of a cold, allergies, and an infection in my sinuses, throat, and in my lungs. I laid around in the tent for a while and around 8:00 a.m. I drove to work.
The Outreach team arrived at the shelter, at 9am I drove to The Harm Reduction Center to do outreach with two women recovery coaches, and another worker from a justice organization. Ezekiel stayed at the shelter to help a guest obtain employment.
From the Harm Reduction Center we drove to Uriel’s tent that is at a park next to the river on top of a picnic table. Uriel likes this spot because he has access to a plug and can charge his phone and other devices. We gave Uriel food, drinks, a hygiene bag, and socks.
Next we went to the encampment behind the park on west street. There I engaged with Edward and Joanna who were living in a tent. I did coordinated entries into the rapid rehousing system for both of them.
I arrived back at the shelter at 11:30 am, and the whole shelter team went to lunch at a local Tavern at 1pm.
After lunch we drove back to the shelter. On the way we looked at sheds for a possible outreach office.
We arrived back at the shelter around 3:30. The rest of the afternoon was spent doing paperwork.
I left work at 5:00 p.m. and I drove to Woburn to play ultimate Frisbee with a group of guys I have met yet. I was feeling a lot better and felt that I might be able to get on the field. I ended up playing three games. These guys were really cool and although I coughed a lot it was good to get some cardiovascular exercise. I definitely will be back to play more games with these guys.
After frisbee I just drove back to my tent and I went to bed.