All too often the degree of awareness among "the have's" vis a vis "the other" is so far removed from the daily reality of what actually goes on. This cartoon ties directly into your post of the other day re: the book about the stratification of American society into castes of economic class. Let's face it: knowing how to use a blog, iPod, ethernet computers...and having the time to use them all...is very upper-middle class stuff. When it comes to street-level knowledge - how to survive without a job, an address, a vehicle, a regular source of food, and any real physical security - the "homeless" are the champions. Perhaps this is the time for the rest of the country - and that includes 'us' - to look to "the homeless" as the REAL experts in getting by with nothing. (Maybe hire "them" as lecturers/teachers for workshops such as "Surviving the Economic Downturn," "What to Do When You're Forced Out on the Streets," and etc. I'm not kidding.) "'All six senses'" indeed...
A great cartoon that explains the reality of the have nots and those that don't have. I learned many years ago that most people care but don’t understand the plight of those less fortunate than themselves and those in their cocoons.
Today we explain it or alibi it with a couple concepts, “unconscious irresponsibility” or “cognitive dissonance”.
Someone once said that the middle class is the most exciting and interesting in that they have the possibility of moving up or down.
Larry:
ReplyDeleteAll too often the degree of awareness among "the have's" vis a vis "the other" is so far removed from the daily reality of what actually goes on. This cartoon ties directly into your post of the other day re: the book about the stratification of American society into castes of economic class. Let's face it: knowing how to use a blog, iPod, ethernet computers...and having the time to use them all...is very upper-middle class stuff. When it comes to street-level knowledge - how to survive without a job, an address, a vehicle, a regular source of food, and any real physical security - the "homeless" are the champions. Perhaps this is the time for the rest of the country - and that includes 'us' - to look to "the homeless" as the REAL experts in getting by with nothing. (Maybe hire "them" as lecturers/teachers for workshops such as "Surviving the Economic Downturn," "What to Do When You're Forced Out on the Streets," and etc. I'm not kidding.) "'All six senses'" indeed...
God bless.
Great idea, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteA great cartoon that explains the reality of the have nots and those that don't have. I learned many years ago that most people care but don’t understand the plight of those less fortunate than themselves and those in their cocoons.
ReplyDeleteToday we explain it or alibi it with a couple concepts, “unconscious irresponsibility” or “cognitive dissonance”.
Someone once said that the middle class is the most exciting and interesting in that they have the possibility of moving up or down.
Mike Katz, Dallaskatzdami@tx.rr.com