Rich kid starts new life with 25 bucks, and nothing else.

[Drew]

Homeless: Can you build a life from $25?

In a test of the American Dream, Adam Shepard started life from scratch with the clothes on his back and twenty-five dollars. Ten months later, he had an apartment, a car, and a small savings.


By Peter Smith | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor

Alone on a dark gritty street, Adam Shepard searched for a homeless shelter. He had a gym bag, $25, and little else. A former college athlete with a bachelor's degree, Mr. Shepard had left a comfortable life with supportive parents in Raleigh, N.C. Now he was an outsider on the wrong side of the tracks in Charles*ton, S.C.

But Shepard's descent into poverty in the summer of 2006 was no accident. Shortly after graduating from Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., he intentionally left his parents' home to test the vivacity of the American Dream. His goal: to have a furnished apartment, a car, and $2,500 in savings within a year.

To make his quest even more challenging, he decided not to use any of his previous contacts or mention his education.

During his first 70 days in Charleston, Shepard lived in a shelter and received food stamps. He also made new friends, finding work as a day laborer, which led to a steady job with a moving company.

Ten months into the experiment, he decided to quit after learning of an illness in his family. But by then he had moved into an apartment, bought a pickup truck, and had saved close to $5,000.

The effort, he says, was inspired after reading "Nickel and Dimed," in which author Barbara Ehrenreich takes on a series of low-paying jobs. Unlike Ms. Ehrenreich, who chronicled the difficulty of advancing beyond the ranks of the working poor, Shepard found he was able to successfully climb out of his self-imposed poverty.

He tells his story in "Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream." The book, he says, is a testament to what ordinary Americans can achieve. On a recent trip to the Boston, he spoke about his experience:

Becoming a mover and living in a homeless shelter – that hadn't been part of your life before. How much did your lifestyle actually change?

Shepard: It changed dramatically. There were simple luxuries that I didn't afford myself. I had to make sacrifices to achieve the goals that I set out. One of those was eating out. I didn't have a cellphone. Especially in this day and age, that was a dramatic change for me.... I was getting by on chicken and Rice-A-Roni dinner and was happy. That's what I learned ... we lived [simply], but still we were happy.

But surely your background – you're privileged; you have an education and a family – made it much easier for you to achieve.

I didn't use my college education, credit history, or contacts [while in South Carolina]. But in real life, I had these lessons that I had learned. I don't think that played to my advantage. How much of a college education do you need to budget your money to a point that you're not spending frivolously, but you're instead putting your money in the bank?

Do you need a college education? I don't think so. To be honest with you, I think I was disadvantaged, because my thinking was inside of a box. I have the way that I lived [in North Carolina] – and to enter into this totally new world and acclimate to a different lifestyle, that was the challenge for me.

Still, there was that safety net. Were you ever tempted to tap your past work, education, or family networks?

I was never tempted. I had a credit card in my back pocket in case of an emergency. The rule was if I used the credit card then, "The project's over, I'm going home."

So what did you tell people when they asked what you were doing?

That was the only touchy part of my story. I had this great back story on how I was escaping my druggy mom and going to live with my alcoholic dad. Things just fell apart, and there I was at the homeless shelter. I really embellished this fabricated story and told it to anyone who would listen.

The interesting thing is that nobody really cared.... It wasn't so much as where we were coming from, it was where we were going.

Would your project have changed if you'd had child-care payments or been required to report to a probation officer? Wouldn't that have made it much harder?

The question isn't whether I would have been able to succeed. I think it's the attitude that I take in: "I've got child care. I've got a probation officer. I've got all these bills. Now what am I going to do? Am I going to continue to go out to eat and put rims on my Cadillac? Or am I going to make some things happen in my life...?" One guy, who arrived [at the shelter] on a Tuesday had been hit by a car on [the previous] Friday by a drunk driver. He was in a wheelchair. He was totally out of it. He was at the shelter. And I said, "Dude, your life is completely changed." And he said, "Yeah, you're right, but I'm getting the heck out of here." Then there was this other guy who could walk and everything was good in his life, but he was just kind of bumming around, begging on the street corner. To see the attitudes along the way, that is what my story is about.

You made it out of the shelter, got a job, and opened a bank account. Did you meet other people who had similar experiences?

Oh, absolutely. We don't need "Scratch Beginnings" to know that millions of Americans are creating a life for themselves from nothing.... Just as millions of Americans are not getting by. There are both ends of the spectrum.

To meet that guy [in the wheelchair] at the shelter, [makes you wonder] 'Can he get out and go to college and become a doctor?' Maybe, maybe not. I think he can set goals..... You can use your talents. That's why, from the beginning, I set very realistic goals: $2,500, a job, car. This isn't a "rags-to-riches million-dollar" story. This is very realistic. I truly believe, based on what I saw at the shelter ...that anyone can do that.


http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0211/p13s02-wmgn.htm

[Methais]

Nice.

[Daniel]

It's an interesting story. I think the core part of his message is good. That if you work towards it you can get.

I set up a program in Chicago, where alot of people who came through the system and made it would come back to CPS schools and we'd try and deliver the same message. That if you worked hard, you could actually do something and it wasn;t just some suckers dream that people were trying to tell you.

I think that's one of the things he's missing. He experienced 10 months of it. He saw the guy in the wheelchair who was positive and he was encouraged. I wonder how he would have felt if he saw the same guy 5 years later, broken hearted.

This guy knew what was out there and what was ahead of him. He also had a credit card in his back pocket to take him back there if need be. It's one thing to be a college grad and to be able to do that. It's another to be a 15 year old kid trying to figure that out when everything around you is crumbling.

One of my major critiques of the black community is that we lost the sense of taking care of own. Too many get out and don't even so much as glance back. They then turn around and quote Bill Cosby (while not replicating his philantrophy) or become outspoken about the difference between "Niggers" and Brothers" while ignoring the fact that they are just as much a part of the problem as anybody else.


I'll save the R team their response: YOU R NO RESPONSIBLE. U R ON WELFARE

[Drew2]

This just makes me hate beggars and poor people more. GG.

[Gan]

Good story Drew. Thanks for sharing.

Most profound point IMO.
"Shepard: It changed dramatically. There were simple luxuries that I didn't afford myself. I had to make sacrifices to achieve the goals that I set out. One of those was eating out. I didn't have a cellphone. Especially in this day and age, that was a dramatic change for me.... I was getting by on chicken and Rice-A-Roni dinner and was happy. That's what I learned ... we lived [simply], but still we were happy."

Making choices (and sacrifices) in how you live in order to facilitate the end goal.

[B2]

Someone in one of my foodie blogs posted this today, and I thought it was a really interesting read...especially right before I read this post.

http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/003704.html

[Clove]

Adam Shepard demonstrates what "The R Team" has been saying- that you can advance yourself out of poverty without resorting to crime.

Daniel strikes the key factor: Hope. For anyone to dig themselves out poverty they need drive and it's depressing to have such meager resources and optortunities; but I don't think we can instill hope and motivate people to build their lives out of poverty by focusing on how tempting it is to resort to crime, or how difficult it is to rise above it, or how those with more have it so much easier.

[ElanthianSiren]

Unless you have a medical condition that requires constant monitoring, I'm inclined to agree, but I'm also inclined to note that everyone's circumstances are different. In his case, he was a healthy man with no conditions, and he luckily didn't get injured day laboring. You can temper this story with stories of young graduates in NY who were unfortunate enough to come down with something like an inflamed appendix and lose it all, due to no health benefits.

[DeV]

Interesting "experiment" indeed. To note, he dealt with one aspect of homelessnes; poverty. In reality, there simply is no "one size fits all" escape from homelessness.

He was a young, healthy (mentally and physically), college-educated, white male. He had no abusive relationship to escape from, no severe mental illness, no drug and/or alcohol addiction, and no children or dependents to support. So while I give him kudos for reaching his goals, I'm not altogether convinced that he had to deal with the sort of reality that people who are tramped down with multiple causes of homelessness have to deal and live with on a daily.

There are millions of examples that point to the contrary; anyone can make it out given a will to succeed and an unstoppable desire to turn their life around.

[Sean]

It's a great story and I'm glad he had success, however, I'd wager that for every experiment like his thats successful theres another that shows the other side of the coin.. that even if you are trying and working hard towards your goal that any small thing that we take for granted, like health care, can fuck up your goals. An example being the episode of 30 days where Spurlock and his fiance try and live on minimum wage for 30 days and get royally fucked when she develops and infection and he busts his wrist doing his landscaping job.

[Latrinsorm]

He experienced 10 months of it.
he luckily didn't get injured day laboring.This is what really puts the emphasis on the "can" in Mr. Shepard's "anyone can do that" statement - that is, anyone can do that IF lots of things beyond their control fall in their favor.

I trust I'm not the only one who saw the (not very) veiled racism in "Am I going to continue to go out to eat and put rims on my Cadillac? Or am I going to make some things happen in my life...?", either.

[Sean]

30 Days Episode -
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=21064080

[Sweets]

Great story but it's true about the mention of no hindering experiences. I just got over a three week ordeal that started with the flu. One week sick with flu(by far the worst I have ever had), 2nd week major ear infection (see flu), then a bad reaction to the antibiotics that turned my insides into an inflammed nightmare of pain and...well.... It just happens that my husband has been off work after a wrist surgery. He broke his wrist last year ( another trying time for us finacially but at least I stayed healthy)at work and needed additional surgery to remove a piece of twisted bone and add a metal plate for support. So paying bills when both parents are down with a pre-school child might have changed the outcome of sunshiny results. Chris and I have a very supportive family and emergency savings in the bank but what happens to the person living hand to mouth and trying to restart a life with only $25? Chris and I also have a very good medical plan and compensation. What about the person who only has 25 and no medical plan?
It's a scary world when something goes very wrong and you truely don't have any control over it.

[TheEschaton]

Poverty is about a mindset. This guy went in with the mindset of having a CC in the back pocket in an emergency, and having the confidence of having a college education. He also doesn't have the experience of being told by people every day when you're at the lowest point of your life that you are scum and the dregs of society. You don't see many college grads who are homeless, the ones you do tend to be crazy or addicted to something.

-TheE-

[Celephais]

It sounds to me like he wasn't berating all individuals who are in poverty, that he's just saying that those just scraping by need to not be idiots and buy spinners or grills, and properly budget.

And I had to LoL when daniel was the first to mention race and ES was the first to mention health concerns. Both valid points, but still funny you guys would bring them up respectively. There are far too many variables in poverty to come up with a single conclusion... he addressed one or two variables as far as I can tell - Budgeting and Hope

[Daniel]

Daniel strikes the key factor: Hope. For anyone to dig themselves out poverty they need drive and it's depressing to have such meager resources and optortunities; but I don't think we can instill hope and motivate people to build their lives out of poverty by focusing on how tempting it is to resort to crime, or how difficult it is to rise above it, or how those with more have it so much easier.


I don't think you'll find anyone on the D team who is suggesting that you can't work yourself up. However, what we are saying is that when you start cuting social programs and kicking people out on the street, you aren't instilling hope. You are instilling desperation.

You don't make it easier to rise out of poverty by *making* it more difficult (as opposed to focusing on how difficult it is).

It's a long process that starts at an early age. Does welfare need reforming? Absolutely, but so does the prison system, the education system and everything else that contributes to the general feeling of hopelessness.

This of course presumes that someone is perfectly capable of doing so otherwise. There is the whole other dicussion that others brought up that involve people who had a spurt of bad luck and *need* that assistance to get back on their feet. Do you honestly believe that guy in a wheelchair is going to get anywhere without government assistance?

It's a crazy world out there and it's not as simple as "kicking people off welfare and making them earn their way" (shm 2008).

[Daniel]

It sounds to me like he wasn't berating all individuals who are in poverty, that he's just saying that those just scraping by need to not be idiots and buy spinners or grills, and properly budget.

And I had to LoL when daniel was the first to mention race and ES was the first to mention health concerns. Both valid points, but still funny you guys would bring them up respectively. There are far too many variables in poverty to come up with a single conclusion... he addressed one or two variables as far as I can tell - Budgeting and Hope

I'm glad you loled at my critiquing of the African American community.

[Daniel]

I trust I'm not the only one who saw the (not very) veiled racism in "Am I going to continue to go out to eat and put rims on my Cadillac? Or am I going to make some things happen in my life...?", either.

No. You weren't.

[Tsa`ah]

Poverty is about a mindset. This guy went in with the mindset of having a CC in the back pocket in an emergency, and having the confidence of having a college education. He also doesn't have the experience of being told by people every day when you're at the lowest point of your life that you are scum and the dregs of society. You don't see many college grads who are homeless, the ones you do tend to be crazy or addicted to something.

The moral of the story is that it's easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you were born on the other end of it. It's easy to cross the tight rope when in reality it's a 2x8 that you dropped over a drainage ditch and you have a security harness attached to a guide rope that is very secured at either end.

It's sort of likes saying you know what it's like to stand in a soup line at a homeless shelter, but in reality you stopped at TGIF for take out and sat on a bench in the park across the street from the shelter. Or better yet, you chose to stand in the soup line out of curiosity, but knew damn well you could leave it at anytime and go to Ruth's Chris.

I applaud what the kid tried to do and maybe he walked away with a vague understanding of what poor people have to do to make it. But make no mistake ... it's easy to have hope with a college education, a family (with money) to fall back on, and a credit card in your back pocket to use at any point when needed.

Success with voluntary obstacles is easy to obtain. As pointed out, had the guy been sick or injured, had he been responsible for more than just himself, had he been without a college education, had he been born poor, had he been without people to fall back on, and had he been stuck with a sub-standard pre-college education ... things likely would have turned out rather different.

He got a small, yet pleasant, taste of the life of the poor and not so fortunate with the understanding that things would be drastically improved the moment he decided to walk away.

Ask Mr Shepard if he plans to continue his career as a moving company grunt, refuse any help from his family, ditch the credit card, and start a family. 100-1 he says no way in hell. Then ask him to keep a straight face and explain why he would remain hopeful in 20 years doing the same.

[Sean of the Thread]

:clap:

[ElanthianSiren]

It sounds to me like he wasn't berating all individuals who are in poverty, that he's just saying that those just scraping by need to not be idiots and buy spinners or grills, and properly budget.

And I had to LoL when daniel was the first to mention race and ES was the first to mention health concerns. Both valid points, but still funny you guys would bring them up respectively. There are far too many variables in poverty to come up with a single conclusion... he addressed one or two variables as far as I can tell - Budgeting and Hope

Actually, I pointed out that there are factors beyond peoples' control at work, thus this isn't exactly an experiment where one can feasibly say, "ANYONE CAN DO IT!" because everything here was at a set point predetermined by the experimenter. It was less of a discussion of subject x and more the fact that the experiment wasn't indicative of anything of merit due to its inherent bias.

Do I understand then that you believe that most people on the streets are there starting with +25 bucks in the pocket and no health conditions and/or outstanding bills?

As for the bigotry latrin noted, well spotted, sir.

[Celephais]

I said you had a valid point, I just think you guys think he's touting the holy grail to all poverty issues, when he's saying given the right circumstances, they can achieve their goals (follow your heart, beefcake), and if anything, there is a chance he's provided hope to some impoverished individuals; so long as they do have hope (and sometimes knowing that all you need is hope is enough to get hope... as stupid as that sounds), they have a chance, but there are plenty of people his study had no relevance to.

I'm not taking up the flag for "every bum can make it", but I'm just saying HE DID NOT SAY THAT, with his little experiment. You've both responded to me ignoring the fact that I said he only addressed two of the many factors (well dan, rightly, didn't respond at all).

As for his slight against frivolous spending, I think he just choose the flashiest example (which is an obvious black stereotype), because most other ridiculous spending habits aren't so readily apparent (gambling, meth).

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Celephais
I said you had a valid point, I just think you guys think he's touting the holy grail to all poverty issues, when he's saying given the right circumstances, they can achieve their goals (follow your heart, beefcake), and if anything, there is a chance he's provided hope to some impoverished individuals; so long as they do have hope (and sometimes knowing that all you need is hope is enough to get hope... as stupid as that sounds), they have a chance, but there are plenty of people his study had no relevance to.[/i]

I hope his book is free.

[Celephais]

I hope his book is free.
No doubt he's cashing in on this. Yeah I don't know how it's going to really do anybody any good (even free, I doubt they'd waste there time reading it) but... maybe a few of those soupline folks he made "friends" with.

[Sean]

I have no problem with him cashing in on his experience and like you I hope his experience has encourage some people he may have interacted with to better their lives.

But I just have this image of when he hit that 10 month mark he jumps up out of the soup line throws down his rice-o-roni and goes, "haha just kidding, I'M RICH BITCH." and just walks away into the sunset.

[Whimsi]

Why shouldn't he cash in on his experience? I'm quite sure he hasn't had any of his poverty buddies over for a beer and barbeque since quitting the experiment but so what. He was just trying to prove that pulling yourself up from almost nothing is totally possible.

[DeV]

As for his slight against frivolous spending, I think he just choose the flashiest example (which is an obvious black stereotype), because most other ridiculous spending habits aren't so readily apparent (gambling, meth).I found it odd mostly because the targets of the blatant stereotype are usually, very much so not homeless young black men. It's easy enough to see why he choose that particular one, but tell that to the mother of 3 with no car to speak of and who will more often than not be caught begging for change outside of a fastfood joint instead of actually spending her money inside one. Just seemed sort of out of whack considering the basis of his experienment, budgeting aside.

[Celephais]

But I just have this image of when he hit that 10 month mark he jumps up out of the soup line throws down his rice-o-roni and goes, "haha just kidding, I'M RICH BITCH." and just walks away into the sunset.
:rofl: http://tinyurl.com/3cevt2

[Celephais]

Hahah... such an appropriate comic to have popped up in my signature in this thread:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u222/GuinnessKMF/HardWork2.png

[TheEschaton]

It's totally possible if economic factors were the only considerations, and hundreds of years of psycho-social damage, poor health, lack of education, and so on, and so forth, weren't.

-TheE-

[TheEschaton]

Oh, and Celephais:


I'm not taking up the flag for "every bum can make it", but I'm just saying HE DID NOT SAY THAT, with his little experiment. You've both responded to me ignoring the fact that I said he only addressed two of the many factors (well dan, rightly, didn't respond at all).

He in fact, did say that. It's right at the end of the article.


To meet that guy [in the wheelchair] at the shelter, [makes you wonder] 'Can he get out and go to college and become a doctor?' Maybe, maybe not. I think he can set goals..... You can use your talents. That's why, from the beginning, I set very realistic goals: $2,500, a job, car. This isn't a "rags-to-riches million-dollar" story. This is very realistic. I truly believe, based on what I saw at the shelter ...that anyone can do that [pull themselves out of poverty].

[Clove]

It's totally possible if economic factors were the only considerations, and hundreds of years of psycho-social damage, poor health, lack of education, and so on, and so forth, weren't.

-TheE-

Yes, we've bred our poor. Society is just too bland without them

[CrystalTears]

Yes that's exactly the hopeful motivation they need. You're awesome.

[Celephais]

Oh, and Celephais:

He in fact, did say that. It's right at the end of the article.
Huh, guess I missed that (I learning2read), I don't agree with that part for certain. I do think "more people than give themselves credit" can pull themselves out of poverty.

(I usually space out at the end of long posts, even if I plan on tirading, it's more fun)

[TheEschaton]

We haven't bred our poor, we've fomented the conditions in which poverty arises. It's all about capitalism, man.

-TheE-

[Parkbandit]

We haven't bred our poor, we've fomented the conditions in which poverty arises. It's all about capitalism, man.

-TheE-


If it was all about capitalism, then the communist countries around the world would be showing us how things are SO much better there.

Unfortunately, the only place this has actually happened is in the little fantasy world you like to live in.. you know.. when this world is unjust.

:rofl:

[Stanley Burrell]

That kid was about as black and/or Hispanic as I am Rastafarian.

[CrystalTears]

I don't believe he ever claimed to be either.

[Stanley Burrell]

It's a Christian Science Monitor article. The CSM has some really awesome/eccentric stories, but uhmmm, I dunno. I'd have a hard time believing he was non-White.

That might just be the sound of the 5 o'clock thread derailment.

[CrystalTears]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0211/csmimg/CSCRATCH_P1.jpg

[Keller]

If it was all about capitalism, then the communist countries around the world would be showing us how things are SO much better there.

Unfortunately, the only place this has actually happened is in the little fantasy world you like to live in.. you know.. when this world is unjust.

:rofl:

You're like a rabid horse with blidners on.

[Stanley Burrell]

::headlock::

That is the sound of inevitability.

[Clove]

WTF THAT'S OUR NEW INTERN. (jk)

[Gan]

We haven't bred our poor, we've fomented the conditions in which poverty arises. It's all about capitalism, man.

-TheE-


Groovy man.

http://www.segmenter.com/images/populism_wp_800x600.jpg

[Stanley Burrell]

I need that airhorn...

[The Ponzzz]

I'm not going to say this guy didn't do a good job, because he did do a helluva job. But... This was an experiment. He knew there was an end to this where he can return to the society he knew and loved. Not to mention, some of those in homeless shelters don't have a elementary school education and only have the streets as life experience. He had a college education, had a plan and could speak English.

I've had to do it too, in a way. When I left my ex wife, I had only enough money for a cheap apartment and only my clothes. No car, no food and no furniture. I HAD a good job, but was forced to sleep on wood floor until I had the money to buy things. When I did have the cash, I had no way to transport furniture. And I lived in a horrible neighborhood where my back neighbor who was a hooker eventually gets shot in the face and I was a suspect in that murder for a few hours! All I had was a milk crate for a chair, a table I got at a garage sale and my computer.

[Keller]

I'm not going to say this guy didn't do a good job, because he did do a helluva job. But... This was an experiment. He knew there was an end to this where he can return to the society he knew and loved. Not to mention, some of those in homeless shelters don't have a elementary school education and only have the streets as life experience. He had a college education, had a plan and could speak English.

I've had to do it too, in a way. When I left my ex wife, I had only enough money for a cheap apartment and only my clothes. No car, no food and no furniture. I HAD a good job, but was forced to sleep on wood floor until I had the money to buy things. When I did have the cash, I had no way to transport furniture. And I lived in a horrible neighborhood where my back neighbor who was a hooker eventually gets shot in the face and I was a suspect in that murder for a few hours! All I had was a milk crate for a chair, a table I got at a garage sale and my computer.

All I got from this is that you unloaded on a hookers face.

[Stanley Burrell]

All I got from this is that you unloaded on a hookers face.

Mario was/is/will always be so gangsta, he thought it better not to pay child support.

If I had avatars like Teh Ponzzz0rzzz, I'd be unloading everywhere too. Extremely indecently and calling into effect Child Support laws.

vBulletin quote-feature that, you'se crackery biscuitheads.

[Gan]

All I got from this is that you unloaded on a hookers face.


BOOM

Money shot.

[The Ponzzz]

You all kid until you have to see the remains of a face. One of the worst things I have ever had to seen in my life.

[Stanley Burrell]

Sorry. I literally only read the "hooker" and "face" quote (in a quote) and for real-thought this was actually about the lighter of the two scenarios.

[Warriorbird]

Having a credit card to save you in your pocket, education, family and a good upbringing gives you a whole lot more confidence and hope.

I think this study goes against conservatism and populism in some ways... it isn't JUST about economic poverty... and it's telling how blind this guy is to all the other issues with the poor and homeless as well.

[The Ponzzz]

Having a credit card to save you in your pocket, education, family and a good upbringing gives you a whole lot more confidence and hope.

I think this study goes against conservatism and populism in some ways... it isn't JUST about economic poverty... and it's telling how blind this guy is to all the other issues with the poor and homeless as well.

Exactly.

[Clove]

Having a credit card to save you in your pocket, education, family and a good upbringing gives you a whole lot more confidence and hope...

I'll assume you've got good upbringing, an education and a credit card. Why don't you duplicate his effort and get back to us about what a non-point it is.

[Warriorbird]

I dunno. Minus the above I might've actually cared about you or your own lack of a point.

Get back to me when you can show how the above actually don't place you on a better relative holistic position than the person who has no credit card in the pocket, no education, and no upbringing.

Until then? I can play the cheap insult game. Ferrets smell bad.

Next.

[The Ponzzz]

I'll assume you've got good upbringing, an education and a credit card. Why don't you duplicate his effort and get back to us about what a non-point it is.

Well, I've done for 2 years. From 2003-2005. Except I didn't have a credit card because my ex fucked my credit up to shit. I did it FOR REAL.

I wish it upon no man, but the guy deserves no medal. he got to live life rock bottom for 10 months. Welcome to the real world.

[Clove]

I wish it upon no man, but the guy deserves no medal. he got to live life rock bottom for 10 months. Welcome to the real world.

I don't think he's looking for a medal I think he was looking to prove a point. Simply, what one man can do another can do. Yes of course he had an exit whether he succeeded or not, yes it is tremendously difficult to keep a positive attitude when you're truly poor- but it can be done with drive and determination. He did it. You did it and many others have also.

[The Ponzzz]

Oh, you're 100% right. I've rarely only worked one job at a time. I always said if I was homeless I'd work two or three jobs until I wasn't. Fuck being homeless.

[Warriorbird]

To a certain degree I see the point. Most people in that situation could use motivation rather than the scorn they usually receive. Sometimes things like mental illness or substance abuse issues do stand in the way, mind.

[Clove]

Sometimes things like mental illness or substance abuse issues do stand in the way, mind.

So true. My uncle and I were discussing the article and the first thing he mentioned is "if he'd had a rap sheet or mental illness it would have turned out differently." There are more hopeless situations- and some of them are the result of plain bad luck.