Homelessness, Part 2
“I like to think of this problem of homelessness as a prism held up to society, and what we see refracted are the weaknesses in our health care system, our public health system, our housing system, … our welfare system, our educational system, … our legal system, and our correctional system. Dr. Jim O’Connell[1]
There is an on-going debate in human-development discussions about whether the particulars of our lives play out more according to the genetic codes in our DNA or the environment in which we were raised – nature vs. nurture. The argument centers around whether our experiences are shaped more by our inherent leanings (genetics and impulses), what we have experienced and learned (environment and education), or by conscious choices in the moment (free will). Most human experiences and behaviors have multiple influencers, so the nature/nurture debate is perhaps best framed as a continuum of causal possibilities instead of seeking for a single, definitive cause. In other words, a person’s life does not play out as it does based solely on genetics or their environment. What we can say with certainty, however, is there can be huge differences in how individual lives play out, even within families (genetics) and within shared cultural contexts (environment).
Abraham Lincoln is said to have believed that people are shaped by their circumstances, so he leaned toward the view of one’s environment being the stronger influence. With that belief, he strove to interact with those of differing points of view by first trying to understand the circumstances under which their experiences developed, a practice that would help us comprehend homelessness. He understood those opposing him as people with a particular history, instead of objectifying them as obstacles to what he, with his history, believed to be right. The main source of contention in his day was slavery. Although he opposed slavery, one of his best friends was a slave-owner, and their relationship allowed him to assess the pro-slavery position through the life-experiences of a trusted colleague.
It is ridiculous to assume any of the current victims of homelessness were genetically programmed to become homeless. True, there is evidence that a propensity for some types of mental illness may be passed along genetically, and some homeless folks are mentally ill. Certainly, race and skin color are inherited traits, and many among the homeless are non-white. But the vast majority of those with a mental illness are housed, as is also true of non-whites. It is a person’s experiences after birth that play the primary role in determining their subsequent existence. And two primary developmental influences shaping a person after birth are family dynamics and the social structures and systems they encounter. The social systems identified by Dr. O’Connell in the epigraph – healthcare, public health, housing, welfare, education, legal, and corrections – are increasingly failing the populations they serve and are sending too many people to prison, homelessness, or other undesirable existences as a result. In other words, the shortcomings of our social systems are the direct cause of most homelessness today. Homelessness cannot be solved by its victims, only by those who shape, support, and/or benefit from those systems.
A relevant implication of believing people are largely shaped by their environment is this: If I (or you) were subjected to an environment similar to that of one who experiences homelessness, I (or you) would be likely to experience homelessness, too. We witness the strong environmental influence on reality playing out in family dynamics where persons raised in abusive envirnoments are more likely to abuse their own children. Substance abuse often follows a similar pattern where children raised by regular abusers of drugs or alcohol are more likely to become regular abusers of drugs or alcohol. Poorly educated parents are more likely to raise poorly educated children. Those raised in neighborhoods with significant gang activity are more likely to become gang members themselves. The saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I” comes to mind.
No one is immune from falling into unfortunate circumstances and experiencing unfortunate outcomes, at least not with the current state of the underlying social systems. It is important to understand that those who are not homeless, marginalized, or otherwise ostrasized by unjust systems are the creators, supporters, and benefactors of those systems – if not directly, then indirectly through our votes and socio-political activities. Most of us are in the majority that controls governmental actions and policies. We may not consciously intend to drive more folks into homelessness, but we do perpetuate injustice by our silence and/or by not actively working for appropriate changes to the systems, beginning with agreeing to fund them properly.
This is not only a matter of social justice, but also of self-interest.
This is the 5th in a series about The New-Old Social Pandemic. The opinions expressed here are mine. To engage with me or to explore contemplative spiritual direction, contact me at ghildenbrand@sunflower.com.
[1] As quoted by Tracy Kidder in Rough Sleepers, Random House, 2023, pp. 211-2.
Contemplating Grace 