How to Understand Why Street People Do Not Think Like Non Street People
Avoid thinking that the same criteria applies to all people., Consider firstly Human needs., Think about group dynamics., Consider government politics., Consider local politics., Consider Assets., Consider the deadliest thing of all - culture...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid thinking that the same criteria applies to all people.
It becomes easy to stereotype which is not doing anyone any justice and merely reinforces poor thinking and prejudice. -
Step 2: Consider firstly Human needs.
These are pretty easy
- food to eat, a place to sleep, protection from the elements and so on.
These still apply to anyone from Kings and Presidents to street beggars.
These human needs
- survival essentially
- is a very strong "trump card" or apex consideration. , In order to survive, it often requires people to find company.
There is safety in numbers not just in dangerous situations, but also for knowledge and skills sharing, food and other needs.
People who are "wealthy" or live in their own homes far away from "street" lifestyles tend to be far more insular and less communal as they are able to aspire after more material & status focused wants.
Ultimately of course, these wants still leave people lonely (as they say, it is actually very lonely at the top) and this insular thinking is a different level to those who live more precariously on the streets. , People who have little tend to be more socialist in thinking because they have little power of their own (which as history shows is not actually the case) and any benefits available to them will improve the quality of their lives or their family lives.
The opposite always occurs, it is just as likely that a person may hold the dangerous "entitlement" view that because they are here they are entitled to be wealthy and have their desires met and so destroy and rebel when things don't go their way, caring little about the consequences.
Paranoia can be a common co-dependent symptom. (Vandalism is a very obvious indicator). , If a group protects you, it comes at a price.
A society is merely a group of individuals but each one has to contribute.
This almost always develops group rivalries over territory.
For people who live in suburbs rivalries still exist but tend to be more broader.
It requires a lot to be able to motivate a lot of strangers together in a single cause rather than a group who know each other well. , People who have them, often maintain them
- home & possessions, car, garden (perhaps), finances etc.
Why people maintain them can be a status or pride thing, but also an occupation for those who don't need a day job. "Non street people" tend to be more attached to things that they have invested more time in taking care of.
For those who don't know where their next meal comes from, any asset is fair game if it gives you that meal, regardless how much you may be attached to it. , A persons culture will shape them as will lead them to go with their peers (peer pressure etc).
Culture and religion can cause the biggest problems when local groups of different races/religions/cultures etc cross territory.
This includes prejudices, vendettas & alliances and similar things. , People may originally have been living in a house of their own until a change, be it the global financial crisis, civil unrest, political or civil persecution and so on.
Its different for everyone
- some people may have have always lived in that area for several generations. , For example
- knowing about a country on the other side of the world, or the worlds largest mountains etc is not going to make a substantial change to their life in comparison to knowing about the local conditions such as where it is safe, how to use money, how to find a meal, where the hospital is, where a place to stay is etc.
Education, or at least trivial knowledge is useless in comparison to specialised expert knowledge of the local area and how to live there.
For "non street people" safer conditions can lead to specialised knowledge in more trivial areas, such as music, arts, history, botany, philosophy or religion etc
- the things often called the "cultural sciences".
The need to survive is already met, so it comes down to how to spend the time and what contribution education can give.
Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" theory has much to say about this topic. , Basically exposure to the environment is what differs between the two main groups. , -
Step 3: Think about group dynamics.
-
Step 4: Consider government politics.
-
Step 5: Consider local politics.
-
Step 6: Consider Assets.
-
Step 7: Consider the deadliest thing of all - culture.
-
Step 8: Consider that changes of circumstances may put people to living in shanty towns or similar makeshift homes on the streets.
-
Step 9: Consider education.Those who have never had much education more than survival skills
-
Step 10: simply would not value education when it does not improve their lives.
-
Step 11: Consider that people can be more considerate of "street thinking" if they work there
-
Step 12: be it running a shop or business of some kind
-
Step 13: or working as a social worker
-
Step 14: council worker etc Or those that live there - it may be living on the street or in a house on the street or in the local area.
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Step 15: Remind yourself that everyone is different and that why they think as "street people" or "non street people" varies on an enormous range of factors unique to every individual.
Detailed Guide
It becomes easy to stereotype which is not doing anyone any justice and merely reinforces poor thinking and prejudice.
These are pretty easy
- food to eat, a place to sleep, protection from the elements and so on.
These still apply to anyone from Kings and Presidents to street beggars.
These human needs
- survival essentially
- is a very strong "trump card" or apex consideration. , In order to survive, it often requires people to find company.
There is safety in numbers not just in dangerous situations, but also for knowledge and skills sharing, food and other needs.
People who are "wealthy" or live in their own homes far away from "street" lifestyles tend to be far more insular and less communal as they are able to aspire after more material & status focused wants.
Ultimately of course, these wants still leave people lonely (as they say, it is actually very lonely at the top) and this insular thinking is a different level to those who live more precariously on the streets. , People who have little tend to be more socialist in thinking because they have little power of their own (which as history shows is not actually the case) and any benefits available to them will improve the quality of their lives or their family lives.
The opposite always occurs, it is just as likely that a person may hold the dangerous "entitlement" view that because they are here they are entitled to be wealthy and have their desires met and so destroy and rebel when things don't go their way, caring little about the consequences.
Paranoia can be a common co-dependent symptom. (Vandalism is a very obvious indicator). , If a group protects you, it comes at a price.
A society is merely a group of individuals but each one has to contribute.
This almost always develops group rivalries over territory.
For people who live in suburbs rivalries still exist but tend to be more broader.
It requires a lot to be able to motivate a lot of strangers together in a single cause rather than a group who know each other well. , People who have them, often maintain them
- home & possessions, car, garden (perhaps), finances etc.
Why people maintain them can be a status or pride thing, but also an occupation for those who don't need a day job. "Non street people" tend to be more attached to things that they have invested more time in taking care of.
For those who don't know where their next meal comes from, any asset is fair game if it gives you that meal, regardless how much you may be attached to it. , A persons culture will shape them as will lead them to go with their peers (peer pressure etc).
Culture and religion can cause the biggest problems when local groups of different races/religions/cultures etc cross territory.
This includes prejudices, vendettas & alliances and similar things. , People may originally have been living in a house of their own until a change, be it the global financial crisis, civil unrest, political or civil persecution and so on.
Its different for everyone
- some people may have have always lived in that area for several generations. , For example
- knowing about a country on the other side of the world, or the worlds largest mountains etc is not going to make a substantial change to their life in comparison to knowing about the local conditions such as where it is safe, how to use money, how to find a meal, where the hospital is, where a place to stay is etc.
Education, or at least trivial knowledge is useless in comparison to specialised expert knowledge of the local area and how to live there.
For "non street people" safer conditions can lead to specialised knowledge in more trivial areas, such as music, arts, history, botany, philosophy or religion etc
- the things often called the "cultural sciences".
The need to survive is already met, so it comes down to how to spend the time and what contribution education can give.
Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" theory has much to say about this topic. , Basically exposure to the environment is what differs between the two main groups. ,
About the Author
Robert Rogers
Experienced content creator specializing in DIY projects guides and tutorials.
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