> [Platt]
> Sure, there are certain situations where your
helping someone can
> give them a hand out of a temporary bad situation.
But the risks
> inherent in huge bureaucratic welfare programs are
1) creating
> dependency, 2) enabling destructive behavior, and 3)
> building resentment among those being "helped" due
> to the patronizing, holier-than-thou attitude of
do-gooders.
> [Arlo]
> I'm going to have to come up with a name for this.
> "Feigned obliviousness", perhaps. We had many
conversations
> about "welfare" in the past, and I've been the first
to suggest that
> there are abuses and unintended consequences in the
present
> system. And these need to be addressed and the
system needs
> serious reform. But I find nothing "immoral",
indeed I find it moral
> and beneficial, for society to create and implement
a safety net to
> ensure that those hit by hard situations have access
to support while > the rebuild, reorient and find new
labor.
> [Platt]
> Very few people find satisfaction in being "needy."
Consequently, to
> restore their sense of control, they find many
creative ways to game
> the system. Haven't you been reading any of SA's
posts?
> [Arlo]
> No, there is no satisfaction in being poor, and a
loss of agency is
> always accompanied by shame and depression. But
rather than vilify
> the poor for being "lazy and stupid", I prefer to
scaffold them until
> they are in a position to reclaim their agency.
There is truly no
> shame in finding oneself in dire straits. Even the
best of people can
> find themselves suddenly without labor, without
insurance, and their
> life-savings gone. Working to get these people back
on their feet,
> and autonomous again, should be the goal of the
social safety net.
Platt, what your saying has some good points.
You've entered my name in this specific discussion and
I would like to clarify something. I am dealing with
youth, so, the welfare system is not, yet, an issue
with these youth. I did point out during our helpful
discussion that many of the parents involved have
jobs. It is that these parents either (1) both work,
(2) are single parents and usually it's the mother,
and she works, or (3) no parents. These are 98% of
the cases I deal with. These alone can't be why the
children are where they are, for I run into other
families with these situations, except (3), and (3)
happens 5-10% of the times where I work and they end
up going to independent living places and have a
support system there that helps them more on. (These
percentages are not actual, I'm just guessing off the
top of my head.)
Now, if this whole placement system is considered
a welfare system, then I understand where your coming
from, but I'm not sure I'd qualify placement as part
of the welfare system, but this could be argued. I'd
categorize placement system with prison, and again,
maybe that is also part of the welfare system.
What I notice is a system to help those that are
not committing horrendous crimes and are youth, and
prison is not compatible with these youth. What I
recently brought up with Joseph M. I beginning to
believe that the biggest problem for the youth is
motivation. Something of quality needs to glimmer and
they see and go for it. At least that's what's
happening now, in my perspective. The carrot is home
visits, more privileges with some providing more
freedom, and ultimately a ticket home. Yet, doing
good, completing the program and they go home, this is
where staff get hung up a lot. The residents have
this opportunity to get out of the place, and they
misbehave, and most of the time they extend their time
at the facility. Motivation...?
Arlo, I see your point, and I must agree that I
see no other choice as of now for this culture. A
safety net is helpful. Placement is a safety net, in
the sense, it puts the brakes on the lives of youth
that are headed to jail. They've already been found
guilty by a judge, or have disrupted the community to
the point that the community no longer finds them to
be generative contributors to society and have been
removed from the community to protect the community.
Yet, how do we get anybody out of these 'safety nets'?
Whether it is the welfare system or criminal system.
That's the question. When somebody is on their way
down, how do they or others help pick them back up?
Where race fits into the picture? Well, that's just a
degenerative perspective entrenched in this society.
Notice even in the presidential race, it has to be
pointed out that Hilary is a female and Obama is an
African American, and how these could be firsts,
etc... etc... I guess until these are 'normal'
experiences of society for females, African Americans,
Mexican Americans, Amerindians, etc... are in
positions of government this will be seen as unusual.
blue sky, some white clouds,
SA
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