Does the establishment derive power from homelessness?

Homelessness, from one point of view, is a punitive spectacle of the exceptionally eccentric. If one cannot effectively respond to socio-economic pressures then he is neglected and rather abandoned. It will be argued, as a matter of fact, that the system doesn’t enforce homelessness on humans; Market competition does. While possibly true, it is too short-sighted of an argument. Whether by design or due to economic coincidence, the establishment draws considerable health from the spectacle of homelessness.

What better way could the establishment use to whisper into every working man’s subconscious the punishments chasing him? Homelessness is a manifestation of systemic power. A statement made clear by the forces of politics and economics that the human in himself doesn’t matter. Unless productive and conformative, the human can be left behind. A human body of no economic utility will be pushed deeper beyond the bottom.

In no other place does the legitimacy of such manifestation become clear as to when elites exclamate that homelessness (or rather poverty) are direct consequences of one’s very own choices—be it laziness, lack of motivation, stupidity or mental illness. The humans that lack intrinsic motivation to abet systemic power or fall short on mental normalcy are denied the entitlements of shelter. A stance diametrically opposed from every humanitarian alleviation to our shared existential struggle. A modern reversal of the ancient human attitude to support one another.

One’s intuitions don’t betray him when he senses the necessity of homelessness in the grand spectacle of hyper-productivity and workaholicism. The physical presence (rather than just the idea) of unattended persons (roaming the streets and congregating in camps while subjected to police harassment and public avoidance) declares the punitive fate of those who fail to make utility of themselves to corporates and institutions. This image serves its purpose best when paired with failing attempts to end homelessness. Elites comically fund wealthy executives of charitable organizations that refurbish the same decree: We can’t help them because they fail to reintegrate.

The abundance of resources in America hysterically slips every conversation about enforcing a positive bottom-line for the poor. With all the hopes fixated on raising the bar on how high individuals can rise. Homelessness’ normalcy in the presence of billionaire(ism) speaks of unmistakable aggression. The outwrestled’s misery is publicly displayed to remind everyone in the rat-race of the fate they must escape.

Economically, America doesn’t have to abandon its homeless population as it does. For if America chooses to send naval troops to save American tourists at the edge of the globe, why does she stand impotent with regards to the displaced?

In homelessness, the full power of the free-market is manifested. The excess of such power derives its legitimacy from the depth of humiliation and degradation of homeless humans. Their misery reflects back the potency and vigour of the status quo. A human dying in freezing cold on American soil is not ignored by mere miscalculation. He is deliberately pushed down beyond the bottom to express the profundity of the system. He is marked with futility, not due to insufficient resources or scarcity of strategy; He is wantonly juxtaposed in the streets against an exponentially accelerating growth. Thus bringing to life an elaborate show of how strident the system wills to be.