Short term versus long term thinking

By paperbackwriter · Apr 19, 2019 · ·
  1. When you land the well-paid job. Everything changes. You buy the more expensive T-shirt, join the more upmarket gym, upgrade your private health insurance. You even start thinking about acquiring some real-estate. "Just how much can I set aside each month?"
    I know when I am in a low-paid job, my thinking becomes very short-term. How can I survive this week? Which bills are non-urgent and can be postponed? What food is discounted at the supermarket? What pleasure has to go? Haagen Daaz ice-cream? unless its on special.
    It is worse for homeless. More like day to day. It frightens them to even think where they'll be in 1, 2 5 or even 10 years from now. Better to just put that thinking to bed. Scary stuff. How can I survive today? What interesting food can I score for free? Which charity is offering free lunch? Maybe I can score a drug to put me out of my misery for 12 hours.
    I wonder how tough I would be if forced to be homeless. Apart from cold nights outside, whatabout the fear of being attacked? That is quite real. im such a wimp, the thought of brushing my teeth in a public toilet is enough to motivate me to at least maintain the level of poverty I have now.
    The stigma of smelling bad. The discomfort of being uncomfortable all the time. Wearing the same clothes every day. No on should criticise the homeless until they've tried it themselves.

Comments

  1. jim onion
    No one is beyond criticism.

    But familiarizing oneself makes for better critique. ;)
  2. flawed personality
    I was homeless once, but not on the street. I contacted Shelter, who told me to pick a location to sleep and they'd pick me up in a few nights. Thankfully it didn't come to that.
      paperbackwriter likes this.
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