Homeless Hotspots - Employment or Exploitation?

[Coito ergo sum]

Some of them have said they like the job because it gives them contact with people that normally would look right past them.

I do see this as being as being exploitive on the part of many of the people using them so poo on them. On the other hand feeling useful and feeling needed is good for anyone, but especially so for someone who is constantly marginalized as being a useless drain on society, so I have mixed feelings about this too.

Luckily not all of us view the homeless this way, and who knows, maybe this will make the homeless less faceless to those that might otherwise ignore them.

So, you're saying "poo on" the people that are providing others with an opportunity to feel useful and needed, and make money, and to perhaps feel less marginalized?

[Tyrannical]

Encouraging people to approach the homeless sounds like a bad idea and a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'm sure there is a high correlation linking homelessness with violent behavior, mental illness, thievery and other anti-social behavior.

[Coito ergo sum]

I think as long as they are being paid at least minimum wage, and doing this of their own accord, I can't see anything against it. They're being paid to do, at bottom, what they do all day for nothing already.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Encouraging people to approach the homeless sounds like a bad idea and a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'm sure there is a high correlation linking homelessness with violent behavior, mental illness, thievery and other anti-social behavior.

The Invisible Man syndrome is alive and well I see.

Or were you just trolling?

[Warren Dew]

I think as long as they are being paid at least minimum wage, and doing this of their own accord, I can't see anything against it. They're being paid to do, at bottom, what they do all day for nothing already.

Just to clarify, anyone can use the hotspot for free. There is an optional donation. 100% of the donation goes to the homeless person. There is no employment relationship, so the minimum wage doesn't apply.

To me, the only people arguably being exploitative in this picture are the people using the hotspot without donating.

[Tyrannical]

Encouraging people to approach the homeless sounds like a bad idea and a lawsuit waiting to happen. I'm sure there is a high correlation linking homelessness with violent behavior, mental illness, thievery and other anti-social behavior.

The Invisible Man syndrome is alive and well I see.

Or were you just trolling?

Invisible man syndrome? What is that?
Long term homeless people almost always have severe mental issues.There is a reason they are homeless after all, an inability to hold a job and antisocial behavior is almost a given. Very different then people temporarily down on their luck, society generally ostracizes these long term homeless people for very good reasons.

[Coito ergo sum]

I think as long as they are being paid at least minimum wage, and doing this of their own accord, I can't see anything against it. They're being paid to do, at bottom, what they do all day for nothing already.

Just to clarify, anyone can use the hotspot for free. There is an optional donation. 100% of the donation goes to the homeless person. There is no employment relationship, so the minimum wage doesn't apply.

To me, the only people arguably being exploitative in this picture are the people using the hotspot without donating.

I was unaware that the people providing the hotspot devices were doing so without being compensated. If that is the case, then the homeless folks are not in the least being exploited. I suppose the idea is that the homeless person is just being handed the means to panhandle better. Instead of handing over little hand-made cornhusk flowers or muddying car windows with dirty rags, they're holding a wireless hotspot.

[maiforpeace]

Some of them have said they like the job because it gives them contact with people that normally would look right past them.

I do see this as being as being exploitive on the part of many of the people using them so poo on them. On the other hand feeling useful and feeling needed is good for anyone, but especially so for someone who is constantly marginalized as being a useless drain on society, so I have mixed feelings about this too.

Luckily not all of us view the homeless this way, and who knows, maybe this will make the homeless less faceless to those that might otherwise ignore them.

So, you're saying "poo on" the people that are providing others with an opportunity to feel useful and needed, and make money, and to perhaps feel less marginalized?

I didn't say all people, but what I am referring are those people I meet every day - standing in line with at the store, the bank, or sitting with in restaurants, that treat checkers, tellers and waitstaff like they are subhuman - no hellos, no thank yous and all demands.
But yes in general I agree with Warren that technically the real exploitation is when people use the service and don't pay for it.

[MrJonno]

It's the equivalent of Big Issue salesmen in the UK I guess?, do you have them in the US?

[Coito ergo sum]

I have no idea what a big issue salesman is.

[maiforpeace]

It's the equivalent of Big Issue salesmen in the UK I guess?, do you have them in the US?

We don't. I just looked it up, it's an interesting concept.