Sparkle (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
myownface) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2018-01-25 07:40 am
myownface) wrote in fandomhigh2018-01-25 07:40 am
Entry tags:
Urban Survival - The Uglier Side of City Living, Thursday, Period 2
Today, Sparkle was actually looking pretty pumped as he sat on the desk at the front of the class. His Big Bad Wolf costume had gone over pretty well in class last night. At least, he figured it had. It was probably not a bad sign when the instructor said 'I would tap that wolf,' was it?
That mood would probably fade with this discussion, at least.
"Hey again, guys," he greeted. "Our last few classes have been about things like basic needs, and why people might find themselves on the street... or in a similar situation." Good to make a nod toward that, yes. He was starting to figure out his audience, here. "You guys brought up a few good ones that I hadn't listed myself, like refugee situations and overbearing government systems holding the people back."
That was about the best he had for whatever the fuck Auradon was all about. God.
"This week, we're going to start talking about things that keep people down once they're there. Laws with a bias against people already in that situation, money, whatever. And then I'm going to get you guys to dig in and list other factors that might complicate the situation further. I'm going to start with poverty, since that one is, in many cases, the most obvious cause of sustained homelessness."
He shrugged. That didn't seem to necessarily be the case with some of this lot, but it still seemed like it was a factor. Hopefully he wouldn't be talking over anybody's heads this week.
"So, you're living in poverty. You don't have the money to sustain yourself, to afford a home or food or whatever in order to live. Money's the solution, right? So you get a job. Easy." He paused, raising an eyebrow. "Except that you're homeless. Odds are you're wearing dirty clothes and you stink like body odour and the fucking gutter, and do you even have a phone? If you get hired, how is your employer even going to contact you? There are some places that have services that'll take messages and let you use a phone. A decent homeless shelter will do what it can to facilitate that for you. But not every sity does that, and there are more than a few shelters who have a reputation of abusing the people who need their help. They might not be the easy solution that you think you need."
He shrugged.
"What else is holding you back from getting that job? How about prejudices, like sexism, racism, homophobia? An inherent bias against you based on where you came from or who your parents are? What if there isn't work to be had? What are the factors that led to your unemployment to begin with, and can those things even be undone from where you're standing? And that's just the shit that factors into poverty. Money might not entirely be the issue, here. The last time I taught this class, I had people pointing out that injury might keep you from getting out of the gutter. Language is going to be a barrier, there. A lack of legal identification is a roadblock in many places, and getting identification is almost impossible without money, which you need a job in order to get. It's a fucking cycle, you know? You might be in a situation where you can see all the puzzle pieces that you have to put together in order to get out again, but they're all out of your reach. Somewhere beyond your ability to grasp at. Trust me, that's a place to be that'll fuck with your head in ugly ways."
And then he spread his hands, gesturing to the room.
"I know I'm missing things. It's impossible for me to list it all, we only have like an hour, here. So it's your turn. Once you're down, what are some things that'll make it difficult to get back up again?"
You were a bright, if intimidating class. Sparkle had confidence in your ability to horrify him further.
That mood would probably fade with this discussion, at least.
"Hey again, guys," he greeted. "Our last few classes have been about things like basic needs, and why people might find themselves on the street... or in a similar situation." Good to make a nod toward that, yes. He was starting to figure out his audience, here. "You guys brought up a few good ones that I hadn't listed myself, like refugee situations and overbearing government systems holding the people back."
That was about the best he had for whatever the fuck Auradon was all about. God.
"This week, we're going to start talking about things that keep people down once they're there. Laws with a bias against people already in that situation, money, whatever. And then I'm going to get you guys to dig in and list other factors that might complicate the situation further. I'm going to start with poverty, since that one is, in many cases, the most obvious cause of sustained homelessness."
He shrugged. That didn't seem to necessarily be the case with some of this lot, but it still seemed like it was a factor. Hopefully he wouldn't be talking over anybody's heads this week.
"So, you're living in poverty. You don't have the money to sustain yourself, to afford a home or food or whatever in order to live. Money's the solution, right? So you get a job. Easy." He paused, raising an eyebrow. "Except that you're homeless. Odds are you're wearing dirty clothes and you stink like body odour and the fucking gutter, and do you even have a phone? If you get hired, how is your employer even going to contact you? There are some places that have services that'll take messages and let you use a phone. A decent homeless shelter will do what it can to facilitate that for you. But not every sity does that, and there are more than a few shelters who have a reputation of abusing the people who need their help. They might not be the easy solution that you think you need."
He shrugged.
"What else is holding you back from getting that job? How about prejudices, like sexism, racism, homophobia? An inherent bias against you based on where you came from or who your parents are? What if there isn't work to be had? What are the factors that led to your unemployment to begin with, and can those things even be undone from where you're standing? And that's just the shit that factors into poverty. Money might not entirely be the issue, here. The last time I taught this class, I had people pointing out that injury might keep you from getting out of the gutter. Language is going to be a barrier, there. A lack of legal identification is a roadblock in many places, and getting identification is almost impossible without money, which you need a job in order to get. It's a fucking cycle, you know? You might be in a situation where you can see all the puzzle pieces that you have to put together in order to get out again, but they're all out of your reach. Somewhere beyond your ability to grasp at. Trust me, that's a place to be that'll fuck with your head in ugly ways."
And then he spread his hands, gesturing to the room.
"I know I'm missing things. It's impossible for me to list it all, we only have like an hour, here. So it's your turn. Once you're down, what are some things that'll make it difficult to get back up again?"
You were a bright, if intimidating class. Sparkle had confidence in your ability to horrify him further.
Sign In!
Re: Sign In!
Re: Sign In!
Re: Sign In!
Lecture!
Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
He frowned a little.
"Though I suppose that isn't always possible, either."
Re: Discuss!
She had seen that happen with people who had decided to become as integrated asnpossible in Radchaai society after an annexation. They might not have been homeless to begin with, but Breq guessed that ostracism could happen there too.
Re: Discuss!
He tilted his head a little.
"Really, though, people stand to lose a lot more than friends if they're willing to compromise who they are in order to get by. But that's a decision only they can really make."
Re: Discuss!
Re: Discuss!
"Usually, it's the choice that seems obvious to the people offering it," Sparkle mused. "But yeah... what's the point in living well if the person you are when you come out the other end isn't even you, anymore?"
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Her expression remained blank.
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"Some might," Sparkle agreed. And then he shrugged. "People are different. It is a good example, though."
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"That's probably going to depend on the situation," Sparkle noted. "But in my experience, surviving is an important first step."
Re: Discuss!
That was a painful subject though.
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"Maybe not," Sparkle agreed. "But yeah... this class is about survival, at the end of the day. It's right there in the name."
He shrugged.
"Sometimes you might have to sell out in order to keep living. It's shitty. I don't encourage it. But you can't make very much right again if you're dead, either."
Re: Discuss!
It wasn't the same thing, she reminded herself. Not quite. But you can't make very much right again if you're dead, either reminded her a little too much of what Saaiat Awer had said to Awn after she had given the order to shoot the Tanmind in the temple.
Re: Discuss!
Err. Hypothetically speaking. Of course.
"Once your down, people are invested in keeping you down. Because then you might be their stepping stone to something better. Either that or stepping on you might be what makes them forget for a little while that they're in the gutter with you."
Re: Discuss!
"Biggest roadblock to getting up again often isn't yourself," he agreed, nodding. "Sometimes, it's the people who think that if you have something, that means that they can't possibly have it too, and they're not about to let that happen. And yeah, maybe you want to have the fight in you, but you're already damn weary. Maybe some of the most exhausting shit is the stuff that happens every damn day that nobody thinks about, because that's just how shit is."
Talk to Sparkle!
Talk to the TA!
Re: Talk to the TA!
OOC!