Living like a >>>>

[ctg492]

Bum or as the young man and his traveling friends call it, Travelers. My son went through HS with a young man who lived down the road. They say hello and visit now once a year or so when the man (24) comes back through town. The fellow tried working after HS and found it not for him. He is a Traveler he says. He and his friends explain to my son how they do it. They travel with no real material possessions, hitching rides, hopping train cars, sleeping where ever (shelters, homes of those they meet, under bridges). The man tells stories of the cities they have seen. New Orleans he says he eats and drinks well in scavaging for food left on plates (ick).
I actually did not really know people "chose this life". He says it is a large protion of homeless people that choose this life.
I say he is Bum, mooching off society. Yes he does have several food cards from assorted states. I have no issues with those that want to live free of modern society and it material ways, as long as they do not take hand outs. As long as they contribute to the well being of society.
Am I wrong?

[Mrs-M]

I don't think you are wrong. Here are my thoughts. I find it sad to think that there are people who are born with no sense of wanting to own something, or better themselves. Like wanting to work so they can have a roof over their heads (always), and a fridge, so they can open the door and eat and drink what they want (when they want), and when they are cold or wet, they can turn on the heat and warm-up/dry-out. It's called comfort and security, and in order to have these things you have to work for them, so I call people like that, lazy.

As far as lazy people contributing to society, not likely, because even productive people who work towards bettering themselves, seldom find the time (or energy) to contribute to society, aside from being good citizens and doing right.

[iris lily]

Just the other day I pointed out a Traveler type guy to DH. I postulated that this guy chose the homeless route because he looked spry and intelligent--he just had a different "look" from most of the homeless guys around. Hey, I didn't really know his situation, but I figured that there was a percentage of men who chose the vagabond existence. Our own PDQ used to take off for months and work day jobs and camp.

[goldensmom]

From your description I’d say the American definition of the word ‘bum’ fits. A ‘Traverler’ in this area denotes a person or group of persons who come from another state in the summer doing shoddy work, usually painting or roofing, then skip out with the money and no address where they can be contacted before any grievance can be made. ‘Traveler’ also means a temporary journey to a place other than the person place of resident.

This 'bum behavior' is not uncommon in youth for a short period of time, a few months maybe a year but usually a sense of responsibility and maturity kicks in and some sort of direction in life is sought. My nephew just finished a period of time in this 'free style living' but now is on a career path. Being a 'bum' was not his life's goal he just didn't know what he wanted to do and did not feel pressured to do anything until, as his brother says, he 'grew a brain'....words only a brother could say.

[CathyA]

I, too, think its something that some young people do for awhile. It gives them freedom to see alot of the country, without having alot of money.

I don't "contribute to society", other than having raised very good/moral children, and trying to be kind to the earth. I'm not a people person. And it does bother me when more gregarious people make it sound like if you're not "producing" something" or "contributing to society", then you're part of the problem.

As far as homeless people, I get the feeling that some of them actually prefer this lifestyle. I think its a need to have full control of their lives. Yes, its not the life we would choose.........but it meets their needs.
I used to think that progress and growth was vital. Now I think its gotten us into alot of trouble.

Someone gave my kids a book when they were little. It was something like "The Dozers" (pronounced do-zers) and it compared people who worked, worked, worked, and produced, produced, produced, with people who didn't. The people who didn't were viewed as lazy and slothful. After awhile, I began looking at this as a rather sad comment on capitalism and the American way.
Sorry to get a bit off-topic.
If your son's friend isn't hurting anyone and isn't taking hand-outs from the government, then I don't think you should worry about it. As has been said, youth sometimes do things like this. I'm sure your son's friend has tons of interesting adventures and stories to tell!

[catherine]

I think it's a matter of perspective. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with choosing a life of having no possessions. But the motivation is what might be questioned. Peace Pilgrim had a motive for doing exactly what this boy is doing. Even Jesus was itinerant.

If we can accept this lifestyle for him, maybe we can learn from him--not that we are going to go homeless, but we might question our own clinging ways.

[iris lily]

I think it's a matter of perspective. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with choosing a life of having no possessions. But the motivation is what might be questioned. Peace Pilgrim had a motive for doing exactly what this boy is doing. Even Jesus was itinerant.

If we can accept this lifestyle for him, maybe we can learn from him--not that we are going to go homeless, but we might question our own clinging ways.

Yes, lifestyle is a continuum, and people who travel without possessions are on one end of the continuum with and people who work all day until they drop dead for the purpose of collecting and maintaining stuff/place in community are on the other end. Where do I want to be? I aspire toward the traveler end but in reality am firmly planted at the other end.

[ApatheticNoMore]

New Orleans he says he eats and drinks well in scavaging for food left on plates (ick).

eating off plates is extreme in ickiness yes, but dumpster divers (of food) and so on are actually just rescuing food that would otherwise go to the landfills. They scavange waste (of an incredibly wasteful society). It's an ecological niche really, and should be seen as such, it's only natural ...

I actually did not really know people "chose this life". He says it is a large protion of homeless people that choose this life.
I say he is Bum, mooching off society. Yes he does have several food cards from assorted states.

Yea I can see where you are coming from, he's using charity or welfare otherwise intended for people really genuinely in need. It's a good point. Although on some level I'm not convinced my daily commute to work doesn't do more damage to society than this does (the carbon, the climate change, heck more if you want to really look at it).

I have no issues with those that want to live free of modern society and it material ways, as long as they do not take hand outs.

difficult to do and sadly getting harder all the time.

As long as they contribute to the well being of society.

truely very few people really contribute to the well being of society even in terms of volunteering and so on, much less in any vastly significant way. It's more than most people have time for. The assumption that work is automatically a contribution to society is dubious. It's quite possible the bums actually contribute more, they have the TIME I'd think, but few people really have that motivation maybe (and if they spend every minute thinking about unmet material need, well then they can't contribute much either).

I don't think you are wrong. Here are my thoughts. I find it sad to think that there are people who are born with no sense of wanting to own something, or better themselves. Like wanting to work so they can have a roof over their heads (always), and a fridge, so they can open the door and eat and drink what they want (when they want), and when they are cold or wet, they can turn on the heat and warm-up/dry-out. It's called comfort and security, and in order to have these things you have to work for them, so I call people like that, lazy.

If they just choose to live without these things, I don't call them lazy, I call them people with different values. Comfort and security is nice and all but the price is obvious. For most people it's 40 plus years of working a job they have no particular interest in. It's a very heavy price. Having to go day after day after day to a job you'd rather not go to, that doesn't necessarily stimulate your mind, much less appeal to your heart, to secure these things. Why it's almost enough to make a person ... rethink security

Yes, lifestyle is a continuum, and people who travel without possessions are on one end of the continuum with and people who work all day until they drop dead for the purpose of collecting and maintaining stuff/place in community are on the other end. Where do I want to be? I aspire toward the traveler end but in reality am firmly planted at the other end.

likewise

[ctg492]

One point I said to my son on his friend was, everyone wants a clean bed to lay in, healthy food, soap and a shower and teeth are nice too. But perhaps that is just me wanting those things. When this young man shook my son's hand he said "thanks for your contibution" meaning government support.

[CathyA]

I'm a little confused ctg, why do you think his statement meant government support?