There are so many obstacles to solving homelessness. Solutions like building more affordable housing, reforming zoning laws, raising the minimum wage, reducing rent and housing costs, improving access to education for higher-paying jobs, and strengthening the safety net for disabled and elderly people are often cited. However, one critical issue often goes overlooked: cooperation, or more accurately, the lack of it.
Cooperation is what set Homo sapiens apart, enabling us to become the dominant species on Earth. Yet, before we celebrate that success, we must confront a sobering reality: Since the creation of the first atomic weapons, humanity has teetered on the edge of self-destruction.
Today, the twin threats of nuclear war and climate change, along with the rapid rise of AI, have brought us perilously close to extinction. Without greater cooperation, both among ourselves and in tackling the homelessness crisis, our survival and ability to solve these pressing issues remains in jeopardy.
Cooperation and Survival in Human Evolution
Modern humans are less than about 300,000 years old, according to many experts. That is a very far cry from the incredibly successful species known as Homo Erectus (Upright Man), which wandered the planet for two million years! By some estimates, modern humans are cast in the same role as Neanderthals were when a combination of factors, not the least of which was probably climate change, drove them to extinction. (Neanderthals left a lasting legacy through their DNA, still present in modern humans over 39,000 years later.)
In the paleoanthropological community, there’s consensus that although Neanderthals likely lived in smaller groups, their capacity for cooperation allowed them to thrive for over 400,000 years. This ability to work together was crucial to their survival—a relevant lesson for modern-day humans.
Contrasting Experiences of Cooperation
I once knew an online friend who lived in Italy. She said it was shocking how so many Americans live without cooperation or care for neighbors.
Where she was from, a small town in Italy, many traditions were still honored, including parties that were held in the streets and celebrated by the entire town! She told me everyone showed up and brought food, drink, and tables and chairs. There was music and conversation and games. I knew what she meant. I grew up in New York City and used to see “block parties” like that in summertime, maybe on a much smaller scale, but the same idea.
She also told me that if anyone was in trouble, the whole town helped solve it. Indeed, that is very different from how I grew up. I was not part of a cultural group with shared ancestry like the Italian Americans who stuck together and threw those block parties. When I asked her about homeless people, she assured me that in her little town, they didn’t exist.
Granted, you might still find close-knit communities in small towns in rural America, but in large cities like New York City (which is made up of five distinct boroughs), Los Angeles, the Metroplex (Dallas/Fort Worth), and other big urban areas, we will never see the entire city come together on anything. It seems clear that humans generally do not cooperate unless it’s with their immediate circle. Anyone outside their circle will rarely be seen as a fellow human nor shown compassion.
Amplifying Division and Hindering Progress
Honestly, I don’t watch the news. It disgusts me. Ever since childhood, I was not fond of all the constant chattering of listening to the news. It always sounds the same, and I can’t stand listening to politicians. It’s worse than ever now, and all I see is the equivalent of primates flinging their poo at one another from across the cage.
It’s only gotten more extreme. Nothing ever gets fixed, and everything always gets worse. Even when progress forward seems to be made, you have so much resistance to change that the rest of the time is spent fighting over the issue all over again. It’s sad, pathetic, and annoying to watch, and it all boils down to my point about the lack of cooperation among humans.
Why Those in Power Lack Incentive to Cooperate
The inability to cooperate means nothing will ever improve or get fixed, as solutions require cooperation. Those with money and power have no incentive to help anyone unless it further lines their pockets. If they ever cooperate, it’s only to create policies that harm those they perceive as beneath them. People like me are expendable because I am disabled, but the homeless population is exploitable for free labor.
Short-Sightedness and the Climate Crisis: A Parallel to Homelessness
With minimal cooperation and even less compassion, addressing homelessness becomes a daunting challenge. Unfortunately, human short-sightedness exacerbates this issue. People often prioritize immediate gratification over long-term consequences, a mindset that hinders meaningful progress. This tendency is starkly evident in the climate crisis. Many are unwilling to make small changes, like switching to LED bulbs or turning off unused lights, let alone more significant actions like reducing vehicle emissions by consolidating errands. This lack of foresight and willingness to act underscores our broader challenges in solving complex societal issues like homelessness.
While the list goes on, the point is that if the species won’t even consider doing anything to help the planet they depend on for life, why would they care to solve the housing crisis and ensure all human beings have a roof over their heads? It’s easier to blame the victims.
Facing the Consequences of a Fragmented Society
Homelessness will not be solved. What is likely, however, is that homeless people will be gathered up and put into internment camps, which gets us out of sight and mind but not settled into actual housing. The only cooperation will be between those who profit from this arrangement – the wealthy.
On the occasions that people do cooperate, amazing things can be achieved. In my own life, I have seen firsthand what can be achieved when people help one another. For example, a few short years ago, I could circulate a GoFundMe and get help fixing my van or getting urgent dental work done. Today, it’s impossible. My van has not worked in nearly a year, and I cannot get help.
The help didn’t keep me housed in the past, but it kept me on the road. My van is basically a camper, so it kept me far safer than if I were in a tent. At this point, I’ve basically given up any hope of getting viable help. If I end up in one of those forced labor camps for homeless people, I hope they offer a MAID program because I am done with this cruel, hellish planet. I am exhausted from the constant struggle to keep my head above water, and I want to stop trying to swim in maelstrom.
