Supporting "Bum" culture

More than just bum culture, but San Francisco is getting unlivable due to street crime.


It appears to be the flip side of the Rudy broken-window theory. Panhandling allowed for so long that panhandlers are getting tired of asking for money and graduating to smash and grab. Drug culture not a small part of it, but seems to just be a case of a gilded city with the bottom part of society collapsing. Being that there is a lot of boom from the tech side as well as tourism I would expect the problems to keep being ignored, but at some point the tech and tourists will get tired of living this way.

Juliani NYC all over again. They were losing millions in
tourist dollars to street crime. He got more cops,
got rid of the riff raff and high murder rate and the
tourists came back. It'll reach the breaking point in
SF. With bums, give em an inch and they'll always
keep expanding.

Quote: Evenbob

It'll reach the breaking point in
SF.

What is crazy is the attitudes of some of the people who are victims. The guy who had his BMW broken into twice feeling bad for the thieves who stole from him? What kind of mindset is this?

It took NYC about 25 years to wake up, mid-1960s to early 1990s. If SF follows the same pattern, and chances are it will, the place will be unlivable by the mid 2020s and not wake up until almost 2040. They appear to currently be in the denial phase.

Quote: AZDuffman

What is crazy is the attitudes of some of the people who are victims. The guy who had his BMW broken into twice feeling bad for the thieves who stole from him? What kind of mindset is this?

They've been told for so long that these
bums have to be coddled to, they have
no other response. There will be a tipping
point, just like is happening in N EU, where
you put up your hand and say 'no more'.

Just came back from Seattle several hours ago. Spent a lot of time in various spots downtown. There were a LOT of bums. Lots of tent encampments in busy areas. Not like Vegas where they at least have the decency to pitch tent cities in places tourists don't go or are likely to even see. I'll say a couple of going things about Seattle bums:

1. About 90% don't hassle people but just walk about like they own the city.
2. A small percentage are street entertainers, which I respect much more than panhandlers.

However, a lot of these bums looked like they had serious mental issues. Some just babbling to themselves. Others really looked a mess, unlike the Vegas bums who I suspect most are professionals just working tourists because it pays more than working.

I like Seattle and know that bums are in every big city. But, man, there were a ton of them in Seattle. A lot more than what I recall my last visit a year ago. I think it has reached a level where they will drive out tourists and move business and residents to Bellevue.

Quote: Wizard

But, man, there were a ton of them in Seattle. A lot more than what I recall my last visit a year ago. I think it has reached a level where they will drive out tourists and move business and residents to Bellevue.

It's the economy, if you can't find a
job because you're lazy, and can't
get welfare, living off the underculture
is a valid choice. John Stossel has
shown again and again that there are
low paying jobs everywhere. The ambitious
have 2-3 of them at once. But why do
that if you can panhandle and steal and
sleep till 11am every day.

Quote: Wizard

Just came back from Seattle several hours ago. Spent a lot of time in various spots downtown. Many there were a LOT of bums. Lots of tent encampments in busy areas. Not like Vegas where they at least have the decency to pitch tent cities in places tourists don't go or are likely to even see.

For some reason, the few times I have been west of the Rockies, including when I lived there, it seemed there were more of these bums. In the east I have never heard of them making a tend city. But on the coast yes, including that encampment at LAX. In the east they seem to be less dense. Just an observation.

Quote:

However, a lot of these bums looked like they had serious mental issues. Some just babbling to themselves. Others really looked a mess, unlike the Vegas bums who I suspect most are professionals just working tourists because it pays more than working.

Mental health is just not treated anymore. While the asylum system was not great, it did keep these folks safe and off the streets. I have heard it was under JFK that reforms were started and less intensive care was tried. We have always had these folks, I have run into a handful of lunatic motions in my title work. Really it can't be fixed. We try to medicate but they often hate the meds for the side effects. If these people have family that takes care of them they can survive. If not to the wolves they go.

Quote: AZDuffman

Mental health is just not treated anymore. While the asylum system was not great, it did keep these folks safe and off the streets. I have heard it was under JFK that reforms were started and less intensive care was tried. We have always had these folks, I have run into a handful of lunatic motions in my title work. Really it can't be fixed. We try to medicate but they often hate the meds for the side effects. If these people have family that takes care of them they can survive. If not to the wolves they go.

No disagreement from me. No answers either. I worked as a Social Security claims adjuster 28 years ago and brushed up against these people when a good Samaritan would try to help them apply for disability benefits, but they were too disabled to even properly do that. It also doesn't help if you don't have a mailing address because you live on the streets.

Quote: Wizard

No disagreement from me. No answers either. I worked as a Social Security claims adjuster 28 years ago and brushed up against these people when a good Samaritan would try to help them apply for disability benefits, but they were too disabled to even properly do that. It also doesn't help if you don't have a mailing address because you live on the streets.

I thought you were once and always an actuary there? Your break-in job there?

Quote: AZDuffman

I thought you were once and always an actuary there? Your break-in job there?

Exactly. Claims adjuster from 1990-1992.