No matter how many times one may hope for a different outcome, the total of nothing multiplied by nothing is unfortunately always nought.
In Tokyo, the real price of poverty?
Photographs from a small group of islands
Photographs from a small group of islands
No matter how many times one may hope for a different outcome, the total of nothing multiplied by nothing is unfortunately always nought.
Geoff says
Great photo but wow that’s depressing. What was he doing……..?
Lee says
Yeah, I know. Pretty bleak, isn’t it? He was just quietly tapping away on the calculator. But whether he was actually trying to work something out or not, I don’t know.
When he caught my eye, he smiled briefly and then went back to the calculator. Very sad…
Hans ter Horst says
Poor guy; as soon as they are homeless they are ineligible for benefits as the system requires an address and then they become dependent of the generosity of the people in the neighbourhood.who still care
Lee says
Yes, a horribly vicious circle. One that’s it hard to imagine escaping.
I read recently that homeless numbers had apparently hit a new low in Tokyo, but from walking round the city, it really doesn’t seem that way. Quite the opposite in fact.
Dergen says
If that is the guy I think it is. The crazy smelly guy from around Shinjuku station …. But that leads me to a point. There is a homeless problem in Tokyo. There is a large aector of homeless mentally ill men and women in the capital. This image is more of man suffering from mentally illness … And less about a homeless man.
Lee says
Yes, quite possibly. Mental illness is certainly something that a good number of homeless seem to suffer from. But surely they are connected, or at least a factor in the destitute state some of these people find themselves in. And once homeless, they have even less chance of getting treatment. Possibly even no chance even without any health insurance or an address. A horrible situation whichever way one looks at it…
Jeffrey says
True in the U.S. as well with many being military veterans from as far back as the Vietnam War. I think the figures in the U.S. are around 70% of all homeless being mentally ill. This started with mental health budget cuts during the Reagan administration. Further, tight-fisted Republicans blocked funding increases in VA spending post Iraq/Afghanistan with many combat veterans sure to join their ranks over the next decade.
And some Americans wonder why I don’t feel unalloyed pride in the U.S.
http://www.sociology.org/content/vol003.004/thomas.html
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20121226/NEWS/212260303/Number-homeless-Iraq-Afghan-vets-doubles
Lee says
That makes for very grim reading. Not helping those in desperate need is bad enough, but showing the same disregard to those who have served their country is even worse. Terribly, terribly sad…
Heikki says
Last summer we were taking a stroll in Yoyogi Park, enjoiying the sights, and stumbled upon an area which seemed to have a whole lot of homeless people gathered around. None hostile, all of them taking care of their own business. And we stopped to chat up an old woman who had a lot of cats around. To our surprise she could talk english very well, and told that she used to be a business woman, but liked cats more. Which, maybe translates that something was wrong. You know, other then obsession with cats. I wish I took a picture, but I didn’t. Didn’t seem appropriate.
Anyway, what I meant to say, was that the general populus did seem to enjoy that place too, and it was somehow strange to see a mom with her kids enjoyng the sights while a few people were sleeping in the next bench. I did manage a few snaps there, but nothing special. The place was kind of the opposite corner from Ueno Zoo.
Lee says
That’s something I’ve noticed a lot too, especially in parks. Not really sure whether it’s a good or bad thing. Good that there’s no awkwardness, animosity etc., but at the same time, is that ‘cos they are being wilfully ignored? Pretend they aren’t there, and then for all intents and purposes they cease to exist…