People Disguised As Homeless Ignored By Loved Ones On Street In Stunning Social Experiment

www.huffingtonpost.com...

If a family member posed as a homeless person, would you recognize him or her?

That's the question a new campaign -- Make Them Visible -- is asking. In a video produced by ad agency Silver + Partners and Smuggler for the New York City Rescue Mission, several people come face-to-face with their relatives and significant others dressed as homeless people. However, not a single participant recognizes their mother, brother or wife.

"There’s only one person that didn't make it into the film -- because they couldn't handle the fact that they walked by their family," video director Jun Diaz of Smuggler production company told Fast Company. "It happened every time."

The jarring social experiment, staged in Tribeca and Soho near the mission's shelter, shows just how invisible homeless people are to pedestrians on the street.

I found this article both stunning and all to common, I'd probably find myself in the majority of those who didn't take a second look...

Sad, but, true according to this article.

Now, if a family member had gone missing?

I might.


Its funny, I used to be much more empathetic toward the plight of the homeless.

Until I moved to a town where Homeless seems to be a valid life choice.

Portland is very homeless friendly, as a result it seems you can't go 5 feet with out seeing young able bodied, well fed and clothed homeless.

I hate to say it, it the 2 years I have been here, its made me jaded to them.

I used to not hesitate to give what ever change in my pocket, now if asked, 8 people probably asked me for change before that one.

a reply to: Hx3_1963

Very Sad

I think the majority of Humans(myself included) like to live in an "out of sight, out of mind" world. We don't worry about the starving children of the world, we don't worry about the cruelty happening to others, we don't want to think about the homeless person as an actual person, Worrying about all that wouldn't allow us to enjoy our Xbox Games.

Just want to add, I don't think people do this because we are heartless evil beings, I think it's the opposite, because we care so much, and we feel so helpless, we don't' want to think about it because we don't' believe there is anything we can do.

Eye Contact is the key....IMHO...
People refuse eye contact whenever possible these days...I think its because we are afraid of the connectivity this engenders between us....
We seem to shun this once pervasive behavior....is it the PTB that's doing the desensitising or we ourselves....
I think actually both....

a reply to: benrl
I can see how indifference would be a common response when bombarded with these images day after day.

I can also suggest that a percentage chose this as a lifestyle, but, I fear that a majority of them suffer from mental illness and disabilities that fall fall thru the "Social Network", as well as people hit hard by this depression/recession. (6+ yrs ?)

a reply to: benrl

Same happened to me when I moved to a homeless oasis. Seeing a guy in nicer shoes than mine in a warmer jacket than mine standing in front of the business he OWNED panhandling was the icing on the cake for me. Saw so much nonsense like a guy using food stamp drive off in a Mercedes and a couple walking the block asking for "bus money" get into a new Jeep Cherokee with huge ass rims and drive away.

A local org for the homeless that got sick of the cheats and wasters estimated these scammers were pulling in $500-$800 a day just by panhandling and selling anything they were given. Ironically that org was forced to shut down because the students thought they were insensitive and out to hurt the homeless. The petitions and protests made them close up.

There's a difference between being down on your lock and hanging out on the same corner month after month, year after year.

I've learned over the years and having spent time volunteering at shelters and with agencies that find work and housing for them that the ones who are really needy, the ones who are honestly sitting at the bottom and have no desire to be at the bottom pick themselves rather quickly. The average time for a person who didnt want to be homeless to be truly homeless was a couple of months if I recall.

Now if you're a drunk or addict or constantly getting in trouble with the law and chasing people down who don't give you change then you're going to be homeless for much, much longer and if those are your problems it's not doing you any good to give you money because you're just going to drink it or smoke it and end up right back in jail.

I've since left the city and havent been asked for change in years.

I don't understand how this "experiment " played out. Were they walked through a homeless shelter or street and their relatives were disguised as homeless people there? If so, why should you expect them to notice? It has nothing to do with homeless people being "invisible" to someone.

If you walked through an office of white collar richie-riches with a couple of them being disguised family members, you would probably miss them too. If you passed one of your family members on the street dressed in a suit, you might miss them too if they weren't in expected attire. It is more of an issue of how people take in information and whether they are expecting things or not. Watch Brain Games for some great examples.

While I applaud anyone raising awareness to a problem, this experiment doesn't truly illustrate anything.

a reply to: Halfswede

The video shows them with hats, hoodies, faces buried in books.

It also appears to be in one of those cities where the homeless are abundant. Camped out on streets in groups.

I don't think I'd be able to recognize anyone I knew in a situation like that just walking by.

Interesting experiment. How would I respond? I honestly don't know. Often I do have the same blinkers on as everyone else. But it depends. Each homeless person is different. In my hometown, a regular stream of scavengers go through our garbage bins on collection day. Years ago, they would have irritated me, but I've come to understand that they are part of the recycling feeding chain. If I have something that might be of use, e.g. broken appliances, clothing, I'd ask one of them if they are interested. The other day, I was sort of touched when one of them - a woman - thanked me for a pair of trousers than my mom threw away, saying that she wore them every Sunday to church. I remembered her. The day I gave her those pants, she told me that it was her birthday that day.

I hate it though, when you get into one of these situations where you gave to someone once, and then you become a 'marked person' to them. When you end up avoiding going to a certain shop, or a certain street. It's like they sucker onto you and suck the life right out of you, whenever you encounter them. There are some homeless people I avoid and some homeless people I don't mind chatting to - but I guess the same goes for some people who do have homes. Another thing. When I do give, I'm more inclined (and willing) to give to adults than to children. Children who beg, or are used as a front for an adult begging tend to totally push the wrong button with me. But that's just me.

a reply to: benrl

Oh Benrl. I know that feeling so well. Upon a trip to the big city recently, I did the spare-changer walk of shame. By that I mean, a row, city block long of people asking for money. With signs pleading their cases of why they should be the one to get what few spare dollars I may have. It made me feel like a horrible person I couldn't give to them all.

So, I hunched my shoulders, cast eyes down and headed for my destination, with a couple of one dollar bills, and some change almost totaling 1 dollar in hand.

I admit, I based my giving to those who claimed they had kids to feed. Upon tossing my last bit of coins into a person's cup, I got yelled at for only giving them change when they claimed they watch me give the last person a bill.

I won't be walking down that street ever again. It's painful to see those I can't do anything for. It's painful to be yelled at that I didn't give enough, when it was all I had to give.

Des

I think the majority of Humans(myself included) like to live in an "out of sight, out of mind" world. We don't worry about the starving children of the world, we don't worry about the cruelty happening to others, we don't want to think about the homeless person as an actual person, Worrying about all that wouldn't allow

a reply to: PsychoEmperor

Nor do we think about the million plus people that our government has killed, nor the 5 million people that have been made homeless in the last 12 years IN OUR NAME....and the human beings that are being killed because of our apathy as we speak.

We cannot simply say it's the government that does this to try an absolve ourselves of our responsibility for allowing it to happen....in truth the responsibility is ours.

This video vividly shows just how far we have fallen...how lacking in human decency and compassion we actually are.

Too bad the emotion that this has evoked in people will vanish quickly....just like the homeless.

Here's the video...

Now, if a family member had gone missing?

I might.

a reply to: benrl

You might...??? REALLY?

Are you that unsure?

I think this post adequately shows that you would not see them even if you were to pass them in the street...and thats sad.

The rest of your comment...I've heard it a hundred times...you have effectively resolved yourself of any responsibility to help these people.

Have you ever stopped to talk to any of these people to find out why or how they came to be there? No matter what you see on the TV.....things are not getting better....the economy is not improving....jobs are exceedingly hard to come by....and it's only getting harder.

Posted earlier here
www.abovetopsecret.com...



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