Every time I walk by homeless people, I feel bad. I feel bad because being charitable is something I know I should be, yet I'm not when the moment arises.
Perhaps it's because I know donating wouldn't solve the core problem. Whatever it is, writing about homelessness makes me feel a bit better. So I'm giving this a shot.
Whenever I donate to strangers, it's usually to struggling creators on Patreon. I want to help pay their rent and see them succeed. It's harder for me to make an equivalent connection to homeless people because there's no project to root for or a point in the future where I can see how far they've grown. There's no lasting relationship I can build with that person, even if it's parasocial.
What I think will get me to donate are more memorable and identifiable signs. I would appreciate and look forward to reading the following:
Jokes and hot takes on their sign Meteorological readings for the day Interesting things they've seen on the street Satirized politics One idea I had was to dress up as a homeless person, solicit donations with a sign for a day, and determine the phrases that give the highest return. Since most homeless people have phones, they could read my publicized findings and try the messages that work best. We could also teach them A/B testing to improve their signs over time. With enough A/B tests, communities could find and share the best strategies.
It's unfortunate how easy it is to walk by hungry people. It's more unfortunate that the poorest of our society are literate. Anyway, thank you so much for reading this sleepover. And although it's not entirely joyful, I hope you'll still have a luminous day.
- Curtis
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