Media Depiction of Homeless
“Your violin has only two strings,” I say. “You’re missing the other two.”
It is here that the unlikely friendship begins between Mr. Lopez and Mr. Ayers. We hope you are enjoying The Soloist. We also trust that your previous discussions exploring the topics of joblessness, homelessness, and mental illness will continue and that your research will become more defined leading into the Town Hall Meeting on April 1st.
The Town Hall Meeting will allow you to discuss these and other related issues with your peers and MSU faulty and community members. Additionally, The Soloist’s inspiring story has been selected for the 2009 Freshman Summer Reading, and Steve Lopez will be MSU’s Fall 2009 Convocation speaker. Furthermore, the story of Nathaniel Ayers and Steve Lopez will be released as a movie on April 24th. To meet Mr. Lopez and Nathaniel Ayers, click the link below:
Not only have the homeless people become a difficult situation and an ongoing problem, but the media has shown homelessness in so many ways that have swayed people’s opinions about the topic. “In the 1980s, I started noticing that the homeless people we showed on the news didn’t look very much like the homeless people I was tripping over on the sidewalk,” said CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg (CBS). The media portrayed homeless people on the television that did not match what was truly on the streets. Goldberg said that they looked like they were from his neighborhood. “…-they looked like us (CBS).” Goldberg also said that the problem with this was that people showed only a small part of the homeless, and that the only reason homeless people were shown on television was because of ratings. Viewers would be more interested in stories about people who looked like their own relatives or friends than what homeless people really looked like (CBS). The sympathy this created for the homeless people also created sympathy for the true homeless people the media did not show. This created more pressure for new homeless shelters and programs. This also made the media create higher statistics for how many homeless people were present. Goldberg claimed that “those figures were far too low to justify the full-court press the liberals in the media wanted to launch. And so they came up with their own figures, most of them ‘sucked from their thumbs’ as reporters describe picking ‘facts’ out of midair” (CBS). An American viewer will see a homeless person on television and be so desensitized from seeing homelessness throughout the media that they will think of it as more of a situation that does not involve them than a major issue throughout the world. The media’s portrayal may persuade one to think of homelessness as just a different way of life, or essentially not their problem.
@c.torabirussell
I really like how you worded your essay. It flows nicely and your points are very clear. You mentioned the fact that the media sways our perception of the average homeless person that goes for almost everything they talk about. Why is it like this though? Are they out to boost their rating which in turn brings them a ton of money? What is it that drives our media, the news aren’t we supposed to trust them to bring us the truth? Why do we listen to them if we know that all they are doing is covering up the real issues? Because unfortunately our society is becoming more and more surrounded by this notion that what we are told is cool is. It’s cool because of the people who promote the product or the clothing line. It’s kind of funny how we act as sheep flocking to these so called “hip” trends and diet plans. It’s almost as if we really are being brainwashed, not only by our government but by each other as well. Are we really this artificial and why isn’t any one doing anything about it? Is it because we like following one another because we feel as if we belong, which is one security we all seek but are we then afraid to be ourselves?
What I mean is does the government hide the truth behind a curtain because of how we judge each other? I think we do judge people far too much, like Nathaniel’s situation would anybody have cared about him had Steve not told them everything that was happening? If they hadn’t had something to relate to in him and in Murray in our previous reading would anyone have reached out to help? What’s the solution to this media problem, do we throw out the corrupt and fill positions accordingly, is that even possible. It’s hard to say because I think we all get greedy and become corrupt at one point or another in our lives but unlike the media we aren’t putting lies out for money day to day. How can we solve a problem if all we see is what someone else wants us to see? It doesn’t seem logical to me to address a serious issue that indirectly affects us as if it is the common cold, minor and painful but will clear up in due time. How does anything productive done in our governmental roles with an attitude such as this, I find it quite cowardly and it shows at that point how little they really do care about our well being as opposed to their own.
Was the pressure for these extra shelters such a bad thing though? I think it was a great idea to add more shelters and outlets to get help because if there’s no resources out there to do something for this homeless nation what kind of serious problems could we be facing? It could defiantly be more detrimental to the whole nation in so many ways. You should address what some positive and negative issue that show what this extra helping hand has done for individuals and for masses.
Cortney Hammerland
In the Soloist, Steve Lopez wondered if he might be exploiting Nathaniel Ayers by telling his story. However, Nathaniel’s inspiring story received heavy exposure in Los Angeles, and in turn, generated much-needed public awareness to the homelessness issue. In fact, I would argue that it was Steve’s moral obligation as a member of the media to investigate the issue after he first met Nathaniel. Had he done nothing, the inaction could almost be considered a willful act of negligence or unethical.
The media is in an extraordinary position of power and that power is growing through technology. We can receive our news by podcasts, instant messages, live streaming feed, blogs, PDA’s, social networking sites and traditional news media such as print and television coverage. With this increased power of distribution, comes increased social responsibility.
I don’t think that the media could possibly give it too much coverage because one of the biggest obstacles to solving the homelessness issue is ignorance and lack of public awareness. When the issue remains hidden away like our country’s dark secret, it is much easier for the general public to ignore it and pretend that poverty and starvation are only issues relevant to some third-world country far away.
As time goes on, however, the heightened attention to the issue will die down as the articles diminish and the public moves on to the next issue. Shortly after the movie is released and after the new wave of public attention subsides, Skid Row will slink back into the shadows of American consciousness and the media spotlight will turn to other things.
This is why I believe that pressure should be applied to the media to keep a constant spotlight on the issue of homelessness in America and to shine the light into the darkest regions of our cities until it is finally given the attention it deserves. There are some who will believe that Nathaniel was exploited for the sake of a sensational story and movie deal, but I think that, in this case, it was necessary to enlighten the public.
Sometimes the media goes too far, but with homelessness in America, it doesn’t go far enough.
If the general public were sufficiently educated in regard to how to successfully encounter a homeless person, homelessness could be better understood and dealt with. Steve Lopez’s book “The Soloist” demonstrates the fact that one individual can have a large impact on homelessness, but without knowledge and help from others, it is nearly impossible guide a person from concrete to carpet.
Boake Moore’s article “How to Help the Homeless” states that a simple dialogue can have an impact on a homeless person: “Taking time to talk to a homeless person in a friendly, respectful manner can give them a wonderful sense of civility and dignity. And besides being just neighborly, it gives the person a weapon to fight the isolation, depression and paranoia that many homeless people face,” (Moore 1). Steve impulsively did the correct thing by initiating a conversation that first day he met Nathaniel. However, most people are taught to use caution around homeless people because the person could be violent or aggressive. The public should be made aware that there is a way to approach a homeless person that will most likely benefit both persons involved.
It has been demonstrated that it is possible to change a homeless person’s life without any knowledge of how to do so, but what about the rest of the American nation that has no clue how to successfully intervene in a homeless person’s life? There should be means to reach every individual and educate them properly about tactics to help the homeless. To achieve this, a video could be published on YouTube, played as a television commercial, made into a school assembly or a radio ad, or a public seminar. A hands-on event headed by Habitat for Humanity called “Box City” has reached South Carolina, Kentucky, and Miami. Box City is a program in which students are asked to donate ten dollars, and in return they are provided a box and allowed the opportunity to shape the box in any way they desire. Once the box reaches the desired look, participants are invited to stay the night in their creation. This helps to raise awareness about homeless habitats, (Hunter 1-2). The public should be reached in any and every way. By doing so, homeless people could be properly and safely approached and guided through a positive program that would lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Despite what is published about many homeless men, women, and children, and how tragic their lives really are, many people will not donate to organizations and groups who are willing to lend a hand for those in need. Why do people not help? Because there is an image of the money not going towards the organization, or there is the belief that the organization does not exist. How did this image come to life? The media hears of one group or a handful of groups that are cheating people out of money and begin broadcasting on the news and other media warning people of the fraud people are experiencing. But when a group really does make a difference or help to make a difference by supporting a group it is rare that the success story will be aired all over the nation.
How are United States citizens supposed to know where to donate their money, or who to trust with their monthly donation? Without the media equally, if not more so, mentioning the great help organizations and groups along with the bad ones, American’s are given the false sense that every help group and organization out there is just taking advantage of them for their money, or that a percentage of the funding is taken by that help group or organization.
c.torabirussell Reply:
March 4th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
@shayla.shaw,
“It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity” (Quotes). A Roman philosopher said this in 5 BC, and it is still true today. Although this quote is true and vital, it does not mean that the people of today abide by it. Americans today have become lazy and unmotivated to help, but it is not entirely their fault. Hearing and watching the news about homeless men, women, and children can be devastating, but the image of homelessness for many Americans has not become a priority. This is because the facts may be untrue and the viewers may be unsure as to where their help and money is really going. Shayla, I think you brought up a great point in saying that an image of the money going somewhere different than to the actual organization, or the belief of a faulty organization can happen, making Americans not interested in helping. The media has created true and untrue images and words that are hard to distinguish; this creates misconceptions towards the organizations that are actually honest.
With the right persuasion and rhetoric, the media can tell its viewers anything and most will believe it. In the book, unSpun, it reads, “You base your belief, not on evidence, logic or reason, but simply because you want to believe so badly, the thought of it being wrong invalidates your very existence and that makes your head hurt” (unSpun 69). This quote is saying that Americans don’t really think about what they see or hear, they just have the desire to believe. So, Shayla, when you talked about how the media can talk about groups cheating people out of money, viewers will be less likely to help the homeless because they will relate that to the false organizations. Viewers will become more guarded and less likely to help the homeless programs. So many viewers are persuaded by the media which makes homelessness a vastly growing problem.
The media wants to be liked, even if it is full of lies. When you mentioned, Shayla, that it would be doubtful that the few people that are making a difference would not be aired all over the nation, this is true because if the media showed organizations that were not flawed, it could make the media look false by showing the opposite of what the media had recently told people. In Lopez’s The Soloist, when the media portrayed Nathaniel, they showed more of the good things that happened than the bad, because the media wants people to relate good things or good ideas to it. When the media is telling its viewers about staying away from certain organizations, it makes Americans feel warned and perhaps “protected” from all the bad things in the world. The media wants its viewers to feel safe, even though in reality, there are hidden, twisted truths.
Therefore, Americans become curious and unsure of whom to trust, which makes homelessness such a hard problem to solve. Lastly, it was mentioned that Americans are given a false sense of who to believe and where to turn. They don’t want to get sucked into helping an organization that turns out to be unreliable because that makes the buyer feel insecure and taken advantage of. This makes people less provoked to help true homeless organizations and apathetic about the entire situation. People don’t want to be taken advantage of even though the media is furtively taking advantage of them. It is difficult to know who or what to believe, but with the right peace of mind and common sense, Americans can step out of the realm of manipulation in media and find the a way to finding the real facts.
Our definition of ‘success’ may be skewed in some views. Nathaniel, living on the streets for 30 years playing a two-string violin, may have had some pitfalls, sure, but seemed to find ultimate contentment in his music. Some would say when Steve came along, he helped Nathaniel realize a better lifestyle. Others would argue Nathaniel was pushed to unnecessary lengths that could put Nathaniel in greater distress than before. Steve learned his story and wanted to help him, but Nathaniel was reluctant. Were all of Steve’s actions justified? Nobody can answer the question for as of now what the best course of action would be in this case, but the humane instinct to help another would probably place most of us in Steve’s shoes, and would pursue his same interests.
It is not that we as a nation do not have the resources that are necessary to solve the problem, it is just the national mindset. Before anything can change, the outlook needs to change. The stereotype of the drunk hobo is much to rampant for the public opinion to ever change. The national mindset will never change in the land of capitalism enough to ever completely solve the “problem”. We will live with these people on our streets, hidden in the back alleys and away from the sprawling suburbs. The situation will never change unless the mindset of the most powerful and stubborn nation changes as well.
The Soloist was a beautiful story of a very entertaining and eccentric musician who wanted to share his passion. But, this was not a story of how to help the homeless. There is no way that there could be this amount of time and effort placed upon every homeless person in the United Sates. To really help the problem today, the national mindset must change; but that is nowhere in the near future that I can see. As of now, we need to focus on those who truly want to be helped, and not those who need months and months of prodding and prying just to get them inside an apartment.
jessica.lalum Reply:
March 3rd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
@sean.retmier, When you say “We need to focus on those who truly want to be helped, and not those who need months and months of prodding and prying just to get them inside an apartment” what are assumptions underlie your point of view? Is there anything you are taking for granted?
haakon.johnson Reply:
March 9th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
@sean.retmier,
I agree with your statement “As of now, we need to focus on those who truly want to be helped.” The Soloist represents a rare case with one caring individual(Lopez), and one difficult Schizophrenic man(Nathaniel). The sole reason for Nathaniel’s success is because Lopez truly cared for Nathaniel and was willing to spend countless hours on getting through to him. In the grand scheme of things, it is nearly impossible for a large organization, such as LAMP, to reach out to stubborn homeless individuals that are content with the street life. There are simply not enough individuals like Lopez in the world to help the homeless problem. In most cases, the homeless can only help themselves by being willing to accept guidelines and rules that apply with most free-housing organizations.
When you say “It is not that we as a nation do not have the resources that are necessary to solve the problem.” Indeed, our country does have the resources to help the homeless, but there are so many other issues that lie higher on our countries agenda. Such as a failing economy, the war in Iraq, the housing market etc., all of these crisis would be more urgent than the homeless issue. With a national debt of 10,944,337,682,981.48(treasurydirect.gov), our country cannot afford to improve the homeless problem. In my opinion, to truly help the homeless problem our economy needs to be running healthily. With a strong economy more jobs and more affordable housing will follow. In fact, the amount of homeless individuals in the U.S. could increase in the near future if the recession lingers on. President Obama makes this evident by stating, “The unemployment rate could reach double digits”(whitehouse.gov). The rising unemployment rate enables the amount of homeless to increase, but if the recession is stopped, consequently the amount of unemployed/homeless will decrease.
Surprisingly, not all homeless individuals are lazy and unemployed. The National Coalition for the Homeless made this evident, saying, “Declining wages, in turn, have put housing out of reach for many workers: a household would need more than one minimum wage worker to afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent” (nationalhomeless.org). This statement brings insight to the fact that there are many problems in our economy; if these problems are solved, the improvement of the homelessness issue will follow.
I am confused when you state, “Before anything can change, the outlook needs to change.” Do you mean that unless everyone becomes like Steve Lopez, and commits to helping a certain homeless individual that the problem will improve? If so, this would be a miracle. I agree when you say that most U.S citizens have a negative outlook on the homeless. Sadly, I doubt that citizens will reach out to the homeless as Lopez did in The Soloist as well. In my opinion, the only hope for improving the homeless rate in this country, is stabilizing the economy.
While most admired Lopez’s story and dedication to help Nathaniel’s well-being, there were some who criticized his columns and believed that he was taking advantage of Nathaniel to aid his reputation at the Times and elsewhere. Well, now the book has been released, the movie is in post-production, and Nathaniel’s story is out there for the world to hear. While some still argue the motivation behind it, there’s no question that Nathaniel Ayers has benefited from the situation. Steve Lopez has a set aside a portion of the royalties from the book for the support and benefit of Nathaniel, and, if it’s any consolation, the story has inspired this writer and many others to look past the previous media depictions of the homeless and into the real picture. Homeless people are still people, and stories like Nathaniel’s should be heard.
cari.simpson Reply:
March 5th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
@philip.taylor,
Phil-
I strongly agree that Nathanial benefitted from this quite a bit. However, if Steve was only helping Nathanial for his own benefit he would not have sacrificed time with his family, taken him to public events where he was sure to make a scene, and spending as much time and effort finding resources and other programs to assist Nathanial. While both of these men receive many blessings from the book and movie, countless others reap the benefits as well. Several of Nathanial’s real life friends were given roles in the movie which helped them be a part of something positive. Also, the general homeless population is receiving more attention due to the emotional value of the story and the impact it has on many who are able to help. Phil said it well, “Homeless people are still people, and stories like Nathanial’s should be heard.” It is through these stories that the public can be reached and will perhaps be inclined to do something to help the cause.
Furthermore, I would venture to say that anyone who thinks Steve was interested only for himself is skeptical of most people in general and did not read the story with a hopeful mindset. Almost all readers of this book were rooting for Nathanial’s success throughout. They were not fretting over the issue of Steve being selfish for longer than a minute or two if that. Very few people are affected by the issue of homelessness unless they have been exposed to it at an age in which they understood the issue and how they could help. The media is an extremely affective way to reach the public on a mass scale and appeal to their emotions in order to elicit an active response. Steve’s account of Nathanial’s life is touching and just the kind of story the public will be drawn to. It is a true account of an actual homeless man’s success and creates a sense of hope and responsibility.
Nathanial’s story is only one out of many, but it has equal impact on the general American public. Not all stories are as enlightening and positive as Nathanial’s, but they do all share a need for assistance and proper care. Thus, stories such as Nathanial’s raise awareness about the entire issue of homelessness and do so by being thrown into the media for all to view. Steve Lopez should not be chastised for writing this story, but respected and looked up to as a role model for others to be inspired to take action and publicize personal stories involving homeless people to elicit a positive movement that will start fixing the homeless issue.
philip.taylor Reply:
March 10th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
@cari.simpson,
I think you misinterpreted my statement. I completely agree with you. I said that some people think he did it for his own benefit, but I went on to say that a portion of the profits of the book went to Nathaniel and that it was good that Steve did what he did. I never made any arguments to support the idea that Steve did this for his own benefit.
Steve Lopez saw how he could impact someone’s life and did. Nathaniel was not just homeless there was much more to him that met the eye. This is because a person’s image can be deceiving. Not every homeless person is some drunk or veteran living in the streets, a good percentage of homeless are like every other person, just with a disadvantage in some way or another. “Being restrained and having a stranger take control over you is a terrifying, terrifying experience.”… “He is coming around in his own way, and it has to be that way. With us supporting him and earning his trust. Otherwise you could lose him forever (Lopez 135).” From being alone everyday of for years and then having some random person offering help, musical instruments, and a place to stay is hard to take it. It is hard to believe that something good is finally coming from something bad that there might be hope after all. Even though Nathaniel had a rough beginning it did not mean that it would end that way. Everyone has something they want out of life; some people just need a little help on getting what they want. Nathaniel was seen as a dirty homeless person who played a two string violin, but in reality he was a Julliard alumni that hit a bump in the road and needed someone to help him realize what is important in life and push him along the way.
Nathaniel is on the street unable to function in society do to his battle with the mental disease of schizophrenia. “Mental illness is a leading cause of homelessness”( http://homelessness) so Nathanial’s story is like so many of the homeless. He was once on his way to be a solo violinist but now finds himself living under a bridge due to his disease. Under the bridge, Nathaniel can play his two stringed violins in peace. He seems happy without a care in the world, contently playing beautiful music in his head. Lopez is a writer for the local paper, who discovers the violinist and decides to write a piece about Nathaniel. Lopez finds Nathanial’s story one filled with an amazing turn of events. Lopez, after hearing Nathaniel’s story wants to help him, but goes about it all wrong. Lopez uses his newly found friendship with Nathaniel to manipulate him in some ways to help him better his life or what he thinks would be bettering his life. Lopez fails to recognize that Nathaniel is happy living on the streets playing music for an audience of one. Lopez feels that Nathanial would be better off if he were recognized for his musical gifts, so he tries to get him to play in front of a large audience. Lopez fails to realize, that Nathaniel might not be ready for that sort of jump from living alone to playing in front of hundreds of people. Lopez needs to treat Nathaniel like what he is, his friend. He also fails to recognize that “The homeless are as diverse as the colors of a rainbow. The person you meet may be a battered women, an addicted veteran, someone who is lacking job skills…the list goes on.”( Rescue Missions) Lopez needs to recognize that things like recognition that are important to him in his life as a journalist, may not be to his friend, Nathanial.
geri.hall Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 9:22 am
@pierce.ware, Pierce in response to your blog, reguarding Nathaniel’s struggles with schizophrenia, I am a bit puzzled when you state that Nathaniel’s story was just like so many other homeless peoples. I am not clear on if what you mean is all homeless are schizophrenics or what you are saying is that all homeless were once on their way to becoming a solo violinist. I believe that just as not all people are the same, same goes for schizophrenia and the type of treatments that are used. True that some of the homeless may have a hidden talent within themselves and I’m sure that none of the homeless people had thought when they were smaller that one day they would end up homeless, that is just not a goal people tend strive for. Just like any others persons personal stories if you take the time to sit down or in Steve Lopez’s case stand in a tunnel, most likely you will find that almost everyone has an interesting story behind them. In the beginning Steve Lopez was purely interested in Nathaniel for his columns and in the end he had became his friend and that just may be the type of help Nathaniel may need. The fact that Steve Lopez had become Nathaniel friend was a step in the right direction for Nathaniel’s recovery. Majority of schizophrenics have a better chance of progressing with some sort of support in most cases it would be a family member or spouce but giving Nathaniel’s’ condition, being homeless a friend could just as easily take the place of a family member. Being that Nathaniel has a mental disablitly I think that it would be unfair to say that he is happy being out on the streets. Nathaniel may seem alright with being out in the streets day after day but I would think that he would be just as happy anywhere because as long as he is able to play his music he will remain happy.
@annie.kaune
You bring up a very good point about Steve exposing Nathaniel. I think over all that’s a big worry that Steve has, but in the long run it exposes homelessness altogether. It really opens the world’s eye to the homeless population. When I first read the book the first thing that I was thinking was this poor man’s life is just written out and placed in a paper all for a man to just have a good story, but I really looked behind that all and realized that Steve not only helped out Nathaniel but hopefully more homeless people. I think that through Steve’s articles people are becoming more aware of the homeless; people know they are there, but we aren’t so aware that they might have talents. I to agree with the fact that it should be the media’s responsibility to show the public what these homeless people are really going through. To show others what homeless people are living in, the filth and not having food. Most of us know that homeless people are hungry but I don’t think we really know how hungry they really are. I think that more people would try and help if they maybe saw it in the news because sometimes if it’s not placed right in front of someone it tends to be pushed away. We as a society need to make sure that the community is aware of the problems in our city. “Sometimes the media goes too far, but with homelessness in America, it doesn’t go far enough” (Kaune). This was a great saying and I have to agree with it, the media might focus on one homeless person that did a crime, but they don’t focus on the homeless that are just trying to survive. The media tends to just focus on all the bad things that happen and not how we need to help our community. I am not saying homelessness isn’t a bad thing it just needs to be addressed more. Instead of talking about people going to jail on the news to maybe talk about how many homeless people there are, and how many homeless families there are. I think we need to find solutions to getting children off the streets; they need to be the first concern, then the adults, because most of the time children can’t fend for themselves. In general we need to get people off the streets. The streets aren’t meant for people to live there they are meant to be walked on and driven on not for poor people that can’t afford housing.