NBC News does a story on homelessness through the story of Marvin Bolton, a 61-year-old homeless man in New York. In the article, “Marvin’s World: Nine Lessons From Homeless Man’s Winter in NYC” Marvin gives us his own survival guide.

1. There is a day things finally catch up with you

2. You never sleep soundly

3. People will feed and clothe you

4. Still, you need to be charming

5. You can make money from other people’s garbage

6. You can get stuck in one place, even when you don’t have one

7. You can be locked up without walls

8. There is only so much your family can do

9. Here’s what you hold on to, even without a bedroom:

-Pride, a sense of Propriety & Hope

For Marvin, homelessness is a result of a character flaw. Marvin believes that it all it all began with drugs. He believes that his continued addiction has made it more difficult for him to be relieved of his homelessness. Marvin blames himself, rather than the societal obstacles that have made homeless to many, inevitable. While Marvin’s personal blame can be perceived as somewhat respectable to many, it is also not completely accurate. Other factors such as being born into poverty, being abandoned by his father, and unaffordable housing amongst other things are also responsible for Marvin’s homelessness. Homelessness is not a personal issue, but a societal, economic, and political problem.

Jarrett, Tracy. “Marvin’s World: Nine Lessons From Homeless Man’s Winter in NYC.” NBC News. N.p., 20 Mar. 2016. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/marvin-s-world-nine-lessons-homeless-man-s-winter-nyc-n537901>.