In the words of Craig Willse, the author of The Value of Homelessness, “Today, rather than serve the economy by keeping labor happy, healthy, and alive, social programs serve the economy directly as part of the economy, as a social welfare industry” (Willse 46). In this way, he reasons, “surplus populations are not simply left to die, but in their slow deaths are managed by social service and social science industries” (48). In a sense, Willse is arguing that resources which supposedly ensure the wellbeing of people really have a stake in maintaining people’s vulnerability because they profit off of disorder in the economy. (For some reference, I would say that Willse’s argument is very reminiscent of Herbert Gans’ The Positive Functions of Poverty article.)
What do you all think of this? Is this too cynical of a perspective? Are there agencies that are free of this criticism that help the homeless out of pure altruism?
I see obvious parallels between this critique of homeless service agencies and entities that provide mental health support. Our university’s counseling center and Residence Life and Housing branch are both able to exist and profit from the existence of mental health disorders on our campus. Along with about 40 other CA’s and CD’s, I am paid about $ 5,000 as a CA to provide oversight in a dorm and refer students to resources if they need help. In no way am I denying the ways in which both entities help many people every year, I am just questioning if our counseling center and Residence Life and Housing maintain the mental instability of students at all for their own benefit. For example, is our university’s willingness to keep chronically depressed students at school when they are not being productive in class but still ensuring a regular presence in the counseling center best for the student?