Brutus, I loved “The Glass Castle”. However, what you did not mention is that the author’s mother was, indeed, mentally ill. I’ve heard Jeanette Walls lecture about the book and she discusses this. The mother is now living with Jeanette and her husband in a trailer on their horse farm. Jeanette harbors no bitterness or ill will towards her mother which I find to be rather remarkable…to survive an abusive situation and still find compassion.
I think your comments about the homeless are insensitive. I’m no expert, but I believe many homeless people suffer from severe forms of mental illness, rather than “laziness” as you put it.
My understanding is that homelessness can be a vicious circle. Mental illness isolates people from any friends/family who might want to help, and then the lack of medical care/medication just exacerbates the situation.
I think we will see many more stories like this and, while it may not happen to YOU and your financially prudent self, you may find yourself with a friend or family member who is homeless. Will you then look at them and make snarky comments about their poor planning skills?
As we all know, many people in their 40s and 50s are in total DENIAL about the importance of retirement savings. During the boom, some of my friends and colleagues smugly referred to their homes as their “retirement account.”
As these folks approach their twilight years, with only Social Security (if it’s still around), they may be forced to live in their cars and share Alpo sandwiches with Fido, too. I think the “aftershocks” of the housing meltdown are only in their infancy…
