Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 5:02PM | 8 Comments tagged Alex Bogusky | in Consumer Power, Design, Marketing, Well-Being
Alex Bogusky | in Consumer Power, Design, Marketing, Well-Being Cardboard Wisdom
For years I’ve been fascinated with the cardboard signs that you see people holding at intersections all across America. We all are completely fluent in this form of communication but we rarely think about it. This ongoing dialogue through windshields across the country between those that have slipped through the cracks and those that are still hanging on. I can’t help but wonder, why does that sign say what it does? Why do the same themes and sometimes the exact same words show up on signs a thousand miles apart? Do the signs that work best spread as memes?
I had so many questions about the signs but they were fundamentally connected to questions about my own giving. Sometimes I did. Sometimes I didn’t. And I didn’t know why. I’d certainly heard that if you give that “they” will just spend it on drugs or alcohol. So somehow it’s kinder not to give. My wife would only give food. I always liked that. But I’ve paid lots of employees that spent their money on alcohol and drugs. Too much sometimes. But we didn’t decide not to pay them because of how they chose to spend their money.
When you’re living on the street the effectiveness of your communication matters. Here in Boulder I began to notice signs that were creative and sometimes funny. Was this something new? Was it effective? I decided that as a fan of creativity I would buy the signs that moved me. It would be how I decided to give or not. So I stashed extra cardboard and markers in my car (because I felt that people would need to replace their sign) and started collecting.
To buy a sign takes time and some explanation so I usually park someplace and walk over to say hello and introduce my insane collection and my appreciation of their sign. You always learn a lot talking to people and this is no different. The first thing I learned is food is good but money is good too. People need to eat but they can’t turn a sandwich into a new pair of boots or gloves. The second thing I learned is that the shelter isn’t a place many homeless want to be. They get sick there and their things get stolen. Shelters are needed and I support them, but they aren’t the solution for everybody. The third thing I learned is that there are no two situations alike and the idea that everybody living on the streets is there because they have mental or substance problems is a myth. The final thing I learned for myself is that the myths that encourage us to be less generous have a cost greater than we realize.
I found that I give more often now and not always through buying a sign. And although I know I can’t micro manage how that money I give will be spent, the spirit of generosity ripples out from that moment. It spills into our shared consciousness in some small way and makes more of the same. At least that’s my hope. After all, it might have been a lack of generosity that put that person on the street in the first place.
By Alex Bogusky
Editor's Note: Check out some t-shirts we've made inspired by a couple signs we liked. The shirts are screen printed locally in Boulder, Colorado and a portion of the proceeds are donated to the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 5:02PM | 8 Comments
Reader Comments (8)
What a great idea. Unfortunately it can be easy for us to start tuning out people we see (but don't really see) on the sidewalk. Thanks for the post, it changed how I'll view these signs in the future.
Hey Alex,
What a beautiful way to help people who truly need it! Not only do you take the time to help them but you also take a genuine interest in them and their stories. And we all know how important it is to have someone truly listen. BRAVO!
Sincerely,
Rob
Hey Alex, this post reminded me of an idea that I've been debating launching. In San Francisco, where I live, there's a pretty large homeless population. And although I give money to homeless people sometimes, there a lot of times when I don't give. I've tried to understand my reasoning for choosing not to give and the one I usually come back to is that I don't know where the money will go.
The idea I had that begins to overcome this is called "What I Really Need". The foundation would give homeless people "What I Really Need"–verified signs (that would have logos and look official) to hold where they can write what the really need (e.g., interview clothes, an apartment for a month, food for a week, etc.). The headquarters of the foundation would work with homeless folks and give them their very official-looking verified sign with a number. So when someone who sees the sign and wants to donate, they can go to the What I Really Need website, type in the sign number and make a donation. Headquarters would make sure all dollars go to fill that need.
Not sure if it's viable quite yet but it could be interesting.
Tony
Tony,
What a brilliant idea! I'd love to get involved with the "What I Really Need" project because each person who's looking for work needs a professional headshot for their online presence as well as their personal use. Please let me know what I can do to help.
Rob
I love the spirit of this post, Alex, it really struck a chord with me. I think from time to time, it's safe to assume that the fortunate people in society (or, the "haves") look at the "have nots" and wonder if the help that is given, be it monetary or otherwise, is going to good use.
A little story of this question in action: I moved to Los Angeles from Ohio in December of 2010, and I've been volunteering weekly with a group called the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition since February. We serve the homeless and hungry every day of the year thanks to donated food, and to the time donated from volunteers. Since there are over 90,000 homeless people in and around Los Angeles, we are only able to help around 200 to 250 per night since we're only one location now, but each one of those people gets a tasty, hot meal that's more than just a sandwich. You'd be amazed at what a good meal, once a day even, does for the morale of people. The donated food comes from anywhere, too: extra catering from business meetings, from the food tents at events or on set, etc, it's really amazing.
My point of the story is that the only thing that people need to do to help is get out of their own way. Your unique way of donating money is wonderful, in my opinion. Some people just give their spare change. Some people, like your wife, give food. The hurdle that most people have to get over though, is that they need to stop thinking about doing it, and just do it. Whether they spend a couple hours a week volunteering, or make a donation to a charity of their choice, or about a million different options - the option to help is just a "yes" away. Life is short, and some of these homeless and hungry who have "fallen through the cracks" might have done so because they were laid off due to the economy, or they had a loved one who passed away who was supporting them in their old age, or a flurry of other reasons that truly could happen to any of us. There are so many ways to help other people, and I feel like we all just need to get out of our own ways sometimes and just "DO" instead of thinking about doing.
A general, overall comment is that in my opinion, we should all donate however we can, and we need to just have the faith in our fellow men and women that at some point down the line, good will come of it.
I could ramble on for hours on this subject, so I appreciate the opportunity to comment accordingly. I love what you're doing with the Fearless movement, and I'm excited to be learning and growing along with it. Thanks for what you do.
Love is all that's real.
Blessings~
This is a delightful little tickle on the belly of the Beast that needs taming.
It's a wonderful, right-here, right-now action.
May it spread meme-fast and deep.
I always like: "Need money to buy boots with straps so I can try to...you know."
Hi Alex. I've been collecting signs from the homeless for about four years now. I always pay $10 and always enjoy the conversation that I have with the artist while I am explaining that I want to purchase the signs. The originals are the art that hang in the waiting room to my agency. We've been making t-shirts of the best examples for a while now. Mostly we give the shirts away. Last year they were the Christmas present from our agency. I'm in Boulder next week to stop by and visit Lance Gentry (he's been a friend for years). Let me know if you want to meet up and I'll share with you some pix of my favs in the collection.
My final thought is a story. Right after I bought my very first sign, I was walking back down Post street to my hotel in downtown SF. I'm holding the sign down by my side like you and I would hold a brief case just standing on a corner waiting for the light to change when someone makes a comment about "bums commuting to work". I laughed because it was funny then explained who I was, what I had done and why. It was an interesting moment when some folks saw others in a different light.