And yes, what about health care, what about being a woman and trying to find accomodation? Men just have no clue what it’s like to be a woman and wanting a safe place to sleep, something Ehrehreich explained in her book. A 60-year-old middle class journalist and a 20-something-year-old upper middle class guy are two very different people. It IS possible to rise up, but it gets harder if you have health problems, kids, massive debt due to either medical bills or buying a car or house. I’m sure all homeless shelters are family-friendly and offer second and third helpings to everyone. Not to mention health care and job placement. Scratch Beginnings pissed me off. And it really wasn’t well written–there were a few sentences that I have to read multiple times that still didn’t make sense. Thankfully, a lot of people think this experiment is flawed (it is) and that Shepard is a bit of a jerk (I saw a YouTube video and his attitude was a huge turn off.)
Ehrenreich moved around to different parts of the country to illustrate how difficult it is to find inexpensive, safe housing. Shepard purposely kept his experiment in the south so he could be closer to his family (he knew a family member had health problems, and when they got worse, he called it quits and went home.) How manh of us would like to do that, but can’t?

The approach that Shepard certainly has it’s problems…but I like the optimism he had, especially compared to Nickled & Dimed.

Ehrenreich was about 60 when she worked on Nickel and Dimed; Shepard was in his mid-20s.

Ehrenreich is a woman, Shepard is a man. How many middle-aged women do you see working as furniture movers?

Women in general have good reason to be concerned about finding a safe place to stay. And if the woman has kids, that need is increased. Would you be willing to live in a homeless shelter with your kids? I realize neither Ehrenreich nor Shepard had kids, but Ehrenreich’s point was to see if a woman coming off welfare could find a job to sustain her. Ehrenreich couldn’t and she didn’t even have any kids to worry about! I feel that this “rebuttal” by Shepard wasn’t fair. A young, healthy male can always find work faster than a middle-aged woman. And they will probably find better-paying work. I am making more per hour at a full-time job than I ever have. However, I am in a traditionally male-dominated profession (delivery/truck driving). It would have been more fair if Shepard was a middle-aged woman coming off welfare, but I doubt if we’ll see anybody trying to do that and write about it.

I always find good recommendations when I pop in here. Thanks!