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Originally written in December 2018, the outlook around homelessness really hasn't improved, with a societal polarity around helping others or helping themselves. I am revisiting this blog as I watch Bloomberg tv ooze excitement at the financial market response to a potential covid19 vaccine. The coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight firmly on the clash of economy versus emotion the world over. A balanced answer is surely something of a mixed approach, but the 'mix' will depend on who you speak to. Fundamentally, covid19 leaves the world reminded of how our own simple actions can positively help so many, if we choose to act that way.
A couple of days in London is always interesting. The journey down provided an underpinning start to the opaque reality of our country.
A phone call begins in the seat behind me, by an individual from, allegedly, a 'leading digital agency’. In fact, it suggests itself as THE agency in its field. As it happens, said agency has a relatively small twitter following, although, maybe I’m the one that’s wrong using such a measure to define leading, or maybe the digital/virtual/non-accountable world we operate in now simply allows the English language to be redefined for personal gain.
Back to the phone call. This escalates quickly into an expletive filled, volume increased, torrent. Referring to the recipient’s actions as idiocy and being ‘inches from the sack’, such an outburst caused an air of embarrassment to everyone else around simply going about their business, however, this ‘leader’ was oblivious. Whatever the actions of the person at the other end of the phone, they are working for an organisation that I wouldn’t want any association with, as employee, customer, supplier, or investor (I’ll come back to that). I was starting to suspect that my analysis, based on twitter following was right, and that they needed to go back to the dictionary and check the definition of leading, in more ways than one.
Towards the end of the journey, the train manager checked tickets. It became obvious that she had settled into the seat opposite this individual, and their colleague — always a sign there may be a payment due. In summary, they couldn’t produce their railcard, but I’d certainly recommend an acting career, as the feigning of misunderstanding was the only authentic thing in this whole performance.
As the train manager left the carriage, rather than suck up the £100 it had cost due to non-production of said railcard, they debated with each other the fact that this country doesn’t allow any scams — such that they had used a Two Together railcard when booking, only the other passenger wasn’t the other half of the ‘two’ — disgruntlement at rules — that may be one view — the alternative view is simply, fraud. Is that what customers and staff at a 'leading digital agency' expect?
So, how do I know of this leading agency? Well, I’m no tech geek, and I’d expect them to be ahead of the game on this one. A quick check of available hotspots via my phone gave me a name. A social media search gave me a profile, with a matching picture of the non-swearing fellow passenger. Proclamations in their bio about the company, and a link to the website. And there you have it.
Now, I’m not an employee — thankfully. I’m not a customer. I’m not a supplier. I’m not an investor. If I had been any of these, that would have been ending. On what grounds? Values completely misaligned to my own. A willingness to defraud. And finally, being amongst a group of people that still can’t keep their mouths shut on public transport!
On the same trip to London, I captured the image attached to this blog. We can choose to live life through whatever prism we want. This is the Royal Exchange building in the City, surrounded by the wealth of the financial district. Inside, was a very festive Fortnum & Mason Christmas experience — decadence of food, drink and gifts. Had I turned around 180 degrees and captured the shot down the steps, it would have been of a woman sheltering in the doorway to the underground from a cold, wet London afternoon — my human nature protected her dignity. Like many cities, wealth rubs shoulders all too uncomfortably with the horrors being experienced by our fellow human beings. The inequity of London brings the polarisation of our society into sharp focus. It all depends what we choose to see and which we believe to be the authentic image. I suggest we need to choose our discomfort — are we going to feel uncomfortable choosing the eye level of those in need or maintain the discomfort of seeing the twinkling Christmas lights as a veneer across a very different place.
The media's disturbing obsession with making sure everyone gets a great Christmas, despite covid19, is hugely upsetting. Virus or no virus, our homeless friends will still be homeless, and the overarching impact of the virus will likely see these communities grow. Christmas 2020 will be different, but what about Christmas 2021 and beyond, once a vaccine is in place, and covid19 is consigned to the 'remember the year when.....' conversations.
If we simply think about making sure EVERYONE has the opportunity to live their best life, not simply financiers achieving investment goals, or high street tills ringing like Christmas carols, but every human being having the opportunity, right now. By reading this, you already have an advantage, in that you are literate, and have IT connectivity. So, what will you do with that? In the present, say to yourself, how can I help? Do you want to walk on by and let train travellers proudly enact their scams while, elsewhere, citizens are sleeping outside tonight? Be present, and think, how can I help?
As it grows the Performance of Your Life website (www.performanceofyourlife.co.uk) will grow with suggestions and contacts where you can reach out and really make a difference, possibly without even leaving your office.
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