this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2024
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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People frequently state the statistic about the number of empty houses and apartments versus the number of homeless.

There are 27.4 Empty Homes for Each Homeless Person in the U.S

Well, there's about a million times more empty parking spots versus people living in their car.

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[–] Carrolade 57 points 4 days ago (3 children)

... that's clever.

You'd need some sort of vetting process, I don't think companies would be interested in unvetted randos as part of their security. But if you could figure out a way to vet them inexpensively, that could potentially be marketable.

I suspect this thinking is part of what contributes to Walmart's historic friendliness to car campers.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Walmarts had historically been 24 hour stores, until covid came around. People who stay overnight in their parking lots are more likely to make purchases from the store.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I miss having the option late at night, but also 24 hour businesses create some pretty toxic trends. I'd like to see a few overnight-only businesses pop up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What toxic trends are those?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Mostly scheduling shit. There's always the "clopen" in retail, now imagine no close, there's bound to be bullshit shifts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Also the founder Sam Walton used to do a lot of long road trips when he was getting Wal Mart off the ground, and had warm feelings toward travelers.

[–] surewhynotlem 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

There's a reason that we don't let people be employed and their only payment is food and shelter.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Gotta protect those homeless people from being stuck in a predatory job that gives them food and shelter?

[–] surewhynotlem 1 points 2 days ago

Rephrased: let's incentivize homelessness so we can use them as de facto slaves because they won't make money so can't escape.

We tried that before. Corporate towns were hell. The minimum wage wasn't created because we are just so nice. It was to address a problem.

[–] jaybone 2 points 4 days ago

They will worry they will become campers. And then during the day it will look bad for employees or customers trying to park there.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 4 days ago

It's almost as if those huge parking lots are why people can't afford homes and why those companies need night security. Cities where people live close to stores and aren't surrounded by car infrastructure are safer and have cheaper homes.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 days ago

Except that, the primary reason the companies want night security is to keep away the homeless and randos, so this is the last thing they'd be doing

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Why though? They are already paying very little for security, would they pay less? If so, would it not lower the quality?

If they wanted to rent out (or even let people, out of the goodness of their heart) to use their parking lots they would have.

Imo it won’t work because security is already rather cheap so you’ll just attract people who would want to maybe do some stealing.

[–] homesweethomeMrL 2 points 4 days ago

That's brilliant.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

No way any insurance company ever underwrites this ever and that kills it’s scalability, let alone basic implementation immediately. Like yes we need to solve the housing crisis, but thinking that salvation has any chance of coming from “tech bros” is laughable at best and wildly dangerous at medium worse.

[–] booyahhhhhh 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No way any insurance company ever underwrites this ever and that kills it’s scalability, let alone basic implementation immediately. Like yes we need to solve the housing crisis, but thinking that salvation has any chance of coming from “tech bros” is laughable at best and wildly dangerous at medium worse.

Most large cities now have safe parking sites for people. Here's just one of many examples: https://safeparkingla.org/

How is that being done with insurance companies and liability? That's not a rhetorical question. I'd like you to answer it since you know so much about laws and insurance.

The showerthought requires a paradigm shift in thinking the same way renting out a room in your house or the whole house to stranger would seem weird pre-AirBnB.

Tech Bros invented AirBnB, and using your car as a taxi, and trusting strangers to handle your food.

You could have just replied, "I don't think it can be done" but you had to be nasty and write "laughable at best and wildly dangerous at medium worse".

[–] [email protected] -4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Are you actually trying to advocate that uber, lyft, and Airbnb have all been net positives for the working class? Yes I will absolutely say it again, trusting the idea that ‘tech bros’ are going to provide the answers to scoieties ills like homelessness and that Airbnb and uber are good examples of that happening is fucking laughable.

There’s a difference between non profit organizations establishing safe haven spaces for people living in their cars and a company that pays people to sleep in their lots and provide security instead of hiring actual security.

I don’t think it can be done, and thinking tech bros can solve shit is how we got Elon musk yall.

I'd like you to answer it since you know so much about laws and insurance.

Just as soon as you approve my rate sheet and put down a retainer.

[–] booyahhhhhh 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I am not going to debate all the little strawmen arguments you want to make.

I currently live in my car and life is a pain in the ass. I see a billion parking spots where I should be able to park and be safe and enjoy a quiet night but I cannot park there.

Nearly every church has enormous parking lots that are just empty at night. You can't park there either.

Fuck your naysaying pessimism! Fuck off I won't reply to you anymore, asshole!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 days ago

I genuinely hope you find somewhere safe to sleep tonight. And look into more of those safe havens you linked, or start organizing your community to develop one. I get that it’s easy to be pissed at me for shooting down something that smells a little hopeful. But I’m not who you should be mad at. You should be mad at the people who lied to you so you’d believe tech bros and business people can and will provide for those worst off in our society. Only community can provide that without a corrupted motivation and there are even places here on lemmy with resources that can help. I’m sorry I sparked what seems like something you’re passionately invested in. Again, I genuinely hope you find somewhere safe and permanent.