Middle Class and Homeless | David Raether | TEDxAmherst
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2015-08-05に共有
Raether spent twelve years as a TV comedy writer, including a 111-episode stint on the ground-breaking "Roseanne." He had a house in a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles and a large happy family. In 2001, he stepped away from television to spend more time with his family. When he attempted to return two years later, the industry had changed and he was unable to find work. He ended up homeless. He chronicled the breakup of his family and his descent into homelessness in the ensuing years in a memoir, "Tell Me Something, She Said" and an essay, "What It's Like to Fail", which brought him global recognition. His story has been featured in the Times of London and other media outlets in Europe.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
コメント (21)
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I lost my business in 2009. I went on the road for work and found work 250 miles from home. I lived in a camper to save money to send back to my wife. I did this for 11 months.We survived but it was devastating to have to live in another state alone after raising a family and being married for 20 years (at the time) Now 10 years later we will celebrate 30 years of marriage, our kids are doing well and we bought a piece of land where we are building our dream home. Well, actually I'm building it myself "debt-free". The experience taught me a lesson. The only way to freedom, security and happiness is to have a place of sanctuary. We rented our whole lives. If you rent or have borrowed money to buy a house that is overpriced you are one paycheck from homelessness. When you lose everything (and survive) it gives you strength to endure anything. You can't scare someone who's lost everything. Self Reliance is the key to salvation. You'd be surprised what you can endure and it makes you stronger. Real skills and the knowledge that you've survived worse gives you power over the situation. It always turns around, always. Never, ever give up.
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I really appreciate having a roof over my head.
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The sad thing is more and more of us are getting nearer and nearer to being homelessness.
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This was a lot to take in. I'm homeless. I'm literally doing everything I can for my family. thankful for God and everything He gives me
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One of the most real talks I have ever heard about what it is really like to be hidden homeless
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Very true. Hunger will slowly wear you down mentally. The cold nights are the worst. Thankful to have a truck.
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We live in a culture that celebrates judgement & intolerance yet is mostly devoid of compassion. Unless you yourself have ever been in a situation where your lifestyle was based upon a particular livelihood and then watched helplessly as that livelihood completely evaporated, it might be unfathomable as to how someone making so much money could end up so destitute. But as my wife Lisa states so eloquently, "True compassion is understanding that darkness is darkness, without judging the circumstances that turned out the light." It takes a tremendous amount of courage to share a story like this.
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lm in 😢 because lve been there and it extremely painful and totally devastating and u just want the pain to go away.
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how powerful. I live in LA and underneath its bridges is the real people.
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If it wasn’t for my Teamster /UPS Pension and SS ,I’d be homeless . I didn’t save enough!
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Thank you David for sharing your feelings during this extremely difficult experience. I learned from you. I'd love to hear how you turned it all around.
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I so enjoyed this talk. Thank you.....stuff can be replaced and not your family.
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You can tell this was hard to re live even before he started to cry. It is NOT shameful to be poor, it IS shameful to be rich and look down on poor people. It IS shameful to be wealthy and not help others.
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breath taking story, thank you for this Talk!
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There are a variety of middle class homeless lifestyles, some by choice, some not. Living in a vehicle, having a post office box, & a gym membership to bathe is one. People used to be able to travel the nation by Ameripass on Greyhound buses and sleep on the buses by night and tour or job hunt by day. As long as the homeless person has $100/month from unemployment, disability, retirement, welfare, work, or begging, he or she can have a post office box, a gym membership to bathe, and a 5x5 storage locker to keep clean clothes. With that, you will never be able to tell they are homeless, if they don't tell you. Many will sleep during the day and walk around at night. Once they lose job references, they may never be able to work again. The drug addict or alcoholic homeless person is only the tip of the iceberg of the 800,000+ American citizen homeless. Among the college crowd, young people hide their friends by moving them around as overnight guests in dorms. At least one very famous university locks its library doors at night, letting its own homeless students sleep safeky overnight on the library sofas. Possessing a valid student ID is required.
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thank you for telling your story!
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Thank You for sharing !
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Great Story Blessings to you thank you for sharing.
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You said what i had hidden for a while.. Thank you for mentioning not only your story.all homeless people.
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Thank you for sharing your story. There are so many of us who for a myriad of reasons "lost it all." I am you. You are not alone although we feel we are when we're in that devastating place. Blessings, Love and Gratitude to You My Friend 🙏❤🌟
