Mobile phones and the BOP in Washington, DC
The Washington Post reports on how homeless people in Washington DC use mobile phone, blogs and e-mail to stay on top of things.
“Today, it’s not unusual for the homeless to whip out Nokia 6085 GoPhones (with optional Bluetooth and USB connectivity), stop at a public computer to check e-mail or urge friends to read their blogs.
It’s another sign of a society in transition by way of technology, as businesses shed physical addresses for cyberspace and homeless people can establish an online presence and chase opportunities digitally.”
At first I found this story slightly strange as one seems to think that in order to own a phone one would have to have a certain income and documentation – or maybe it just ‘looks’ strange that a homeless person has a cellphone as it conflicts with the image that we are used to see in newspapers and other media. On the other hand, after reading the article, I find it truly inspiring that there is something that the homeless can hold on to and that can provide some safety and structure (calendar, meetings etc.) to their everyday life. It is clearly due to the advancement of today’s technology and it also opens up some opportunities for those who can and will take them. It is a great start towards trying to peace together some of the pieces of their lives again.