Editors note

By Tim Covi

Like so many Americans, she was trying to construct a life that made sense from things she found in gift shops.

—Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughter House Five

With the holiday season approaching, we wanted to talk about the idea of necessity. It seems like a good time to have this conversation, sobering as it might be.

So many of us celebrate the upcoming holidays in different ways, from the wild abandon of black Friday hyper-gift buying, to people giving their time or money to soup kitchens and shelters, to quiet contemplation or religious devotion. We all have priorities, and what we call “need” seems to operate on a sliding scale based on the economy and our beliefs.

Without getting too deeply philosophical, we decided we’d explore what people think of as necessary from the few vantage points we could fit in these pages. Kristin Pazulski and Patrick Naylis look at why some people experiencing homelessness might put money towards a phone before anything else. They turn an eye toward smartphone technology to look at how general consumers convince ourselves we need iPhones and Androids for socializing, business or being able to find yourself on a map in a snowstorm. One can’t help but walk away from this story thinking that the psychology of need is so much about what we want.

From a different turn, Tom deMers gives us an ominous warning about the spellbinding technology we surround ourselves with, and the need to balance our individual wants and desires with the common good. Quoting that “we are the tools of our tools,” Tom takes us from the story of Cain and Abel to the story of Katie Beckett, a young girl who was severely disabled and was obliged to live at a hospital because of Medicaid rules (read more on page 6).

Last, we turn toward religion. For centuries Muslim’s have flocked to Mecca for prayer during the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage required by all who are able to attend. For centuries this has been a humble procession. But in recent years, the streets around the Kaaba have been lined with high-rise hotels catering to every interest of the wealthiest Muslim pilgrims. In a few short decades, controversy has arisen as Mecca has gone from humble roots to a resort-style strip of swank accommodations that some people say are needed to allow more visitors to participate.

In the midst of all this deep thought, we tossed in an ironic little consumer’s guide. Since so much of what we call “need” really bleeds over into “want,” we decided it was a good time to put together a unique, Denver-centric holiday Buyer’s Guide—a gift guide that focuses on local artisans and shops for your holiday fancy. Our vendors need to sell papers to survive. There’s no grey area and no question there. And we figured this was as good a way to get your attention as any. Buy a Buyer’s Guide. Support a vendor. Do your holiday shopping. Support the local economy, from the streets to the shops that line them. If you’re going to buy you might as well do it this way. It’s win-win.   •

Editor's Note

By Tim Covi

A couple of months back the International Network of Street Papers (INSP) held its annual conference in Melbourne, Australia. The theme of the conference was “Global Collaboration, Real Solutions.” Although the conference largely focused on how street papers could collaborate more, the theme made me think about an initiative that the INSP has been working on for some time—getting world governments, large and small, to fully embrace street papers.

“All of our 108 members are social enterprises,” says Serge Lareault, chairperson of the INSP, “providing employment and consequently transforming the lives of many thousands of disadvantaged people across the globe. Simultaneously we engage millions of readers in issues that are too important to be ignored.” The nature of street papers makes them a great asset to any community.

Reflecting on it, I’m amazed that in the U.S. street papers haven’t been included as an element of 10-year-plans to end homelessness, if not embraced by local governments. These plans, which have been created with varying degrees of success in more than 300 communities in the U.S., outline methods to dramatically reduce homelessness and alleviate its impact on the entire community.

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