Scratch Beginnings by Adam Shepard

[UltraProle21]

this guy is a winner.

most liberal entitlement crybabies think they deserve to be handed a great house, a great car, full benefits, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments just for getting a meaningless art history degree.

[zoe745]

i have read the preview on the site so far. it looks rather interesting, i like stories that show the exact thought of the moment. i'm going to try and get the book.

[7manifest1]

I still think poverty begins and ends with a mindset. People are more powerful than they know....you are what you think you are; What do you think you are?

[7manifest1]

I have four kids and I'm fifty, but that isn't the comparison to make. I have three boys, 20, 17 and 15 yrs., and I definitely want them to be aware of this!! Why do these kids think they should all be upper middle class with everything handed to them? Because that's all you can find on the TV., that or successful criminals. How sad is that?

[lazy24zzz]

@tom91775 You are right! A lot of people that end up homeless aren't lazy, they lost hope due to many real life problems. By the time they end up homeless, they had went through many slammed doors. For example many of them have kids to support and have to deal with the debt they have accumulated. This kid started essentially on a clean slate, without any debt or real holdbacks. I can go on and on, failed businesses, etc... Optimism is very hard to gain after being shut so many times.

[songstressriri]

That is the kick in the ___ that I needed. I definetly have to read the book. I could use new inspiration, daily really. I believe so many of us need this type of wake up call lately.

[messi0mighty]

It was SUCH a relief to read his book after Nickel and Dimed. I wish Scratch Beginnings was the required AP English reading at my high school, instead of Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed. It would do the school so much better. I can't believe Barbara Enrenreich has more support than Adam Shepard. Just thinking about her book makes my blook boil. And he's pretty much my hero :)

[dutytocareforothers]

I believe Adam is a shill for corporatism and conservativism. He is deliberately trying to make it seem that those who are out of work have bad character and low class. It's very unfair and inaccurate.

[bloomingrosevine]

I love this book, but I agree - it is much, much easier with the advantages he had: single and educated, and healthy primarily. Still, the book describes how he turned things around in his own personal fate with his attitude, and I think it is quite valuable. Also, a good discussion about poverty at the end of the book.

[wingedproportion555]

Obviously you didn't read my post Tom. I said HE IS THE OTHER 50% OF HOMELESSNESS. Can you understand that now? And an outside point of view when reviewing a book is worth nothing. I could write what I think the book is about, but really that opinion tells nothing about the book or what it entails. Obviously you can read the book AND have worked closely with the homeless lifestyle in real life. It isn't always one or the other Tom...

[81geek]

Wow. A single white guy with no kids. If he had some actual life barriers like real people do, this would be at least somewhat honest. The story of the struggle of the black American single mother of two would have inspired me, but as a single white male myself- I'm not impressed. Maybe try facing some real challenges next time?

[TarHeelBlue11]

get off the kid's back...he did something not many people would do: give up his comfortable lifestyle to pursue a much more challenging lifestyle that many people feel trapped in. His purpose wasn't to condemn people on the bottom, but to encourage and motivate all the complacent people that come from all manners of backgrounds

[EnigmaEternity]

Way too much optimism here. The human race won't make it past this millennium.

We humans are selfish, petty, arrogant and vindictive and our benevolent, altruistic side will always be suppressed in order to quench our carnal needs.

It is imperative that our species truly evolve in our everyday psyche to allow our magnanimous attributes to finally trump our malignant ones.

Whether it's through learning or natural progression in our evolution, we have to get there before we nuke ourselves.

[wingedproportion555]

It seems you have not read the book. The friends that he made in homelessness, the stories he recollects, obviously he is the other 50% of homeless people living in America today. And if you have not lived in this way before, you can not say that it could not be this way, of being secure after one year. In many cases, it is easier or the same difficulty. What many people miss is the will to accomplish it.

[hannah4peace]

i wonder what would happen these days?

[superpete24]

Same thing. It doesn't matter the circumstance...only the attitude.

Out of the Great Depression came the Greatest Generation. Why? Because some people chose to take control of their own destinies, while other people were jumping out of windows.

[superpete24]

The description at the top right is PRECISELY what this book is about. The next generation is greedy, me-first, and obsessed with consumption. SCRATCH BEGINNINGS goes back to the fundamental character traits that have made our country so great in the first place.

Some people, though, will continue to make excuses no matter what hand they are dealt. Others go out and make a difference in their lives.

I feel bad for your children, Tom. I hope you aren't passing your attitude along to them.

[superpete24]

That is not at all what this experiment suggests. READ THE BOOK and you'll understand.

[WillyRiot]

Fuck off, whitebread!

[superpete24]

Adam Shepard takes action. You and I post comments on YouTube.

[kcuskcid]

kcuskcid kills bugs for money. then he trolls on youtube. its a beautiful life pete.

[telesniper2]

Uh, you do realize the premise of his experiment is was to take $25 and to start in a HOMELESS SHELTER, and not to use his college degree to get any employment, right? Or are you just ignorantly shooting off at the mouth?

[estupido7490]

This video only has 5000 views? That's it?! Dude my grandmother and I just finished the book and we loved it. I can't believe no one has even heard of it, it almost makes me mad.

[mpyne]

Im supposed to be impressed with this?

Wow he went to a city by himself and got a job? thats easy, lets see him buy a house and get married and raise a family on his salary

I would be impressed if he lost his job had a family to support and a mortgage to pay and move to another city to support them and could support them on his $8 a hour job .

I could of written a book too, its called join the miliitary. you get housing, food, money, and job training.

Or even if he brought his girl

[superpete24]

And that's exactly his point...that those stories are being lived every day by millions of people. His is just one story representing many.

[EuphemiseThis]

So that's another carreer route right there. My uncle made his carreer in the military and got to see the world, not to mention meet his wife, who also made her carreer out of the military. My cousin is doing the same.

and this idea that everyone needs to own their own home is part of the problem. These single parents of 3 working at walmart that now need us to pay their mortgages are not above renting an apartment or even living in subsidized apartments.

[wingedproportion555]

That's IF you want to join the military, so I really don't see where you're coming from. And you have to have some background to join the military, not anyone can join. And to own your own home is the dream of anyone living in America. Maybe they are not above living with rent because they can't go above it. They would rather own their own house though. Stop being foolish.

[superpete24]

Fair enough. But that isn't the story that Shepard has written. He has written merely one representation of a story that has been lived a million times over in this country. You can't tell Hispanic immigrants (who don't even speak our language) how hard it is. Some people appreciate what they've been given; others don't. It's much more about attitude, and much less about one's circumstance. My recommendation is to READ THE BOOK and then pass judgment. You'll get it then. :)

[superpete24]

CLEARLY you haven't taken the time to read the book. You got it all wrong, buddy.

If you want it, you can get it. America provides that opportunity. If you don't want it, America provides more than enough freedom and opportunity to fail. It's YOUR CHOICE.

[shotirf]

Adam you are a fresh wind for America_ I hope you make it to OPRAH... I am going to get your book and I will read it.

[stegre]

why the long face?

[boosted22g]

Go Adam, I see you have the Southeast Raleigh Bulldogs jacket with ya. !!

[currenttt]

i just read it and it was great, i didnt put it down.

[ContactSou]

Well done this seems like an interesting project and I intend to pick up your book in the next couple of days. That being said, I will go into this with knowledge of a few things that you seem to have forgotten when you went into this: you are white, good looking, articulate, and educated (whether people know it or not). These are all large advantages. That being said, well done it's good to know this is possible.

[FaceFactNotMyths]

After hearing about how hard it was for men to find work after going to prison, Devah Pager sent a pair of college men to apply for jobs (EXACT SAME RESUMES). Team 1 African American. Team 2 White. On each team, one of the men said to have served 18 months in prison. Results of call back rates by Ethics and Criminal record:

Whites no record:34

Whites with records:17

AA no record:14

AA with record:5

Why did more white men with a record got called back than African American with no records?

[Humanimalist]

Check the crime statistics at the FBI website to find out, idiot.

[shotirf]

Yea it's filling up wlth all the Bankers and Investors... Whee the CEO's! I bet they are all White People.. Hmmmmmmm! Imagine that!

[Humanimalist]

Jews actually. Bernie Madoff much?

[yak6ex]

because blacks are too dumb to start their own businesses. Their too busy begging whitey to hire them.

[golight]

Go into politics....you dont need any skills other than a line of BS,you dont need to be a U.S. citizen,as proven by OhBummer.Become a polished liar & you too could be the POTUS!

[grooveypants30]

What?

Everything you said was stupid.

[wisconsinskater09]

thank you god all thease other faggots suck

[shotirf]

I want to say you must be mad at your Mother..._ but then I would be as stupid as you! I bet your head is slick bald!

[chrispolk76]

I heard this guy on the Dave Ramsey Show. Great story! I'm just upset that he beat me to it!

[BAMproductionsYO]

i read it i loved it i met him hes awesome.

:]

[astroglide69]

Thanks for the info. shows that you can make it in the USA. Love to see more of U.

[haretre]

rippy sucks

[haretre]

rippy is a piece of dirt

[haretre]

rippy is a piece of dirt