Children Sleeping on Mulberry Street (Street street arabs in Sleeping Quarters). New York, NY, USA, c.1889.

These are "street arabs" a name labelled on the nomadic-(hence arab) street children of 19th century New York, abandoned and neglected in ways that would be illegal to do to a dog today. They are piled up sleeping over a grated vent seeking refuge from the frozen streets above.

This is a one of the multitude of photos taken by Austrian born photographer Jacob Riis and published in the book "How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York". An absolute classic and 1890 sensation.

If you have ever tried to sleep while leaning against a wall, in winter, you may have an idea how it would be to do that for days on end outside in the snow (not really). Chances are, That, you, reading this, right now. Means you are on this side of the "half" of the population. What does this mean?. That you have no idea how the people in your downtown city live. In abandoned buildings and shacks? That they live on less than R50 a week? I don't know (Me writing this means, i am on this side of the "half"). Jacob Riis blamed the apathy of the wealthy and rich (relatively and in comparison: means you) for the socioeconomic unlivable conditions. His empathy and exposure of the conditions, through images that were refused by newspaper publishers of the day for being too disturbing, made an impact over the next ten years as policies and conditions were improved for the area.

The reality at play here is that this is a continuing and inherent aspect of society especially a capitalist one. There have been relative and various improvements compared to then but in most places they are unable to keep up with inflation and other economic factors. The ensuing rise in crime rates, drunkenness and reckless behaviour are consequences of a lifestyle limited to a future of "how am I going to eat tonight". No ambition and self worth mutilation results in questions of "how can girls as young as fourteen sell themselves?" and "boys even younger having a kill or b killed mentality?". The idea that money is the root of all evil is a sad misconception that unfortunately blinds many, from the true powers at play. which are ourselves.

If you believe in change, then you have the potential to turn the wheels. Most people prefer to be ignorant to it and and even those who wish to know till their are numb to it all, are still ignorant as long as their on this side of the "half".

So what will we do (you and I) ? We will create awareness, knowledge and empathy within ourselves because the only cure we really need, is that for the disease of the mind. The rest will be a natural consequence of human nature.