Men Without Accounts

These are men who generally live on the streets (unhoused) and assist vendors in their work (with the exception of men who lay things out)

  • Men without accounts
    • DOORMEN: panhandlers outside banks and ATM machines
    • never explicitly ask for money
    • feel as though they are doing a service
    • polite and gracious
    • moved to written matter economy after Giulliani made this kind out work illegal
    • SPOT HOLDER (competition for good table locations)
      • cant maintain normal routine to have their own table
      • often addicts
      • think its degrading to look through trash
      • consider themselves versatile
      • consider begging an honest living-cant enter the formal economy
VARIOUS ROLES SHOW HOW THE FORMAL SYSTEM OF MENTORING IS PART OF A LARGER SYSTEM OF INFORMAL SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND SOCIAL CONTROL-MAKES THE SIDEWALK A SAFER PLACE.-OUTLET FOR MEN TO SUPPORT DRUG ADDICTION RATHER THAN STEALING OR SELLING DRUGS
    • Place Holder
      • informal system governs property rights on the street
      • may watch all night to ensure a coveted spot
    • Table Watchers
      • watch tables when vendors have to step away
      • watch a second table (not allowed two)
      • payment is often delayed, because they trust one another (may delay payment so they don't spend it on drugs)
      • gives him a place to sit for awhile
    • The Mover
      • move goods to where they can be stored
        • parking garage
        • subway
        • building they work at
    • The Storage Provider
      • provide places (above) where storage can be provided
    • Men That "Lay Shit Out"
      • sell whatever they can find illegally on the street
      • pose a perceived threat to written matter vendors because their misbehavior can lead to the police coming in and enforcing the letter of the law
      • incentive for vendors to SELF-REGULATE
      • always watching for police
      • people often walk down the sidewalk with goods, and have tabled vendors sell their stuff for a cut
      • some goods are stolen, but not most
      • make "some kind of money"
MEN FULFILL ECONOMIC ROLES THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR HABITS AND MEET THEIR EVERYDAY NEEDS WITHOUT ROBBING OR HURTING ANYONE

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