Slums, and slum living is often associated with social groups that have fallen through the cracks of what is seen as regular and normal living. Slums are typically thought of as areas of social despotism, violence, drugs, and unclean living. While in some instances certain elements of this rather uncouth list may reflect a degree of validity, this exploratory research began to immediately identify that many of these ‘typical’ associations of slum living couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, this research began to uncover that slums were often relatively safe places, areas of rich community, and above all zones of industry. This is not to suggest that because slums can be safe, communal, and industrious areas, that inequalities also are not as extreme as imagined. Rather it exacerbates the inequalities that slum people experience. The point is, that by recognising that slum areas are commercial, and industrious places suggests that slum existence is deeply rooted to social and political functions. The existence of slums and their inhabitants is not a result of personal failure, a lack of effort, or some form of individualism -as many of us are led to believe- but in actuality, a result of particular social conditions, and societal dysfunctions. The inequalities these people face are a product of a type of society that requires armies of skilled, and hardworking poor.

These places could be resolved if only a single billionaire gave their fortune to this task (imagine a billionaire saint); or if government taxes were reallocated in more humanitarian ways (imagine a government who cares for its people); or if the collectivity of the community worked in support of their members (imagine a community who worked always for one another). But no, these things do not change because those in positions of power that may manifest such resolutions seek instead to maintain the status quo. The globalist billionaires use the slums for cheap labour which has become the global experiment of China, India and many countries. The governments control social order through the fine balance of punishment and reward in the maintenance of public obedience. There are few punishments greater for an innocent person than the possibility of slum living. And the community, oh my, they look and see, and accept slums so in that contrast they may accept themselves.

These places exist because we want them to exist, and we are all responsible whether we realise it or not. We should remember the great ease that many enter these places, especially the young and innocent. A boy or girl may seek employment in the city with the nobel intention of supporting themselves and their family. They may stumble into the wrong street with a smile on their face. They may stumble into the wrong opportunity. Opportunities and streets that pre-exist them , which are designed specifically for them, and of which they have no prior knowledge. The Brahman says one’s karma sets his path, and I should not interfere. The Capitalist says ones effort sets one’s path, so I do not need to interfere. But here in the slums, I see good people of good will, of good nature and of good efforts.

I leave the following field note as an example of the hardworking industriousness of the suffering young. But remember, life does not need to be this way.

I walk into a plastic recycling factory to find several teenage boys working around a custom made plastic chipping machine. They stuff large plastic containers into the sharp teeth of the machine, barely centimeters from their unprotected hands. The room has a heavy fog of plastic chips, and an overwhelming smell of toxin that makes me feel like emptying the contents of my stomach. It’s so dark, my camera struggles to capture the scene. Temperatures are so high many of the boys work in their underclothes only. Their bodies are covered in plastic shards embedded into their naked flesh. I turn to one of the men asking, "How can they work here, I feel so ill already". He responds, "The boys who work in here, don't live very long"...We leave the room (Field Notes 2014).