And “where have all the flowers gone?”
“Where have all the young men gone? Soldiers everyone… when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?” One of the classic hits by Peter, Paul, and Mary. My question to you is, what has happened to backpacks in this country? Backpacks have morphed and evolved and morphed again. But have you ever stopped to consider who’s mostly using backpacks these days?

Backpacks gained popularity among school-aged kids in the 1960s
But with a caveat. Thirty years went by before backpacks really became mainstream. The backpack market worldwide is now a $20 billion dollar industry! With approximately half of that spent in the United States. Who’s buying all these $150 to $200 backpacks? The reason I’m asking I see more and more homeless looking folks wandering around with backpacks strapped to their backs these days. In fact, when I see someone with a backpack that’s not obviously a school student, [unless they’re studying for a doctorate not in personal hygiene], they look like they could use a bath, looks like maybe it’s been awhile since they showered? This goes for both adult men and women wearing backpacks. I just spotted a lady wearing a backpack a couple weeks ago and did a double take because she was female walking around a busy retail area in my city. She looked kind of rough, like people look who don’t shower regularly but wear backpacks(?), you know the kind. I’m thinking maybe these backpacks are now serving as little tiny mobile homes. If all the shit that we own [for some of us] can fit inside something we’re able to carry on our back while we roam around rummaging for food and shelter then maybe that’s one advantage of being homeless? This is weird, this is different. These folks are different, but they can cover a lot of ground! It’s not unheard of for some people to live out of their cars. Instead, these are folks that never have to worry about where to even park a car, or fill a gas tank, or even charge a battery. They are free to wander, have backpack will travel I guess.

Metamorphosis-sis-sis
We are witnessing a metamorphosis here. Like all their stuff – everything these [particular] urbanites own is tucked inside a pack on their back full of little compartments that zip, button up, or remain open. Not an attractive way to go through life, in my mind anyway. So where have all the backpacks gone(?) is a good question… surprisingly, it appears as if they’re going to those that don’t have a home to sleep in nor a college course to enroll in?

Fact: I read where there are charitable people/organizations across the United States that have been dispensing backpacks to the homeless for years now. Backpacks for the homeless are filled with personal items for hygiene, warmth, and safety. The demand and popularity for carrying a backpack has increased in part due to these outreach efforts by concerned citizens. The homeless populations of some states like California have greatly increased over the years. However, the root cause of homelessness, mental illness being the largest contributing factor, continues to be ignored. Still, there are others that have suffered a series of setbacks enough to land themselves homeless. We should all be sensitive to those that find themselves in this predicament in life.