While the Internet was freaking out about Kanye West saying he’s never read a book, many people missed out on West’s insightful thoughts about helping the homeless and being more considerate of one’s mental health. Here’s some highlights from his conversation on the Alo Mind Podcast:
“Everything should be designed like an old folk’s home.”
Three years ago, West helped open up a school that is focused on embracing change and creating an innovative experience for students. In the interview, West shares how he’s been focused on the design and function of the school’s building and classrooms. This has led West to believe that “everything should be designed like an old’s folk home,” including things like better functioning furniture and more accessible walkways. And it’s not just for the sake of innovation. “If we’re lucky we’ll all turn to old folks,” West says. “So why are we so selfishly designing while we’re in the position of power to determine what the world looks like and how it functions and not considering how it should be in the future?”
“The thing we need to give displaced and nomads… would be the same thing we would have for ourselves.”
West talks later about meeting with architects and designers to consider what they would want for their own lives and then encouraging them to make it for others. “The thing we need to give displaced and nomads — these are other words for homeless — would be the same thing we would have for ourselves.”
He then goes on to share his ideas for helping those in need by creating an environment that is functional, accessible and helpful. “Remove stairs, use ramps, create environments where people can lock the door from the inside to be able to go to sleep, have a modern Turkish bath type situation that has privacy so people can get clean, and have room temperature food shelters,” West says.
These ideas are not innovative but not in an unachievable way. West knows this and says he chooses to work with companies and brands who are not only willing to turn his ideas into reality but also have like-minded initiatives.
“[Shaming mental health] is the lowest form of discrimination.”
In addition to his ideas for creating a more livable world for everyone, West also shared that society has a lot to do to address the mental needs of society’s most vulnerable.
“People shame the concept of mental health,” West says. “It is the lowest form of discrimination.”
West’s mental health has been a major topic of conversation this year. Every time he turned to social media for a quick rant, comments would appear using West’s mental health either as an excuse for his behavior or as a reason he should seek medical help. West would sometimes acknowledge those comments but mostly held back his opinions, until now.
“It hurts as as a human being, of course. It still, like, hurts my feelings and it’s nothing I could do,” he says.
You can hear the full conversation with West here.
