Righteous Dopefiend Analysis

Han Wei
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Matthew C. Watson
27th April 2017

In the 1980s, the social crisis of homelessness has prevailed in the United States. As the homeless population climbed rapidly, the public-health problem was concerned. In Philippe Bourgois and Jeff Schonberg’s photo-ethnography, “Righteous Dopefiend,” these two anthropologists followed the daily lives of several heroin addicts living under Edgewater Boulevard, a homeless community in San Francisco for over 10 years. Through the unbiased, documentary-style of research on this homeless community, we see a community based on individuals’ shared culture of drug addiction and homelessness though these individuals have different ethnic backgrounds. In addition, Philippe
Most individuals in Edgewater community spontaneously support the moral economy system due to the fear of the dopesickness and the extreme discomfort caused by heroin withdrawal. Many heroin addicts are afraid of being “dopesick”. Within hours of being off the drug, withdrawal symptoms creep up and the pain causes anxiety and agony. “Every five to eight hours, ... the nose drips, bowels burst, eyes burn, skin itches and bones ache. ”(Bourgois and Schonberg 81). Most addicts are not able to raise enough money to pay for a bag of heroin alone before beginning to feel withdrawal symptoms. Thus, people pool money to buy a bag of heroin and all participants receive an amount proportional to the money they contributed to prevent the pain resulting from withdrawal symptoms. One must assume the obligation of repayment if he or she is given more than his or her fair share. On the other hand, individuals with generous reputations will be reciprocated when they face the withdrawal symptoms. “The best protection from withdrawal symptoms is to maintain a generous reputation, because everyone is eager to help someone who will
The sharing doesn’t stop even when the price of bags drops threefold. It is the glue of social life, serving as the basis for sense of community, sociality and companionship. “The sense of community and mutual obligation among network members offers some insurance against dopesickness” (Bourgois and Schonberg 83). If one inject alone too frequently and refuse to pool money to buy heroin, he or she will be accused of being selfish and will be socially isolated from other members of this community. For example, moral economy builds the cross-ethnic solidarity between Hank and Sonny. Hank helps Sonny in injecting him in the neck to make him feel more intense pleasure of the initial rush of a heroin high. Sonny reciprocates by offering Hank the residue of his cotton, saving him from the agony of early-morning heroin withdrawal symptoms. The moral economy offers them the insurance against dopesickness and heroin withdrawal. In another example, the companionship that develops through moral economy soothes Tina and relieves her depression after relapse. “Tina: I’m fit to smoke crack, Jeff. ... Take a picture, Jeff! I’m a dopefiend. I’m not gonna stop living till I die!” (Bourgois and Schonberg 282) When Tina feels desperate for her relapse, believes in her own worthlessness, blames herself and deepens her commitment to heroin and