I think the heart of what she is saying is that you could move to NYC with nothing and find a way to scrape by. Gentrification can be a very good thing if you're the person looking for a nice, tollerant, safe, clean place to live, but it necessarily eliminates (literal) space for the people who would live in sub-par conditions as they are creating what it was they wanted.
*You* may not have *wanted* to raise a family in UWS or Battery Park, but people did raise families there, right? Who were those people and why were they raising their families there? Did they really *want* to or was it the only viable option they could afford? Could they still raise a family there or have they been pushed out because of rising costs (due to supply/demand since it's now a nicer place)?
That's kinda where I was going. While I get annoyed with those missing the grit of NY of past, they absolutely have a point when they say that NY (Manhattan specifically) has become a place for people with money. Rents are much too high for even studio sized apartments.
While I normally wait until after everyone's left comments to respond, I really do find this all so interesting.
Essentially, everyone is focusing on the first exchange; my friends and I find ourselves focusing on the second exchange.
While I disagree with your points, and hers, I appreciate that we laid out our point (the first exchange and this) instead of making personal ad hominem attacks (the second exchange). If nothing else, I'm all for discussion and debate and I would hope that my years of blogging exemplifies this
( ... )
Obviously, it's all about bias. You're stance that the NYC is better because it's more artistically viable might not float well for someone who sees art as being a form of expression for those with privelege (or perhaps a non-necessity). Their bias being that art ≠ anyone being able to make it in NYC. You're bias is that NYC is better because it's more cultural and potentially a place where anyone can settle down. You must concede that you do not speak about people making it it, so to speak.
That said, your fatal error was in neglecting to reference Coming to America. HA.
She came across as a person who equates diversity with social class diversity. You come across as a person who thinks diversity means different kinds of people, not just in terms of money. =)
Cool - well, that's what I always thought but you never know. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, especially of me, but I found that equivalent to someone saying, "You're such a vegetarian" meaning that it was so weirdly wrong that I didn't know how someone could come to that conclusion.
Honestly- I've always loved new york.. But I love it for the art, and the people watching. I don't know that I've ever gone there looking for the sense of possibility, but I've always found beauty in the way it moves.
I guess I can see what she means, because San Fransisco used to feel like a very open place for me- and it's drastically changed over the past 5 years (in both bad and good ways- but I think places have to evolve at some point, and the crime has gone down as the city has gone up so to speak.
Personally, I can see both perspectives- but I think I would rather live somewhere clean, safe and artistically open minded- and I think that all of those factors allow it to be a place full of possibility, just maybe not for the same people that looked to it before. Cost of living is high, I agree- but that goes along with any desirable place.
Ha, I always said that you seemed older than you were. The desire to be someplace safe and clean should be one that I think most people can relate to - especially if it was denied them earlier.
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*You* may not have *wanted* to raise a family in UWS or Battery Park, but people did raise families there, right? Who were those people and why were they raising their families there? Did they really *want* to or was it the only viable option they could afford? Could they still raise a family there or have they been pushed out because of rising costs (due to supply/demand since it's now a nicer place)?
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Essentially, everyone is focusing on the first exchange; my friends and I find ourselves focusing on the second exchange.
While I disagree with your points, and hers, I appreciate that we laid out our point (the first exchange and this) instead of making personal ad hominem attacks (the second exchange). If nothing else, I'm all for discussion and debate and I would hope that my years of blogging exemplifies this ( ... )
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That said, your fatal error was in neglecting to reference Coming to America. HA.
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As for making it, there's a reason why our numbers keep rising. It's because people think they can come here and make it.
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I guess I can see what she means, because San Fransisco used to feel like a very open place for me- and it's drastically changed over the past 5 years (in both bad and good ways- but I think places have to evolve at some point, and the crime has gone down as the city has gone up so to speak.
Personally, I can see both perspectives- but I think I would rather live somewhere clean, safe and artistically open minded- and I think that all of those factors allow it to be a place full of possibility, just maybe not for the same people that looked to it before. Cost of living is high, I agree- but that goes along with any desirable place.
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How's SF treating you these days?
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