Commander Spork (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} grandhoser) wrote,@ 2008-08-28 12:47:00 |
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Anthropological Study 2008: Glen Burnie
We have now lived in Glen Burnie for three full months. I have been able to observe the habits of its population. Two qualities of the residents are noted:
1) A predilection for spontaneous car shows. We were at a pizza place one night when a couple parked their late model Corvette, popped the hood and set up lawn chairs. Others pulled their classic cars along side (respectfully one space apart) and did the same. It was a random Monday night.
On weekends, plenty of parking lots are taken up by dozens of historic and antique cars. The only thing keeping Marley Station Mall in business these days in that their parking lot is swarmed every Saturday and Sunday. Hoods up. Engines polished. Lawn chairs out.
It's a very different mentality than the showiness in the city. Poor urban residents show wealth on their person in jewelry and clothes. Rich urban residents show the wealth in their neighborhood.
2) Side jobs: everybody has one. One of the day care ladies also sells Amway. The supervisor for the house cleaning service also fixed and installed carpeting. The guy fixing the downspouts will also renovate the bathroom.
It doesn't feel like the hustle, either. They're not gunning to slide more money out of you, they are just looking to work and earn a couple extra bucks (most likely to support their antique car habit).
Again, it's very different than other classes of people. The wealthy are so focused on an original career that they don't maintain side jobs. The poor hustle to try to get by, or don't work at all.
I'm not going to try to drag some Big Lesson out of these things. It just makes me wonder what kind of city we would have if the middle class had not been squeezed out.
We have now lived in Glen Burnie for three full months. I have been able to observe the habits of its population. Two qualities of the residents are noted:
1) A predilection for spontaneous car shows. We were at a pizza place one night when a couple parked their late model Corvette, popped the hood and set up lawn chairs. Others pulled their classic cars along side (respectfully one space apart) and did the same. It was a random Monday night.
On weekends, plenty of parking lots are taken up by dozens of historic and antique cars. The only thing keeping Marley Station Mall in business these days in that their parking lot is swarmed every Saturday and Sunday. Hoods up. Engines polished. Lawn chairs out.
It's a very different mentality than the showiness in the city. Poor urban residents show wealth on their person in jewelry and clothes. Rich urban residents show the wealth in their neighborhood.
2) Side jobs: everybody has one. One of the day care ladies also sells Amway. The supervisor for the house cleaning service also fixed and installed carpeting. The guy fixing the downspouts will also renovate the bathroom.
It doesn't feel like the hustle, either. They're not gunning to slide more money out of you, they are just looking to work and earn a couple extra bucks (most likely to support their antique car habit).
Again, it's very different than other classes of people. The wealthy are so focused on an original career that they don't maintain side jobs. The poor hustle to try to get by, or don't work at all.
I'm not going to try to drag some Big Lesson out of these things. It just makes me wonder what kind of city we would have if the middle class had not been squeezed out.
