THE OA$I$ - but for whom?
Recently, we’ve been talking about the commodification and the consumeristic nature of Los Angeles: LA is both a perfectly unachievable product─an end goal that few can afford─and a breeding ground for tangible markers of status and seemingly purchased appearances. In both of these cases, we’ve focused on those who strive for, but can never quite reach the standard that LA has in their minds. But what about those who can’t afford to strive in the first place? Those who have been let down by LA before even being able to try?
Socioeconomic status is not something people at Poly like to talk about. Or, if they do, it’s rarely about the negatives. People, in general, are quick to show whatever new item they’ve purchased or what new car they’re driving. This ties back to the idea of purchasing markers of status to outwardly appear better to others. However, people rarely talk about financial difficulties or downfalls, partially, I think, because it is so “not LA” to outwardly project struggle. LA has been historically painted as the “oasis in the desert” as we’ve discussed, and who wants to be the person to come in and chop down the palm trees, soak up the last bits of water, and ruin the oasis for others by projecting their issues?
I’ve found that this rings true especially at Poly. We go to school in an affluent part of Pasadena, which is something that some people take for granted. I come from a family that has always lived relatively paycheck to paycheck. My family has never owned a house. I’ve always been on financial aid at Poly, and I’ve had to work hard to earn merit awards and to get a job so that I can pay for gas and food if I want to go out with friends. I’ve never had a parent’s credit card to fall back on. These are not things I’m ashamed of, but I often feel alienated in an environment like Poly where it is assumed that everyone is on the same socioeconomic level and differences in lifestyle are never discussed. By ignoring differences, or at least not acknowledging their existence, more fortunate people are essentially pushing away their counterparts who may need assistance.
So, how does this apply to LA? I think we’ve been looking at LA culture through a lens of assuming people can afford to strive for the “end goal” of making it here. The reality is, with low wages and an insanely high price of living, many Angelenos are struggling to even get by, let alone worry about being able to consume the city that has so manipulatively taken everything away from them. Trying to achieve the LA standard means being able to afford a place to live, being able to find a job, probably owning or leasing a car, or at least budgeting enough to afford public transportation, and affording food and healthcare, all without letting the outside world see any of these struggles. Los Angeles, through movies, TV, and now, social media, has created a facade of driving down Mullholland Drive, lounging by a pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and drinking $6 lattes in Silver Lake as perfectly attainable goals for Angelenos. “If you just work hard enough, this is where you could be!” is a common idea regarding moving up in the world, but when people aren’t given the financial ability to begin to effectively “work hard enough” (meaning, in our culture of consumerism, make more money), the LA dream is reduced to a mirage for those stranded in this infinite desert.
Here are a lot of questions. Feel free to answer as many as you'd like:
1. What do you think the effects are of us not discussing socioeconomic differences, both at Poly and in LA as a whole?
2. Why do you think people feel uncomfortable talking about money and their socioeconomic status?
3. Is LA really attainable for anyone? Or is it just available for those who are lucky enough to, essentially, purchase their goals?
4. We often talk about relative extremes, ie: homeless vs. housed. What can we do to consider the experiences of those in the middle?
5. Have you bought into LA culture?
6. Do you think it is possible to change LA into something not so financially driven but more based on work ethic, morals, and behavior (or similar things)? How can you use your privilege to change the way LA as a product is achieved and viewed?
7. Do you disagree with anything I said? Have you had similar experiences? Do you have any questions you want to pose? If you want to, go for it!
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I think the effects of not discussing socioeconomic differences at poly results in one group completely ignoring the idea of their socioeconomic status and another where they have a-lot more on their plate to worry about. I like to think that in some capacity I am personally aware of how fortunate I am, and as a result I try to avoid the "sad olympics" game that many students at poly play when it come to their issues at school when other students right next to them may be facing problems financially that are much larger. On another note (even though I don't think that last answer made any sense) LA is not attainable for anyone. I unfortunately definitely have bought into LA culture and would say that some of the members of my family have too. Being in a situation where I don't need to have a job because if I wanted to my parents would pay for everything I need like food, gas, clothes, and going out, but because of their backgrounds they've pushed me to work for things that I want. But I still find myself obsessing over expensive shoes, clothes, and designer bags, something that gets to be written off as "a hobby" when in actuality its honestly pretty obsessive and consumerist. LA could be less financially driven if there was more opportunity, housing, and higher pay for the people in the middle and lower socioeconomic brackets in LA since they'd be able to experience LA fairly.
ReplyDeleteI would actually say that in my experience at Poly, I’ve been a part of many conversations about socioeconomic status. Poly, in its progressive nature, communicates that it tries to make the school as attainable as possible for those who merit it-- which inevitably includes those who can afford to pay full price and donate to the financial aid fund. However, there is surely something taboo about discussing wealth, not only at Poly, not only in Los Angeles, but in our competitive capitalist country as a whole. I don’t mean to constantly talk about my experiences abroad, but the national attitude towards things like wealth and status as I experienced it in Israel was completely different from that of the United States. I would see Israelis compliment a friend’s car and then shamelessly ask how much it cost them. I would hear Israelis ask how much their friend made at their job and openly communicate it if that friend’s income wasn’t up to par. Many Israelis also shamelessly asked me about things like my SAT score, about how much money my parents make, and about how much it cost to send me on a semester abroad. When faced with questions which I, from my American lens, interpreted to be incredibly rude and disrespectful, I had to understand that it's all cultural. I came to understand that the reason for this stark cultural difference is our American, and specifically Angeleno, value of numbers. We define ourselves by our income, by our scores, by how fancy our car is, and by how recognizable the name on our college diploma is, while in countries like Israel, these numbers are just that: numbers. I think this intense value of numbers comes from an Angeleno sense of competition and competitiveness- in order to make it out here, I think one has to be competitive in their field.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that recently in the Poly community, people have made more of an effort to be more aware of the diverse socioeconomic statuses at Poly. However, it is still a topic that feels “taboo” in a way. I don’t think I have never outwardly told people that I am on financial aid at Poly, and I can’t really pinpoint a reason why. I just never felt the need to do so, I guess. But I have noticed that I feel a little sting of self-consciousness when I drive around the Poly parking structure. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my Matrix, and I am extremely thankful that I am able to have my own car, however, when the majority of my classmates drive a Mercedes, a BMW, and even a Tesla, I feel...different. Another thing I have noticed throughout all my years at Poly is that people may not outwardly show their financial struggles but at Poly and I assume many other places as well, people brag about their smaller misfortunes such as how few hours of sleep they got or how hungry they are. I wonder why people brag about some of their struggles yet and hesitant to discuss others. I feel like it would be very hard to turn Los Angeles into work ethic, morals, and behavior based city due to the heavy presence of Hollywood. Hollywood is the place a lot of people come in hopes of making big bucks. Yes, people come to Los Angeles and they work hard while they are here, but their ultimate goal and their true motivation is to make money. Some extrinsic motivation if you will. I wonder if the popular phrase “Fake it till you make it” has any connection to what Rory has talked about.
ReplyDeleteI think that when we don’t discuss socioeconomic differences, both at Poly and in Los Angeles as a whole, it can make people feel excluded, alienated, and un-important. In movies, TV shows, and social media, LA is typically depicted as a place of wealth, paradise, and perfectness. This false ideology excludes the majority of Angelenos who may not be wealthy enough to live a wealthy, fancy lifestyle. I believe that this in in turn makes it seem like only wealthy people are important, which is false and can negatively impact low-income people.
ReplyDeleteI think that people have been taught from a young age that talking about money is inappropriate. Especially in LA, where the stereotype is that everyone is living the wealthy life, people who don’t fit into that stereotype may feel ashamed to talk about their socioeconomic status. There are some cases where Angelenos have started out poor and have been able to “attain LA;” however, that's not the case for the majority of Angelenos. Only a sliver of Angelenos can purchase their goals due to their family’s wealth. I believe these Angelenos are lucky enough to basically purchase their goals without really having to work that much. In order to create more awareness about the experiences of those in the “middle,” we must make an effort to read and listen to the stories of people who experience living in the “middle” in order to broaden our mindset. I think that listening to the stories of people who actually experience a certain perspective can create empathy and dismantle misconceptions.
Socioeconomics seems to always be a hot topic at Poly, whether people are openly talking about it or not. It is no secret that a lot of aspects Poly assume that the students have the money to participate (i.e. Fun Food Friday, dances, advisory snacks, etc.). While I know that financial aid is available, it is never comfortable to have to explain why you can't buy food or bring your advisory Lucky Boy burritos. This also plays into discussion of not only the "extremes " of situations but also the middle. I've never been on financial aid at Poly, but it doesn't mean I have the luxury of buying whatever I want. I know that we're by no means poor and I'm highly privileged, but I also know that we're not wealthy to the extent that might come to mind when people think of a Pasadena kid who goes to Poly. In the context of Los Angeles as a whole, I think that saying I'm from Pasadena and that I go to a private school adds a certain amount of information to my story, true or not, whether I like it or not. Discussing socioeconomic status is not something that even has to be done verbally/out loud. People (myself included) make all kinds of assumptions about the people around them based on the kind of clothes they wear, the car they drive, and their overall appearance before any words are ever spoken. I think this lack of openness, while I don't necessarily think we need to discuss our socioeconomic status with strangers on the street, is a breeding ground for stereotyping and (inadvertently) feelings of alienation. It is a vicious cycle that prevents the conversation around socioeconomics from happening altogether. I think people are uncomfortable talking about socioeconomic status because they are afraid of being judged or feeling like they're being "outed," as if not being filthy rich is something they should be ashamed of. Sometimes, I feel ashamed, in a way, of my privilege because I feel like I'm not doing enough with it. I know that my life isn't perfect, but compared with the experiences that many others have had to go through, my life is pretty ideal and relatively problem-free. I mean, I live in a house in Altadena that my dad owns, I attend a top private high school, I drive my dad's BMW, I have a laptop and a cellphone, I've never had to have a job or think about the next time I would get a meal — I've never been uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of not discussing socioeconomic differences is ignorance and uneducation. Without discussion, people are unable to understand and acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages created by someone’s socioeconomic status; it also creates the desire to hide under the false illusion of the “perfect world.” Wealth and economic class is a difficult topic to talk about because of the ideals of our capitalistic society. Different economic statuses arrive with different assumptions made, and one sometimes accounts how much money he or she makes to determine his or her own sense of self-worth. In our capitalistic society, there is pressure to obtain material wealth, and this is where the definition of success morphs into the possession of money rather than happiness. Therefore, it would be extremely difficult to change LA into something not so financially driven but more based on work ethic, morals, and behavior because the capitalistic way of thinking is supported throughout the nation, and this problem of LA culture is not a widely acknowledged problem, nor one that should be given first priority (in my opinion). I think the problem with LA culture is we have gone too far in trying to appear successful. We have focused on the outward appearance rather than intellectually. This reminds me of consumerism in the visual arts. The prices of big-name artists’ pieces have skyrocketed, and the purchasers find themselves not buying the art for the art; instead, they buy it because of the brand name. The quality and genuinity of art gradually decreases, which can be related back to LA culture.
ReplyDeleteFailing to discuss socioeconomic differences, both in our school community and in Los Angeles as a whole, leads directly to a lack of understanding, and therefore empathy, towards those living experiences that differ from our own. That is, the only true way to connect with and appreciate people is to discuss with them not only our commonalities, but perhaps more importantly, the things that make us unique. Compassion, empathy, and understanding are learned behaviors that can be strengthened and solidified through meaningful interaction and dialogue; the best setting for this are our education institutions. By the time we leave high school, we will have developed a perspective on the world and our place in it, but that perspective can be incomplete without exposure to different lifestyles and socioeconomic status. Armed with this incomplete world view, ignorant students become ignorant employees, ignorant tax payers, and ignorant voters. I believe only certain people (probably a pretty small minority) feel comfortable discussing their socioeconomic conditions with others. Personally, I do not enjoy discussing my own financials in public. Sure, my friends know how much money I make and what kinds of cars my family drive, but I usually feel as though I have to hide the fact that my family, like Rory's, has, for the most part, lived paycheck to paycheck. My parents both have advanced degrees, work extremely hard, and earn a lot of money (relatively), but with Poly costing $35K a year for three kids times 13 years, we only vacation a couple of weeks a year. As a society, I argue that we have evolved to believe that we must constantly be impressing the people around us in an effort to secure and maintain respect and status; exposing our financial situation threatens that.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of not discussing socioeconomic differences is an increase in ignorance. Since people do not discuss their socioeconomic differences, people are unable to gain perspective of the situations of other people. Without the education of socioeconomic situations of other people, one can not know how privileged they are. Wealth and economic class is an uncomfortable topic to talk about because of the fear of being judged based off their wealth. In our society, especially in Los Angeles, wealth seems to reflect the importance of a person, and no one wants to seem unimportant. Therefore, I think people either avoid discussing their socioeconomic wealth or lie about for “clout.” I think people talk about the extremes because the top 1% is what people strive for, and being homeless is what people work to avoid. I believe I have bought into the LA culture because I do like wearing nice things, but I don’t like talking about socioeconomic class. To be honest, I don’t think LA will ever be able to change from being such a financially driven place.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I have always been taught that discussing money and wealth is taboo. That being said, I think that it is important to acknowledge the varying socioeconomic strata that make up our community at Poly, and on a larger scale in Los Angeles. More recently I've noticed that Poly has been much more active in discussing the varying socioeconomic backgrounds of its community. I think it's fantastic that we are getting more comfortable talking about ourselves and the unique backgrounds that we come from. The increased openness allows us to recognize and appreciate varying experiences and perspectives.
ReplyDeleteI like to think of the pursuit of Los Angeles and the LA lifestyle as similar to the ~American Dream~. I think that success in LA can be achieved by two things: luck and/or pre existing money. Coming to LA is like a game of chance where factors like race, gender, occupation, and socioeconomic status all increase and decrease your changes at success. Success is possible, but it incredibly difficult and rare to come by without a monetary boost or personal connections with the city. As for changing Los Angeles, I have a very pessimistic outlook. I don't think it is possible to transform the city and the society it breeds into less financially driven and instead more ethical and moral as long as we continue to rely on capitalist ideals and studies of economics. To practice ethics and morals just lowers the chances of being successful and unfortunately leaves one in the dust.
Consider the thrift stores, the way we wear cutoff denim shorts with heels, the hundred dollar t-shirts. LA's most featured fashion is dressed-down and understated; LA's most famous celebrities where ripped jeans and are minimalist. I know we've been highlighting the emphasis on status symbols (Hello, Rodeo), but I think New Age wealth in Los Angeles is a far cry from Hollywood stereotypes. It's as if LA's rich, on their Malibu beach trips or at LAX, are personifying the humble brag even more exclusive than a flashy monogrammed Louis Vuitton purse: in order to witness their wealth, you have to recognize the SS19 Acne Studios collection that charged them $1200 and $250 for their trousers and t-shirt respectively. This distressed, vintage, "up-down dressing" trickles down from the top. At Poly, wealthy kids may choose to dress casually, to thrift shop, to complain about the job they have so that they can thrift shop some more. I'm not sure if this is an active effort to hide affluence or if it's an aesthetic choice co-opted from the middle to working class. And to be clear, I am easily at fault here. I read recently, in an article about a debate tournament, that participants from wealthier schools tended to compete dressed more casually than their counterparts at poorly funded schools. The other day, my sister wanted to buy a pair of Dickies pants which have been profiled by police and by the rich to be associated with gang/criminal activity as well as with the working class. I remembered how my Dad had mentioned being embarrassed by the brand of pants he had worn as a kid, or how his mom had sewed a label onto some pants, or something like that. And I wondered how it felt to have immigrated, worked incredibly hard, against a lot of odds, to give me and my sisters all that we have for his daughter to want to buy the pants he had been embarrassed of. Class appropriation is a little off topic here, but my point is young and wealthy Angelenos don't necessarily want to look the part for whatever reason.
ReplyDeleteI think the impact of not discussing varying socio-economic statues has a detrimental impact on our society. When we don’t discuss these differences at Poly, we normalize the generalizations people use to identify us. People outside of Poly like to think that everyone at Poly is a privileged and spoiled brat, which is not the case. If we don’t discuss our differences, people will continue to categorize everyone from Poly in the same box. In Los Angeles, I think there is a lot more transparency about socio-economic status, yet I feel most discussions on this topic revolve around the lower and upper class, leaving out the middle class. I don’t have a good grasp on why people don’t like to talk about money or their socio-economic status, but I assume it’s due to the implications of being viewed as more poor or rich than someone. I think the “LA dream” is attainable for everyone, but it’s clear rigged in the favor of those who are born into money. Some Angelenos have managed to escape “bad” economic situations, but those born into “good” economic situations are “successful” in significantly disproportionate numbers. I don’t think it’s possible for Los Angeles to not be financially driven due to its recent history, such as the evolution of Hollywood. We’ve become a city known for its glitz and glamour, and I can’t picture the majority of Angelenos not being financially driven in the future.
ReplyDeleteNot discussing socioeconomic differences at Poly further perpetuates that idea that we live in a “bubble.” I think this same idea applies to Los Angeles. If we never talk about economic disparity, that we continue to exist in a society ruled by those with money. While pondering this question, however, I couldn’t help but think that the “end goal” or “making it” means something different to everybody. While certainly money can help in achieving goals, I would add that money, wealth, material items and status is not everyone's end goal. I think before we evaluate whether everyone has the financial ability to “make it,” we need to evaluate why our definition of “making it” includes money in the first place. I understand that my privilege allows me to be overly optimistic about our capitalist society, but I think back on our unit regarding economics/capitalism from last year (The Great Gatsby, On Dumpster Diving, Queen of Versailles etc.) and wonder why money is always the bottom line. Subsequently, I do think it is possible for Los Angeles to shift it’s perspective on wealth. I think that we can all use our privilege to help instigate this shift by not perpetuating that idea that LA is only for the wealthy, and that LA only values wealth.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was attending a family event in New York City over the summer, I was listening to the varying experiences each of my relatives had in different cities. Every place had its own stereotypical personality to it: New Yorkers are rushed and temperamental, Bostonians are preppy, etc. Since he has lived in a variety of urban cities, I asked my uncle what he thought the general mood of Los Angeles was. He thought about it for a second, and then responded: "Selfish". I think the main reason people are so frightened away from discussing socioeconomic status with each other is because of the intense and hostile nature of LA. Since there are so many people residing in this city and so few people who can hold the fame that most idolize and yearn for, the entire process of striving for fame is a competition. It's the actualization of "there's not room in this city for the both of us". In fear of being bested by others, economic numbers are taboo in society. People are so frightened of falling behind in the race to stardom that they simply would rather not know where everyone else stands. This connects to the polarization of grade culture at Poly. The intensely competitive nature is there-- we all know it. Regarding the students who are affected by this environment (which is most kids), two different reactions usually result: students either avoid conversations about numbers in fear of being outperformed or they whiz around campus collecting information about everyone in order to know their exact standing. In terms of socioeconomic status at Poly, I think there is less of a discussion about it because of the fact that some students feel uncomfortable with recognizing their advantages. On multiple occasions, I've heard kids discuss "wealth shaming"; it appears some kids would rather turn a blind eye to anyone more disadvantaged to them rather than acknowledge their privilege and be grateful for it.
ReplyDeleteThe fact of the matter is that not discussing socioeconomic differences in Poly has a negative effect on the students. Throughout my many years at the Polytechnic School, I’ve noticed that many people are not able to acknowledge the privilege that they have. For example, someone at Poly may live in a mansion, wear nice clothes, and drive a nice car, but then they will call themselves middle class. Even worse, this person might call themselves poor and complain about the lack of materialistic goods in their life. It’s easy to write this off as the student’s fault for being ignorant. Yes, it is ignorant of them, but they go to a school where many other people also live in mansions, wear nice clothes and drive nice cars. The constant comparisons of upper-class students lead to ignorance. What about all the lower-income students at Poly? They exist, but there aren’t as many as we may think. Yes, there are multiple middle-class families and a few lower-middle-class families but not many. Given that they are a minority in the school, it makes it very hard for these students to talk about their socioeconomic status. To answer one of the questions, I do not think LA is attainable for all. I know people who work very hard and aren’t able to change their socioeconomic status. If you were rich while you were young, you most likely were afforded a better education. This helps increase chances of getting into good colleges which in turn helps get higher-paying jobs. If you are born rich, you’ll most likely die rich. If you’re born poor, you won’t necessarily die poor. In LA though, it is very hard to change ones socioeconomics status. If you’re in the middle class in LA, you can really become poor or rich.
ReplyDeleteAs a Poly student who is also on financial aid at a school where it feels like everyone is extremely wealthy, the feeling of need to keep up is definitely prevalent. Whether it be with the amount of times people go out to eat, clothes, airpods, etc. there are so many material things that seem to be just a "given" for so many Poly students. But as I even realized reading this blog post, this isn't the case for all students at the school, even if it appears to be from an outside perspective. I think it is really important for us students to be more open and share our experiences regarding this topic with one another, because the generalizations we make of everyone in the school are not accurate, and it is so important for all of us to share and understand our different backgrounds.
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