When I hang out with neighbours, I sometimes think -- where else will millionaires live in the same building with school teachers?
Our co-op building has rich people, middle class people, and older fixed income people who bought their apartment decades ago.
There is a world-class photographer, few lawyers, super's assistant, few government employees, doctors, successful model, UN staff, Wall street finance guys... all sorts of people from different walks of life and very different income levels.
Anywhere else, if you have few million dollars you would not live in an apartment, you would live in a house in an isolated community and have very limited contact with people outside of it.
There is much less segregation by income in this city than anywhere else. People of very different incomes and backgrounds living in the same buildings, in the same community, going to the same pool, riding the same train. (Yes, they mostly take the train when going to Manhattan).
There is no set way you are supposed to look, brands you are "supposed to" wear or places you are supposed to belong to in order to be included. It is a more interesting way to live and in some way creates less pressure.
It also fosters an attitude of greater inclusiveness.
I know a lot of people who make much less than us, and a lot of people who make and have way way more than we could ever hope to. So I feel grateful on one end and it keeps me from getting too full of myself on the other.
Also, unlike in usual communities that tend to attract people of the same income, it is impossible to keep up with the Joneses here(so why try?).
Perhaps NYC's famous liberal attitudes are fostered by this lack of an isolated social bubble kind of living, where people are with "their own kind" financially (and often racially, religiously, etc..)
When that happens, people tend to think that society as a whole is mostly like them (or at least the "worthy" part of society) because this is all they see on a daily basis and so only their problems should be addressed, their class benefited, and everyone else is kind of hypothetical.
Ok, so that is my ramble for today.
A penny for your thoughts.
Less segregated by income, NYC is social exception
September 9th, 2011 at 06:49 pm
September 9th, 2011 at 10:11 pm 1315606267
Jerry
September 9th, 2011 at 11:00 pm 1315609233
I *felt* it significantly more in the San Francisco Bay Area (class lines being pretty invisible). Home prices are very similar to NYC.
But, our experience has been pretty similar even in Sacramento. I suppose we have a really unique experience in that the multi-million-dollar homes tend to be way out in the suburbs. Sacramento itself is probably about nothing compared to the surrounding suburbs, but we actually live in the city, in a neighborhood with homes that range from $200k - $1mil , at current. (The only more wealthy homes outside of a few old estates downtown?) The wealthy buy here due to the location, albeit is generally their 2nd or 10th homes. But, in addition, people move here from all over (lots of neighbors of meager means settling in from more expensive cities - primarily LA and SF). So, our neighbors are lower middle class workers, low fixed income retirees (a LOT), lawyers, politicians, NBA players, and celebrities. We're the young people just looking for an affordable place to live in the state (like many others).
That said, I see a lot of middle class people putting on airs, here. It makes me laugh! IT's just so unlike anything I have experienced, and all I Can think is I know tons of people who make FAR MORE MONEY who are more down to earth and likeable. Maybe living in this specific neighborhood makes it bearable. The people in our neighborhood are mostly pretty cool. Outside the immediate neighborhood, I often experience culture shock. Like, "I make $30k per year, but look at my diamond earrings." I am not used to people being able afford to luxuries outside the house payment, nor talking so much about their material things, accordingly. Much less people who would qualify for welfare, regionally.
September 10th, 2011 at 12:18 am 1315613909
September 10th, 2011 at 01:19 am 1315617590
People who bought later(like us) of course had to pay much more money, have a huge mortgage and bring a large downpayment. Ah, to be born at the right age.