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Home > Perception and expectation is everything.

Perception and expectation is everything.

October 5th, 2012 at 09:31 pm

I can't forget a segment on TV about struggles of the poor, where the reporter was interviewing the woman who sometimes had to walk 25 minutes to her job because she did not have money for gas. (She had a house, btw, with a yard all around it!)

I wanted to yell at her that it would be a freaking dream commute for millions of New Yorkers, and in my office it is a privilege of expats who get rental subsidies on top of their huge salaries. They live close enough to walk or bike (for many it takes 40 min). They could take a bus or taxi, but most days they don't. They walk.

The walking portion of my commute is 30 minutes (15 minutes to the train and 15 minutes from the train to work), than reverse. Twice a day. Rain or shine, slush or heat wave. And I don't even think it is a hardship. I'm happy enough to live near a reliable train and not having to transfer.

And for many lower income people in this country a yard is a "must". A second bathroom is a "must", a dishwasher and a washing machine are a "must".

And to so many here who make six figures, it is still a luxury.
After I moved to a luxury building (still no personal yard, of course) I am still marveling from time to time about how nice it is to have a dishwasher, and our building has a nice laundry room, but no one, not even 1 million dollar apartments have personal washer/dryer (but those have 2 bath).

It is just amazing sometimes that some people who make over six figures can accept things that most who make 30K some place else won't accept. It is simply the matter of what one expects as a minimum convenience they are entitled to have. And expectation dictates a lot of our choices and our lifestyle.

To me, symbols of hardship are: lack of financial security, time off, lack of access to quality medical care, child care.... not walking to work in the rain or having a small house.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

4 Responses to “Perception and expectation is everything. ”

  1. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    October 6th, 2012 at 02:35 am 1349490901
    1349490901

    Yes, expectations can certainly be different. The editors of the program determined what to present as her hardships. I would say that in your last sentence you put your finger on some of the the biggest problems. The editors might not know that themselves.

    Was this a TV program we might be able to view online?

  2. rob62521 Says:
    October 6th, 2012 at 12:55 pm 1349528128
    1349528128

    I think you make a valid point...for someone in NY, having a yard is a luxury. For many of us in Central Illinois, it is usually something we have. It is about perception. I remember taking a tour of NYC and the guide kiddingly said her breadboard doubled as a bed...we laughed, but she said she lived in a studio apartment and because it was small, she preferred to be in Central Park or out and about. Around here, a house or apartment less than 800 square feet is considered really tiny.

    A few years ago a gal at church was bemoaning the fact she couldn't find patio furniture and it was becoming a full-time job. It was difficult to sympathize with her...after all my full time job was working all day in the classroom, not "struggling" with finding new outdoor furniture for my huge newly built house on the lake. So, as you said, it is perception.

  3. Househopeful Says:
    October 6th, 2012 at 07:57 pm 1349553434
    1349553434

    I would point out though, that living outside of the city, there is not always the option of a safe walk to/from work. Most streets do not have sidewalks where I am, there are limited crosswalks, most of the straight to somewhere roads are expressways and you cannot walk on them at all. Public transportation is unreliable and at times also unsafe. So to this individual (and I didn't read where they are from or anything) a walk like that could be hazardous, which makes them consider it to be 'struggling'.

  4. Jerry Says:
    October 22nd, 2012 at 03:06 pm 1350918367
    1350918367

    That is laughable! 25 minutes' walk?! That is nothing, and it leads to a healthier commute as well. That reminds me of the scene in "LA Story" when Steve Martin walks out of his house, gets in his car, drives next door, and gets out of his car. Granted, part of the problem is that the US is often not set up for walking or public transportation, as Househopeful pointed out. We are living in Europe right now, and the access to public transportation makes all the different, as well as saving us money on fuel and insurance over driving.
    Jerry

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