Meryem's Second Post
March 19, 2018, by Meryem
Sante’s writings represent how minorities and those living in poverty really were seen as the “invisibile”. Not only were these individuals often discounted, but many instances showed that they weren’t even treated as people. This was emphasized when Sante discussed how “it became a fashion to visit New York’s lower depths” by outsiders and the wealthy (290). He includes the example of how people toured areas like Chinatown. While the concept of touring slums seems horrific, this type of practice is still prevalent in current times. For example, after the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, which destroyed many homes, many companies started offering tours of these destroyed areas. Those affected by the hurricane did not receive any monetary compensation for these tours. Those living in poverty were treated as if they were animals in a zoo rather than human beings. The most unfortunate part was that this fascination did little to actually help those in poverty. This really represented how the upper class would ironically glamourize the life of the poor. Many of the upper class even saw themselves living in the slums as a way to escape to a new world encompassing the “simple life”. This really represented the ignorance that many of these individuals had when looking at the slums of New York. It’s as if they refused to look at the deep-seated issues such as the high crime rates and the large amounts of orphans and poor children. Sante recounts in the chapter “The Drift” the desperation that the poverish underwent as practices included begging and more elaborate ruses such as “mock seizures”. Sante did touch upon how there were systems to help the poor, but from my understanding, they were not measurable to the help that was needed. In the end, this fascination led to the gentrification as wealthy moved into these neighborhoods, eventually pushing the impoverish out.
The concept of the Bohemian was also something that also intrigued me, as it represented the first time New York experienced a cultural rebellion. Bohemians were described as someone who is not like, “the creature of society, a victim of rules and customs; he steps over them with ease, graceful joyous unconsciousness” (323). Bohemia was also an important component to the fashion scene. While Bohemia was rich in culture, Sante again makes the point to emphasize that those that originally participated in this culture were poor. As time passes, the upper class appropriated this bohemian culture as soon as it became trendy. Appropriating fashions of the poor and minorities is something that constantly repeats in history. For example, for a long time African-Americans were part of an invisible culture and black men who wore baggy clothing were seen as “thuggish”. However, when the rap industry came about African-Americans were more culturally visible, and white males soon starting wearing loose clothing and low pants once it became trendy. The concept of the Bohemian is still manifested throughout history and today’s fashion as a concept of rebellion and counterculture.