Every corner I turned, unlike in many other areas of Los Angeles, there were no homeless to be seen. I later realized that the area around me did not feature any benches to rest on, and that this eliminates an public commodity for homeless to sleep on. Each store front had its own doorman waiting by the entrance, carefully observing those who walk in, restricting those deemed "inappropriate" from entering. Although I took the bus to the area, I noticed that the parking rates were pretty high--$2.00 for either every hour or even half an hour. The high parking rates did not just act to raise revenue but prevent lingering in the area. Beverly Hills reflects a space is that now policed and organized in a way that ensures order for their own corporations and private investments. The design of the city makes access and use of the city difficult to outsiders. Although, I enjoyed exploring the area and fine features it displayed, I definitely felt a disconnect.
Hey Linna,
ReplyDeleteMany of the observations you noticed hit the idea of World Cities Theory right on the head, the inversion of World Systems Theory, where capitalist epicenters depend on their wealth through the exploitation of less fortunate areas. The stores that line the streets of Beverly Hills received their materials from areas that depend on their exports in order to survive. This happens on a global scale- in trading of skin, furs, jewelry and labor, in addition to being found on a local one as well- through the many textile plants that can be found in cities around Los Angeles. Due to these wealthier areas being able to afford a higher standard of living they are able to buy these items in surplus and market them with designer labels in order to make their prices skyrocket. The areas that sell these items cannot afford to attain assets on the same kind of scale because the items they give out barely allow them to live, while the wealthier flourish from the income made in their marketing. This makes areas such as Beverly Hills unable to be afforded by those of a lesser class than the rich, which is one reason why you cannot find anyone other than the super rich in these areas. The second is as you said the "Carceral Archipelego" presence used in the form of no benches, guards at the doors, etc.
However, another to consider is the view adopted from the Sibley article that in summary creates two groups: the normal, made up of those common to the are, and the "other"- a demonized group that doesn't fit in at all and brings in an unknown threat because they don't fit in. Sibley uses class conflict as one means of building negative stereotypes and also making sure that the other doesn't come into these parts of the city. Previous civilizations placed these groups on the edge of civilization, a location where life wasn't thriving but scrapping for survival. Through the perspective of those in Beverly Hills, where thousand dollar handbags and parking 2 dollars per 30-minutes is acceptable, simply having a normal life is built as something looked down upon. The result creates areas where although completely open have symbolic enclosures. Ones created through being able to afford a lifestyle, where a guard notices someone wearing gap clothes and asks them if they're lost and perpetuates a divide that can lead to conflict. Class divide exists in every society, however when social becomes stigma, often times the result can end up unfavorably in the days to follow.