Blogging Social Difference in LA: Week 1

         I do not like cities, generally. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this dislike stems from a seed—possibly a watermelon-sized seed—of ignorance. Growing up in the suburbia of San Diego county, my exposure to the city was limited to monthly visits to downtown San Diego, visiting museums, parks, and the bay, feeding the homeless, or using the airport. Though I passed through the city many times, the times I felt most vulnerable were on foot. While walking, it was impossible to ignore the heaps of garbage, homeless men and women heaped up as nightfall fell, and diners heaping food into their anxious mouths. Despite some discomfort, experiencing the city in this manner without the privacy of a vehicle gave the juxtaposition of these sights new meaning. I began to question how such a diverse array of people with dissimilar social statuses could coexist in such a small area.
          This mix of ages, classes, and genders existing in a certain space rife with various businesses—from street magazine vendors to five-star restaurants—reminds me of Emile Durkheim’s term organic solidarity. According to Durkheim, individuality and specialization of talent are essential to modern society, along with sufficient education to allow all individuals to enter the industrial life. Because cities like Los Angeles are home to people of all origins with a broad spectrum of economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, it is not surprising that differentiation and a skewed division of labor characterize the region. Each individual likely faces some form of prejudice or segregation, whether it is horizontal or vertical, conscious or unintended. Durkheim would not be particularly perturbed that women are less often in higher status positions and receive less pay on average than their male counterparts; instead, his concern would mainly be moral. Marx includes that both power relations and ideology support the division of labor; class conflict is natural. The ideas of both Durkheim and Marx may not be entirely valid, but the distinctions and themes they observed in societies have been utilized to further recent studies and incorporated into arguments, including feminism. Moreover, their ideas of power, morality, and anomie (to name a few) will help me to evaluate Los Angeles’ social complexity. It is evident solely from skimming the demographics of Los Angeles in this link to the U.S. Census  Bureau quick-facts http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06037.html that diversity is not only prevalent, but arguably what defines Los Angeles as a cultural center; almost 36% of people are foreign born (Census Bureau).

          As a recently-declared geography major, I have not yet declared an ardor for any single area. Still, I seized the opportunity to increase my awareness of a city’s inner workings, including the intricate relationships on an individual and group level; once I have a more well-rounded understanding of what makes a city tick, I will not simply let time pass when spending time in the city, but instead observe and appreciate the different mechanisms in action. Like the inside of a clock, there are several main gears that move simultaneously, pushing each other in circles. What I hope to discover as I travel through various regions of LA on foot, in the car, in a bus, or on a train, is whether or not the diversity (or lack thereof) I encounter is part of a larger mechanism with many different parts that often work cohesively and react to one another (similar to organic solidarity). Or, are the different types of people, cultures, and landscapes separate, not interconnected or interdependent, all watching a different clock and keeping their own time. I can predict that my travels will not be brief in an area so vast, crowded, and lacking in efficient public transportation. Nevertheless, sometimes being stopped on a congested freeway (the 405) forces me to de-congest my mind and breathe a bit deeper. Thus, as I search for the causes, effects, and consequences of social difference in Los Angeles, I will engage my senses and not simply pass through.

          In addition to written and photographed observations, I will interview citizens to explore their opinions and add a dimension to the 3-D landscape I travel to. Why do some people despise the city, yet use its resources and attractions, and why are others enthralled by cities and choose to stay permanently? Though I am a reluctant city-goer, I know there is something special about the varied groups and buildings that cluster like soap bubbles, overlapping, fusing, and bouncing off of one another. Biodiversity is absolutely essential to “nature.” Can social difference in metropolitan areas be just as essential? Is what often appears dirty, concrete, and chaotic, actually balanced according to natural phenomena?  I appreciate nature, hot weather and all, so I will do my best to appreciate that which is man-made, conflicts and all.