Excellent old Dominican merengue is a great way to end a Monday night. It's fast, but not ridiculously so, and it features lots of sax and accordion improvisation. In other news, check out Ryco Jazz's "Josephine Mama," which sounds a lot like biguine, which is no surprise given the Congolese band's move to the French Caribbean. Quite beautiful, really an example of restrained energy, propulsive rhythm and a beautiful melody. And last but not least, enjoy "Jabulani Nonke," a Christmas song from South Africa sung by one of my favorite vocal groups, the Dark City Sisters!
Oh, and to share a funny work-related story, this woman who was likely drunk came into the store last night, mistakenly assumed she had a coupon for over 60 dollars, refused to believe how the expensive items she had me ring up added up to 70 dollars, and then made a scene after the manager explained the situation to her (I have no interest in listening to drunk or other customers scream and shout and threaten me, I just call a manager or supervisor) by shouting by the entrance to customers, telling them not to spend their money at the store. In her defense, the coupon policy of the corporatized drugstore is not as clear as it should be (though common sense should have told her that what she really had was a 25% off coupon and then a summary of her spendings and points, she's a member of a savings/rewards program for customers, you know, to create customer loyalty, etc.).
Also, the store is selling overpriced junk to people in a low-income area. It's quite a shame, really, the small, independent corner stores ain't necessarily cheap either, but at least they're more likely to have community and local ties than a national corporation opening up stores across the country. Since I live by the place I work, it is convenient, but it's sad how all the low-income folks in the neighborhood go to the store for groceries, processed food and junk that is overpriced. Yes, I know about food deserts, but there are multiple buslines in the area. Oh well, so far I have only had a handful of annoying experiences. Nobody has committed armed robbery with me inside the store yet! Nor have I been hit in the face or eye by a shoplifter with heavy items in her purse or an armed thug with a gun. The little things are what comprise a good life, right?
Long story short, I will try to use this work experience to gain new insights and perspectives on my area. I have already learned about the supposedly high crime rate and public perception of crime, even though where I live is far from the worst in the city. Nevertheless, I suppose it's a good way to learn about that part of my rustbelt Midwestern city and all its discontent.
"Since I live by the place I work, it is convenient, but it's sad how all the low-income folks in the neighborhood go to the store for groceries, processed food and junk that is overpriced. Yes, I know about food deserts, but there are multiple buslines in the area. Oh well, so far I have only had a handful of annoying experiences. Nobody has committed armed robbery with me inside the store yet!" Funny, if I didn't know better, I'd swear this was written by some granola gobbling yuppie looking at the lower orders with disgust, pity and resignation. How about canvassing the churches, schools and neighborhood centers with the aim of organizing a food co-op? Nah, too much work. Ok, how about organizing shopping trips to Trader Joe's or other boho organic food emporiums? Thank god for good music while the world goes to hell in a handbasket. By the way, that's a typical "milat" attitude.
ReplyDeleteI assure you, I am much too poor and non-bourgie to be a yuppie. I grew up in that area, but it wasn't until working at my current job that I realized how poor folks are being exploited by these corporate retail outlets in my own neck of the woods. Also, am not fond of granola. Okay, maybe eating some every once in a while, but not too much.
DeleteA friend and I were discussing the idea of reaching out to neighborhood centers and churches, but I have not decided whether or not I want to pursue such a project because I don't see myself staying here too much longer.
Lest we forget, many of the black working-class folks across the US also share similar views with the black elite, milat elites, etc. On countless occasions I have heard working-class black folk utter the same type of garbage about the poor as the Afristocracy and whites. I think many of the class aspirations of the poor and working-class are similar to those of the middle and upper classes, so I have heard working-class co-workers and customers complain about 'trifling niggas' in ways that white middle class and elites speak about us.
DeleteHow surprising that the working class would think like the bourgeois! From all the wars they fought in the name of the nation, civilization, etc. I would never have imagined it. You need to read more Marx. The ruling class produces the ideas and mores of society so I'm pretty sure the lower orders speak as you say they do. So, you're "moving on up to that deluxe apartment in the sky" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYcqToQzzGY, good for you.
DeleteAh, yes, a crude Marxist generalization that is reductionist and ignores the complexities and nuances of class identities and other influences that are mutually constitutive of human social identities. Of course elites often do dictate and define the ideas and mores of society, but often when I discuss this with leftists, they end up sounding dismissive and condescending toward the subaltern masses. In my opinion, it's more of a mix, elites and the 'lower orders' together define the ideas and mores of society and have their differing conceptual fields that often intersect. There's always been something about this idea of 'trickle down ethics and mores' that offends me, though it is obviously partially true.
DeleteLove The Jeffersons, that's my jam.
A crude Marxist generalization that offends you! You are too easily offended, what's crude about it as opposed to your eclectic mishmash? I see that you have the sneering tone worked out for the time when you can play the authority figure.The stuff "subaltern masses" come up with are usually dismissed as mere superstition, and/or pernicious practices offensive to civilized society unless they enforce the values of the rulers. Your "democratic" view on how ideas and mores are produced and maintained just doesn't stand up to reality. What are schools, teachers, churches, priests, insane asylums, doctors, judges, police, and prisons for if your "sophisticated" approach was correct? You'll get no argument from me if you claim that ideas come from the entire social spectrum, I seem to recall a book that claimed that many are called but few are chosen, it might have been the bible.
DeleteHahaha, who are you?! You're quite a character, and I must say, I am very glad to have the honor and joy of reading your comments. And if you don't mind me saying so, for an 'old man,' you're very computer literate. You must be in your 60s or late 50s, perhaps, and presumably retired. It sounds like we agree more than we disagree. I understand how institutions such as schools, insane asylums, etc., are all related to power and all that jazz, but I simply don't see the 'subaltern masses' as blind or willing victims of centuries of 'indoctrination' from 'trickle down values and ethics.' There's all kinds of nuances and complexities and other factors at play that determine how distinct groups and individuals define themselves, their society, and the world around them, though those are undoubtedly influenced or determined to some degree by hegemonic (mostly elite-based) interests, right?
DeleteSometimes I think we are too eager to try to reduce everything in this world to models that we think best fit although we should all know models are inherently imperfect due to their flawed representations of reality. But what do I know, I'm just a poor colored boy.
Where have I claimed that 'subaltern masses" are blind or willing victims? My crude Marxism tells me that what they create must pass through the sieve of the institutions I identified in my previous comment. I don't deal in models, that kind of talk smacks of school. You're into music so you ought to know that just because something is good isn't enough to guarantee its success. It wasn't until the composer Antonín Leopold Dvořák came to the USA and "discovered" African American spirituals, with his introduction by Harry Burleigh to them, that white American musicians began to find value in that art form. Again, many (ideas,etc.) are called but few are chosen. Its hard to disagree with you given the protean character of your arguments. "But what do I know, I'm just a poor colored boy." What's with the false humility?
Delete"Now, of course not all these aforementioned socialists and anarchists were like that." This is what I mean by your arguments being protean, one feels that you want to abandon a train of thought the moment you express it.
DeleteI see it more as endeavoring to be careful with my words and avoiding too many generalizations. Many 'leftist' and 'activist' types I interacted with didn't fit the bill, why stereotype all of them so negatively? I've also gotten annoyed and been on the bitter receiving end of such vast generalizations by critics.
DeleteIf "Many 'leftist' and 'activist' types..." didn't fit the 'bill', you should have written that x out of ten of these types did fit the bill, that way, one wouldn't get the impression I came away with, that you are trying to deny what you've just asserted. By the way, I never called you a Yuppie, I wrote that what you wrote in the post was a passable imitation of one. No need to feel defensive about your desire to "move on to bigger and better things", by getting out of the place you come from, that's a time honored tradition in the society we live in. I was only surprised that you weren't slaving away as teaching assistant at some university instead of clerking for some mega corporation, given your ambition to be a scholar.
DeleteIf I'm lucky, I will be slaving away soon enough at another university!
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