Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 10 - Tehrangeles

            For my final blog I decided to write about the portion of the Iranian Diaspora that has made West Los Angeles its home.  From Santa Monica to Westwood there is such a large concentration of Iranian businesses and residents that in some books they refer to this area as Tehrangeles. The area has become so prominent that you can even google it by that name.  To gauge the effects of this influx of Iranians into the area I decided to take a couple of my American friends to a typical Iranian activity in the area.  I chose Darya, one of my favourite Persian restaurants, for our trip.  Darya is located at 12130 Santa Monica Blvd, and provides a wonderful blend of authentic Persian cuisine with western style decoration and ambiance. In my opinion Darya has the best Persian food I have ever tasted (with the exception of my mother’s cooking) but also it is the least ostentatious and unnecessarily over decorated of the local Persian restaurants. The majority of Persian owned stores and restaurants (much like Persian homes) are overly ornamented with marble columns, gold paint, and decorative mirrors. Although I must admit Darya does include some of these it does it in a more gentle way so that it does not assault the senses, which makes the dinning experience more enjoyable.

            My friends were hesitant at first because the food looked so different from anything they had tried before.  The white drink that looks like milk is in fact a yogurt drink and therefore salty – quite a shock if you’re expecting a sweet milk drink. The sauces have very exotic ingredients such as okra and eggplant and my own favourite dish has a dark brown muddy colour and is made from a blend of walnuts and pomegranate juice.  Once we got past the initial culture shock my friends were very much at home with a lamb shank and rice dish and a kabob and rice combination.  In fact they have now become devotees of Iranian food and want to take their families to introduce them to these exotic dishes.

In class we discussed the topic of race as an axis of difference. In recent years the Iranians as a race have seen a great deal of discrimination beginning with the hostage crisis at the start of the Iranian revolution in 1979.  Each time there is any terrorist activity any where in the world the blame is placed on the Iran and, whether rightly or wrongly, all Iranians have to suffer the consequence of prejudice and hatred.  These days the world has accepted the fact that the Iranians outside of Iran left that country because they do not agree with that country’s policies and behaviour.  In the 1980s very often Iranians in this country were ostracized and even attacked just on the basis of their skin colour.  When asked about their nationality, many Iranians would pretend to be Greek or Italian. 

 However, there are several racial/ cultural signifiers, which can make it easy to identify someone from a particular racial group. For example there are certain hairstyle or clothing choices that are very distinct among the Persians.  The women tend to over dress for every occasion, wearing several designer brands at the same time and an over use of very large and prominent types of jewellery.  Many go through plastic surgery procedures at a very young age and it is not unusual to see teenage girls and boys with nose jobs and chin implants.  Chemically straightened hair and fancy hairstyles are also quite common. Of course, these features are also found in other ethnic groups however they become very common in the Persian community. Another way of identifying someone from this group is their accent and diction. The Persian alphabet does not have the letter “w” therefore every time this letter appears in a word it is replaced by the letter “v” making the accent easy to detect. While the Persians tend to cluster together it is not the result of urban segregation and is more a choice based on location and title.

These days there is a greater tolerance towards Iranians and the Americans understand that the deeds of a few should not be made the reason for condemning others.  Now this acceptance is showing itself as people look at Persian works of art with appreciation and, in the case of my friends, they try the food with an open mind and agree that it would be a shame not to add these dishes to the growing eclectic menu that is available to the American population. 

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 9 - Sylmar

When looking through the November 23^rd, 2012 issue of the LA times I came upon an article that actually made me feel better, a rare feeling these days when reading news.  The article by Marisa Gerber titled “Low-income students get crash course in college preparation” dealt with the difficulty of low income students in preparing for higher education.  In the article, which can be found at the following link http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-college-summit-20121124,0,855445.story, the author discusses how a program has been started in Sylmar (an area I hadn’t heard about until reading this article) where high school students are able to take a special course to improve their skills for writing their personal statements and offers assistance and counseling to help through the difficulties of choosing a college and completing applications. 

Sylmar is located in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles and has a population of about 87,000 people. The area is predominantly Hispanic representing over 50% of the population. The city itself has had some trouble with violence and gang related activity with some reports of shootings taking place very close to the high school, which was the reason for my reservations about visiting the city. This often-neglected part of Los Angeles has a problem with students who generally feel under-appreciated and where the majority of the students do not believe they have the ability to get into college. A huge factor is the monetary issue as these students typically come from low -income families and the emphasis is on going to work as soon as possible to help with the income of the family.  The majority of the students score very low on national tests and are automatically considered not worthy for higher education.  But some are considered “better than their numbers” (referring to their test scores).  These students are the target audience for College Summit a national nonprofit corporation, committed to increasing the number of low-income students who go to college. The course they offer covers such topics as due dates, course requirements, and most importantly scholarship opportunities to help these kids start on a path that will lead to a better future for them and ultimately for their families.  This program is an amazing tool for anyone who wants to attend college but has no ideas on how to go about getting there. Many of these students will be the first ones in their families to attend college; therefore they have little or no guidance at home.

            In our lectures we discussed the idea of class differences, which have a lot to do with the differences of race and ethnicity. The majority of these students are Hispanic and come from underprivileged homes. The culture here is one that encourages the youth to drop out of school and to join a social group.  This process moves them from being ‘nerdy’ to being ‘cool’.  In class we talked about how a person’s Socioeconomic status (SES) has a lot to do with their class ranking and those who are considered to be lower class have in general found it more difficult to have any sort of upward mobility in today’s society. Weber stated that class is not only about economic differences but also about cultural differences regarding prestige, religious affiliation, and occupational status. If this is true then the lower classes will always have a problem trying to move up into the higher classes, as they will always be regarded as inferior. This can be seen with the socially stratified groups, which means that people can be separated by access to resources and levers of power. So people can have the same amount of money but belong to different classes (both can have a million dollars but those who earn it differently or come from different backgrounds are always seen as part of a different class). This has always been the trend throughout history, for example the bourgeois and the aristocracy. The children of the Sylmar community have always been considered part of the lower class because of their racial and cultural identities and although it will be difficult to change their status, they have the ability to improve at least their own standings in society by attending college. A college degree opens up new fields and new opportunities in which they can improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.  

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 8- USC

            This past Sunday I made by first trip to the campus of the University of Southern California (USC). Though I usually avoid that part of town I was going there because my cousin was appearing in an operatic presentation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The downtown area where USC is located is not a very safe part of Los Angeles and the recent murders of two students and the shooting incidents nearby didn’t help ease my discomfort. But my cousin assured me that since the performance was during the day I would be safe from any harm.

            This being the day after UCLA had beaten USC at football I have to admit to a certain smugness as I drove onto the campus.  As you might expect, there being no classes on a Sunday afternoon, the campus was very quiet with some students casually strolling to various building.  Approaching the campus I could see that the area was not built around student needs, so most of the support structure for student life is actually housed inside the perimeters of the campus. This is a marked contrast with UCLA where the village of Westwood is essentially an extension of the campus, providing the students a variety of social venues.

            The USC campus is actually quite pretty filled with architecturally beautiful brick buildings. The one thing that will make all UCLA students jealous is that their campus is all on flat completely hill-less land; because of this many students ride bikes on campus.  Thankfully I was able to find parking on campus and didn’t have to walk to the theatre. I looked nervously around me as I was nearing the campus and noticed quickly came to the realization that I would not feel very safe walking the surrounding streets.  Here the sidewalks and alleys seemed to be filled with the homeless and the ‘menacing’ looking.  I would conclude that the average student here would not feel comfortable walking around to local stores and restaurants.

            In class we discussed this idea of a “Carceral Archipelago” where certain parts of an area seem to be separated from other parts even if there are no actual walls or gates. This can be seen with the USC campus as it relates to the surrounding city. Although USC is situated in downtown Los Angeles, in the midst of a low-income community, the campus itself is very clean and high tech. Being a private school, USC has a fairly healthy tuition income stream and a very supportive and affluent alumni.  So while the majority of downtown is dirty and has a “ghetto” feel the school itself has very modern architecture and a prestigious look.  In fact the only deterrent for students wishing to study at USC seems to be its location. It is for this reason that the school has created a bubble around itself limiting the need for students to leave the campus. USC has come to block itself off from its own area as a way of protecting and differentiating itself from the stereotypes that exist about downtown. 

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 7- Oak Park

This week I decided to visit my cousins who live in the small town of Oak Park. The entire area has a total radius of 5.29 squared miles and a population of 13,811. It is located in Simi Valley, next to cities like Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills. I have been to this city more times than I can possibly remember and every time I go I am overcome with a sense of calmness and tranquility. A walk around town confirms the statistics from the census, showing a population of 83% white, 11% Asian, and 6% all other ethnic groups. The majority of the residents are elderly white couples who escaped the hustle and bustle of city life for the more serene existence of the suburbs. Here the “American dream” can become a reality, as rows and rows of picket fences and sculptured lawns are evidence of a life that is planed, anticipated and organized.  The homogeneity within the town is welcomed by its residents and the uniformity gives a sense of relief to the population.

While walking around with my cousins they like to joke about how the city is so small that it’s hard to find on a map, testing the capability of most GPS systems. One of them even refers to the area as her little “bubble”, referring to its isolation from the main cities in the area. Life moves at a slower quieter pace, with no industries or large malls to pollute the environment or assault ones senses

            My cousins showed me their high school and mentioned that their graduating class was only about 90 students and that their school was so small that everyone knew each other’s names. This took me completely by surprise as my high school had a student body of approximately 3,000 students, and my graduating class was composed of about 350 seniors, only a handful of which I knew personally. However as Oak Park has a very small population it seems only fitting that the kids, having grown up in the neighborhood would somehow be acquainted. The problem that my cousins encountered was that they went from classes of 10 or 15 students to universities with classes of 50 to 100 students and that apparently was quite a shock.

            In class we discussed the idea of decentralization and the home becoming the center sphere. Oak Park is a perfect example as the use of a car becomes almost essential when living in this city because this town has no malls, no movie theatres, and very few restaurants, they don’t even have a gas station. Therefore residents need to drive to the next town just to make use of such basic services (showing just how important automobility is for the city). This area is by all definitions a residential area providing a safe and secure neighborhood for raising kids or enjoying a quiet life of retirement. Whenever I visit my cousins we drive the 10 or 15 minutes to Agoura hills and go to the mall there. This connectedness shows that although the cities have become decentralized they are still linked in certain ways and have this sort of interdependence on each other.  Of course people have to drive to work and depend on the main arteries of communications like the 101 and the 118 freeways. In 30 to 40 minutes, if traffic allows, you can reach the business hubs in the area.  The only major drawback is the lack of access to an international airport.  But those seeking the serenity of the suburbs don’t mind a few inconveniences like these and feel that their improved quality of life more than makes up for any such losses.   

Blogging Social Difference in L.A.: Week 6- West Hollywood

            

            I decided this week to drive around one of the more interesting cities in southern California, the city of West Hollywood.  With the affluent populations of Beverly Hills on one side and the not so affluent groups in Hollywood on the other this city, affectionately called “WeHo” by its residents, presents a melting pot of rich and poor and a very diverse ethnic population.  Its early history is full of the glamour of Hollywood as many of the super stars of the golden age of movies used to live here.  But over time they moved to other parts of the city and West Hollywood became a rundown community in a not so nice part of Los Angeles.  But in recent years the area has had a phoenix-like rebirth and is now home to some of the trendiest boutiques, restaurants and night clubs on the Westside.  However, the residents saw this boom as a detriment to their economic survival, fearing high rents and expensive stores. It is said that that the gay and lesbian community make up more than 40% of the population here. And as I drove along Santa Monica Blvd, I could clearly see a representation of this as male couples and female couple could be seen walking and shopping and eating at restaurants.

            But the city draws to it a diverse crowd as people move into the old houses of the 1920s and 1930s and refurbish them and as newer more artistic and modern houses and condominiums cover the landscape.  However, the old apartment buildings are still home to the lower income inhabitants and the city is quite friendly to the homeless and the needy. In 1984 a coalition of residents incorporated the city of West Hollywood and enacted one of the strongest rent control laws in the state. This allowed many of them to be able to stay in their apartments despite the meteoric rise of prices in the area. The resulting community appears to be friendly and accommodating. I went on the simplymaps website and discovered that it becomes very clear to see this huge split when looking at a map of racial distinction. Although the other maps seem to have a fair evenness within them it is important to see that there are differences of affluence and race.

            The little clothing boutiques along Melrose, near Fairfax, are a wonderful mix of shabby-chic offerings.  Here the wealthy mix with the poor as they all try to find the latest in grunge wear.  As I walked west along Melrose I came across the Pacific Design Center, commonly called the Blue Whale, which has now grown to include several brightly coloured buildings housing hundreds of show rooms.  These stores are definitely for the rich and in many cases require an appointment before you can get in.  Along the Sunset Strip there are many fancy restaurants and people cruise by in their Ferraris and Maseratis looking for a place to park that would be visible to show off their fancy cars.  

            The city does not have any manufacturing plants and is primarily a service-oriented community with many hotels and restaurants and the largest employer is Ticketmaster.  Most of the employees in these businesses commute to work each day and the people that I saw in the street appeared to be mostly people who had come here to take advantage of its many stores. This goes along side with the idea of “automobility” and having the home become the focal point in a person’s life. 

            In the readings from the city reader David Harvey writes “ the system of production which capital established was founded on a physical separation between a place of work and a place of residence. The growth of the factory system, which created this separation, rested on the organization of cooperation, division of labour and economies of scale in the work process”.  We can see this separation and process in almost every part of the LA area, including West Hollywood. In this region there are thousands of little shops and stores all along the main streets while the houses are on the smaller minor streets leading into the cities center. Within the city of West Hollywood we can see that there are huge class and race differences depending on the areas in which people live. In class we discussed the idea of difference being a natural part of life according to some philosophers such as Spencer and Parsons. If this were the case than the contrast that can be seen in West Hollywood is just a part of life where some people are higher up and therefore others must simply be lower. However this belief is not widely upheld and it can be said that this juxtaposition is a result of selfish individualism and moral disregard (as we read with Marx and Engels). The one thing that can we know for sure is that no change will come about any time soon unless there is a complete restructuring of our society.