Monday, February 11, 2013

Everything That's Wrong with Brooklyn

So I read on Gothamist that some Brooklyn hipster dads created a $14 magazine for other hipster dads.  You can read about it here:
http://gothamist.com/2013/02/11/hipster_dad_magazine_makes_using_ph.php

This magazine, the people who created it, and those who might possibly read it constitute everything that's wrong with Brooklyn right now.  This publication is another example of folks who say they love living in the city because of its culture and diversity and end up associating with people who are just like themselves in terms of race, upbringing, and life in general.  (Note: having an Asian wife or girlfriend doesn't give you an automatic diversity pass either.)  Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to be with people you feel you have a lot in common with, but don't try to bullshit folks by telling people you appreciate diversity when, truthfully, you don't (or at least the life you lead doesn't show that you do).  I do commend one of the magazine's founders for realizing that the first issue isn't racially or economically diverse and he claims he and the staff will work to rectify this situation for future editions (if there are future editions).

People (myself included) criticize Detroit for being racially segregated and it is.  However, Brooklyn isn't exactly a melting pot either.  Sure, lots of different people live in the city, but a lot of those people don't associate with folks who are different from themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, income, and education.  Yes, Brooklyn is miles ahead of Detroit in terms of racial diversity, but it is not the promised land that some folks seem to think it is either.

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