Everybody loves a day at the beach! I plan to make one of my
excursions in Los Angeles a local beach. It is a great area for observing
several different social and ethnic groups because most beaches in California
are state funded and completely open to the public, it has been made a public
good with access to mostly everyone as long as they can find their way onto
public transit or own a car. Santa Monica is particularly good about public
access through several bus lines that run to PCH and the pier. Humans just seem
to be drawn to the coast, something about standing on the edge of a continent
is very alluring... that or the weather is great... either way the beach is one
of the prime destinations for any Angeleno. Living in this city all my life and
having been to Santa Monica countless times (can't remember how many) I
understand exactly what you were observing. Santa Monica itself is a relatively
well-off area, as most beach communities are in the LA area. This has to do
with the high property values produced by the high demand for property near the
coast and the limited supply... in turn this creates an even more pronounced effect
on the manufactured landscape. The affluence in beach communities collects more
tax revenue from property taxes and businesses, giving way to better public
transit and public services such as sanitation and maintenance for the area.
The local’s particular taste and spending power also creates a demand for
higher end businesses such as retailers and restaurants that cater to a more "refined"
clientele. This plays a big part in why people love a day at the beach, even if
you don't quite fit in to the local crowd you still like to be exposed to some
of the finer things and spoil yourself from time to time... that or just enjoy
the natural beauty of the Pacific coast.
It doesn't surprise me that you observed a number of
transient individuals, or as some refer to as the residentially challenged.
Beaches are usually a popular spot for these individuals mostly because it
exposes them to higher numbers of people and even more importantly, people who
can spare some change or a few bucks. Beach communities also tend to be safe
havens for the homeless since there are so many eyes around they feel a sense
of security and it is simple to move from one beach community to the other just
by following PCH.
You brought up another interesting point about how the
homeless, the janitorial staff, retail workers and lifeguards all seemed
disconnected from the whole happy and care free scene. I find this to be true
of most places we occupy temporarily. As an active observer and as a member of
the labor force it is easy to see a dichotomy that exists in most urban
environments. There are those who are visiting an area or are the local
inhabitants and there are those who work or serve that area in some way. Its
the division between work and play to put it simply. All of the sad people you
mentioned are there to serve those who are there to access the local goods and
services. It is not necessarily that these service workers or staff members
can't enjoy these same goods, it's just that they are at work and are probably
bored of their mundane routine... to most of them it's just a living. I work in
a museum myself and I see people going about their day happy as clams as I
blend into the background serving my duties discreetly. This split between
workers and consumers is not permanent and varies and transforms as we move
from place to place moving through the urban fabric intersecting our places of
business with our places of amusement. It is all a part of the Organic
Solidarity that Durkheim refers to and that you mentioned. Every person plays a
role in the exchange of goods and services at different times, it is all
dependent on where and when and between whom that this exchange is taking
place. The only individuals that are left out of this exchange is the homeless
that you observed, they are seen as non-participants and therefore reap none of
the benefits of the capitalist society that we live in. Just because they are
non-participants doesn't mean that they willingly choose to be left out. Some
face extenuating circumstances such as mental health issues or addiction that
prevent them from functioning with the duties and responsibilities that most
adults are expected to adhere to. In that case these individuals should be
cared for through social programs that find them a place in society, but they
rarely receive the attention they need and are therefore structurally excluded
from participating by no fault of their own. However, there are certain
homeless that choose to lead this lifestyle feeling that it offers them a level
of freedom and independence and willfully exclude themselves because they see
it to be more beneficial. I found you're observations to be very interesting,
however you might just be scratching the surface... the ideas are there, just
delve deeper.
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