Blogging Social Differences in L.A.: Week 7

So far, through my “Blogging Social Differences in the L.A. Metropolitan Region” explorations, I have considered differences in issues that should really be uniting among humanity, soaked up the embodiment of Gemienschaft in a cozy coffee shop, experienced the dissolving of differences through music in an ever changing venue to match its audiences, explored Manchester-like thoroughfares, and considered micro communities of ethnic agglomerations.  My initial question for this blog was to identify differences in L.A.  I expected the differences to occur in clusters and have strict boundaries.  Thus far, I have found this to generally be the case—in the micro communities and Manchester-like thoroughfares.  However, I have witnessed environments that dissolve differences too.

This week I decided to explore something that would provide a snapshot of the many clusters in L.A.  As a result, I witnessed differences in an entirely new light.

I took the Metro bus line 2 from the Hilgard Ave. and Westholme Ave. stop ten miles to the subway off of Sunset Blvd. and  N. Vermont Ave.   Buses in L.A. are a rather unnerving experience.  I understand now why L.A. is such an automobile dominated city.  After taking the bus, my preference for cars here was solidified.  I appreciate the environmental argument for buses, but L.A. seriously needs to improve its public transportation system.  It makes me think of the David Harvey piece, “The Environment of Justice.”  Though L.A. is a relatively wealthy city, we choose to pollute it rather than invest in more environmentally friendly means of transportation.  This is the opposite of what Harvey argues—poorer regions accepting pollution, in particular pollution imposed by wealthier regions.  L.A. represents the idea of productive destruction, as the automobile clearly dominates as a means of transportation despite the pollution, traffic, accidents, headaches, etc., that it produces.       

As I got on the bus I was greeted by a gruff disengaged bus driver annoyed by naivety as I fumbled with my coins.  It was early in the evening but many of the seats were occupied.  I was relieved to settle into a window seat.  As I road I was aware of my fellow bus riders—some of them other students, several somewhat older Hispanic ladies, and in particular a man who smelled like urine and kept mumbling to himself, shouting indiscernible words each time someone pulled the yellow cord to initiate the “Stop Requested.”

Outside the window passed the luxurious homes of Beverly Hills off of Sunset Blvd.  Excessively luxurious.  I noticed few sidewalks which I understood to discourage visitors and lingering.  Then we passed the commercial strip of Sunset Blvd.  This was lined with trendy shopping, expensive brands on the billboards, and elegant restaurant after elegant restaurant.  As the bus continued east though, the sites became grungier and grungier and the bus became more and more full.  Finally after passing under the 101, my destination was within a stones throw.  I pulled the yellow cord to request my stop and was acknowledged by the man who smelled of urine with his shouts.  I was more than happy to get off the bus!  I met my boyfriend’s sister who works at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for a quick dinner, then back on the bus!   

The entire affair took much longer than I was expecting and it was very tiring.  But witnessing the differences of L.A. passing by my window was surreal due to the pace.  The differences are really in such close proximity to each other though they resemble entirely different economic classes, personalities of peoples, differences in cleanliness, etc.  You’d think they were entirely different cities rather than just subsections of L.A.

     I had to include this video because WeirdAl tweaked the song, "Another One Bites the Dust" to "Another One Rides the Bus," and his jokes are funny becaue they are true!  This is a long clip but anywhere between 1:30 and 2:30 captures the essence of it.