I also urge people to listen to the American Life podcast – it is riveting, and very informative. However, while it appears at the start to be about this Fieldston-University Heights relationship, it quickly turns into another type of story entirely. It’s not really about the exchange, the way the NYTimes story is.
Some of you seem to be saying, “if you are poor, just stay in the neighborhood and never interact with people of a different socio-economic status.” I disagree with this. I think it’s a bad thing when the only relationship between poor and rich is that of employer-employee, or served and server. The gap between haves and have-nots is growing, and walling people into their communities just widens the chasm. Yes, it was upsetting for that girl to see Fieldston – although you have to listen to the whole podcast to understand why. But why not show her that Mercedes? Why should she only see used Fords?