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October 19, 2007
vulgarity question....
Do you think the borough/city in general has gotten more vulgar (in the showy, Trump-y, expensive sense of the word)? How extravagant is too extravagant? What’s the most vulgar thing you’ve seen someone do/buy/brag about recently? (I’m a writer working on a story about this, so specific examples are much appreciated, but all responses will remain anonymous.)
Comments
People in NY exaggerate about their education and their job position- not so much about what they have. I think that the people here are actually quietly showy. I don't see so much keeping up with the Jonses.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 12:52 PM
the whole world has gone this way.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 1:31 PM
I think it's kind of vulgar to write and ask only for information that will confirm your thesis.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 1:49 PM
I don't think the OP is only asking for information that will confirm the thesis:
quote:
Do you think the borough/city in general has gotten more vulgar (in the showy, Trump-y, expensive sense of the word)?
I feel comfortable saying "No" to this. Not where I am. In fact, I would say almost the opposite. Brooklyn is gentrifying irregularly, and so places that will always look crappy, like Greenpoint, are getting relatively rich, and at the same time there are truly majestic blocks of Bed Stuy that look as if they will always be slummy, even though there's a great new wine boutique right down the street.
I don't know whether this is about racism or sheeplike herd mentality of people with a certain amount of money to spend. But the resulting gestalt is not one of glitz, or vulgarity. It's one of killer boots with kitten heels clacking around under the BQE; models on the G train; getting buzzed into the afforementioned wine boutique.
Right now, it looks like everyone with money is slumming.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 2:12 PM
I don't think vulgar is how I would characterize the way increased affluence in Brooklyn is manifesting itself. I think Though I do think that people spend much more than they used to on food and decor. Rahter than go for the glitz some people seem to spend inordinate sums on things like artisinal food at all those little pricey fancy shops that have cropped up. There has been a marked increase in spending on natural materials in home finishing - exotic wood or honed marble or slate used in more simple, straight forward ways. Polished peasants.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 2:42 PM
i don't see our neighborhood as being showy or trumpy... which is not to say there isn't plenty of money here and plenty of ways it makes itself seen.
try posting on the NY board of Urbanbaby.com -- they love responding to this type of question.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 3:03 PM
Same people.
Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 3:20 PM
No. Why are there so many "writers" who come to the forum to ask these kinds of questions? This forum is about renovation issues with brownstones.
Posted by: donatella at October 19, 2007 4:04 PM
Because it's the demographic that they want. How much can you talk about brownstones?
Posted by: guest at October 20, 2007 12:49 PM
I don't see my neighborhood becoming more vulgar as it becomes more gentrified. If I had to make a gross oversimplification, I would say that type of vulgar is not what brownstone brooklyn is about. People who like to impress that way stay in Manhattan.
Posted by: guest at October 22, 2007 2:07 PM
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