While apartment hunting online, a new acquaintance of mine asked me how much I pay for my apartment. How rude, right? For the sake of conversation, I overlooked it and answered him. He was apparently shocked by how much I pay for my digs because he replied, "Wow, that's cheap! You must live in the ghetto." I thought, 'Excuse me, sucka?!?! You're about to see the ghetto come out in me real fast-like!' Good thing I don't always say what I am thinking.
Then, I began to ponder all of the world's social and economic problems, and my mind drifted away into other random thoughts.
A few days later, I was sharing an experience I had, in which, I was arriving home late at night and was a bit afraid to go inside my apartment. This was because there were five large men, who happened to be of a different ethnicity than I, loitering in the breezeway. This same acquaintance, just as crass as the first time, said to me, "Wow, you really must live in the ghetto!"
This is offensive to me on so many levels, but I won't go into that. You can say whatever you want about me. However, if you are going to assume that I live in the ghetto based on how much I pay in rent (which is actually average to above average for a one-bedroom apartment in our city) and the tenants in my building, then you are just ignorant of what a "ghetto" actually is and I feel sorry for you.
Allow me to educate you. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/elvis+presley/in+the+ghetto_20048735.html This is true ghetto life and not where I live at all, thank you very much. However, I have had the misfortune of living in similar places in the past. Which brings me to my actual point of this post: Everyone has a different standard of living, so, who are you to judge?
Just six years ago, I moved into my first apartment with my only worldly possessions- two camping chairs- and you guessed it, in a very bad area. Hearing gunshots and seeing crackheads was commonplace. It was all I could afford, and I was happy just to have a place to call my own. So, my personal standard of living was very low at the time. I was just trying to make it in the crazy world.
Since then, I have moved up a notch socio-economic ladder, but I haven't forgotten where I have come from. There are many people on rungs below me and MANY above me, as well. So, I think before one gets all Judgy McJudgerson and tries to assess someone's situation based on where they live- because that is essentially what my acquaintance was doing- one needs to consider what cards life has handed them and whether or not oneself has a winning hand. Nah meeean?
Beyond that, if it is going to be assumed that I live in the ghetto and hence, I am considered "Ghetto," I will have to request that "Superstar" be added to the end. Because that is what I am- a Ghetto Superstar! Beleee Dat! http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?term=ghetto%20superstar&defid=267163 Note: NOT to be confused with "Ghetto Fabulous." http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?term=Ghetto%20Fabulous&defid=2030389 'Preciate cha!
I had no idea about those urban dictionary definitions, I can see reading your blog is going to be educational. :-) I assume your acquaintance was just trying to be funny. I (think?) I remember you telling me where you live, and I was actually thinking it was more than I would pay in rent in that area. So, you could point out to him that it's not considered financially savvy to spend the maximum you can afford on rent so that morons like him will be impressed. :-)~Aunt Julie
ReplyDeleteAunt J, hopefully he reads my blogs and can see the error of his ways :)
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