New York City still impresses me. I’d still love to become a tourist and explore the city. Portrayals of NYC in movies and posters still inspire awe within me. I’ve caught myself numerous times thinking, “Do I seriously live there?”
As a young girl, the city was an attraction to me. I didn’t picture it being a place of shopping, residence or even business. The city was the Statue of Liberty and ferries. It was tall buildings and the Twin Towers. It was lights, bright busy streets, and yellow cabs. I’d gaze at the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center or the dark sky amidst the daylight illusion that Times Square gave. I had a set image of the city, and this very image was what made me adore NY. The wealthy uptown or the rich ones of NYC never occurred to me.
As I grew up and began exploring the city with a different eye, I came to see its true role and image. As an individual still learning new things everyday, my image of NYC might still be at fault. Regardless, in my eyes, Uptown and wealthy New York is all about business. Doctors and engineers have their fair share of wealth, but the businessmen of NYC are the real moneymakers. NYC is known for its status as a financial center. Wall Street business symbolizes NYC and gives it the image of wealth and prosperity. The streets of the city are filled with men in suits carrying their briefcases, and women in skirts and heels hurrying to work. Along with its skyscrapers and yellow cabs, the image of New York is defined by these businessmen. Being a financial hub of not only the state but the nation as well, businessmen in NYC make it big. They indulge in million dollar conversations and deals that an average New Yorker would never even think of. The unaffordable condominiums and pricey restaurants are there for these men to live on. Due to their riches and lifestyles, these wealthy people are the ones that help create the socioeconomic division of NYC. On one hand, there are cab drivers that struggle to make ends meet. On the other hand, there are these businessmen who spend more money on luxury than an average man’s income.
This image portrays my idea of wealthy New York- a businessman making his way to work. This man might not be a millionaire, but he is definitely much more privileged than an average New Yorker. His concerns aren’t making enough money to pay the bills or the rent, and this is one of the vital sources of division between him and that cab driver. The life of this man is completely different from the bus and train taking life of another. From his style of speaking to his choice of wardrobe, this man’s lifestyle is heavily impacted by his wealth. The exterior looks of a person can always define their economic status, and in this case, wealth and privilege ooze out of every pore of this man. This image just automatically sends messages to my brain and lets it know that we’re looking at a rich New Yorker here. The very automatic response of my brain to link this image with NYC and its wealth, made me chose this picture to represent wealthy NYC.
It must be realized that the choice of this image is subject to change from person to person. To one person this man might just represent an average New Yorker on his way to work, and it might take an image of expensive cars and houses, to actually represent wealthy New York to them. To me however, this image of a businessman making his way to Wall Street is what wealthy New York is.
