From this class and my classmates as well as the article and experiences we analyzed in class taught me so much about the problems we face in New York as residents. We learned so much about the affordable housing crisis and how low income people are being pushed out of New York City by the forces of gentrification. Also what I found extremely interesting was the idea of the global North vs. the global south and the lack of social mobility in our society. Also learning about how the local government subsidized housing for lower income people by negotiating with developers to build new building and leave a certain number of those new apartments for low income housing. I loved how all what we talked about for the living in New York City section of the course and how it directly pertains to our lives in New York City.
The how we work section of the course was also extremely interesting. Learning about the effects of technology in New York City. Learning about how advancement of technology has destroyed some sectors of the New York City economy and grew others. For example one sector of the New York City economy that was decimated by the growth of technology is the production sector that employed low-level unskilled workers in New York. With the growth of technology more high-income jobs have been created leading to an influx of money into NY. This leads to gentrification and the increase of housing prices. This interconnection is what I feel is the basis of the class and learning about how we work and how that affects how we live and how it affects how we shop. Each section of the class plays into the other and the issues for one area maybe caused by another. That is what I liked the most about this course; it illustrated the complexities of a society such as our own and illustrated the issues that we will all have to face.
The interview for the how we shop team were extremely enlightening for life in New York City and how it is continually changing. Learning about the role local shopping streets play in a community and the benefits they offer. The Interviews we did with local shop owners taught me a lot about the real lives of these people and how they are real people with real problems. Also presenting at the common event really opened up my eyes to the many different problems affecting New York City. I learned a lot from how transportation in New York is extremely slow to how many lower income people aren’t provided with affordable healthy alternatives. However I thought that 10 minutes to present a semester long project was much too short and if all the different groups could have presented together or at least in the same session then our presentations would have illustrated a more comprehensive portrait of the problems in New York City.
