But this scared me. You see, I lived directly across the street the first three years I lived in NYC. Despite her descriptions, it's a nice building on the higher end of apartment buildings in a well-off area. And Central Park is at the end of the block. Megan complaining about that building is simply ignorant.
Also, it means this was an even bigger load of shit than I'd initially realized. Cause unless she lived there 15 years ago, which I suppose is possible, she was paying way over a grand a month in rent. My place was a 250 square feet one bedroom, and started at 1200 a month in the summer of 99 when I moved in. It was rent stabilized, which meant the landlord could jack it up 15% per new lease, which they did. And my building wasn't as nice as Megan's, which I believe, but may be wrong, featured a doorman. I finally moved downtown, where folk like me should have been back then, after three years.
(Aside: My parents don't pay for my existence, in case you're wondering. I come from somewhere in the now-vanishing line between upper middle class and lower upper class. My grandmother invested 5 grand for me when I was born, and did so wisely. I pay my rent with the income generated by that money, and live off what I earn otherwise. I'm lucky as sin to have that. And yes, I feel guilty for it, as evidenced by taking the time out to explain.)
Point being that Megan has never "slummed it", even in her "cave-dwelling" days. When she claims not to have lived a life of uninterrupted privilege, she's full of shit, just like the rest of the time.
Also, it means this was an even bigger load of shit than I'd initially realized. Cause unless she lived there 15 years ago, which I suppose is possible, she was paying way over a grand a month in rent. My place was a 250 square feet one bedroom, and started at 1200 a month in the summer of 99 when I moved in. It was rent stabilized, which meant the landlord could jack it up 15% per new lease, which they did. And my building wasn't as nice as Megan's, which I believe, but may be wrong, featured a doorman. I finally moved downtown, where folk like me should have been back then, after three years.
(Aside: My parents don't pay for my existence, in case you're wondering. I come from somewhere in the now-vanishing line between upper middle class and lower upper class. My grandmother invested 5 grand for me when I was born, and did so wisely. I pay my rent with the income generated by that money, and live off what I earn otherwise. I'm lucky as sin to have that. And yes, I feel guilty for it, as evidenced by taking the time out to explain.)
Point being that Megan has never "slummed it", even in her "cave-dwelling" days. When she claims not to have lived a life of uninterrupted privilege, she's full of shit, just like the rest of the time.
Update:
It seems Megan was evicted recently, meaning she was probably paying 2 grand or more a month in rent for her place. Clearly, this is something anyone can do for their first place in Manhattan if they just buckle down and find an 80 or 90k a year gig. Loafers.
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6 comments:
250 square feet? How the hell do people live in spaces that small?
I'm lucky as sin to have that. And yes, I feel guilty for it...
I've never understood this mentality I've found with some trust-funders. You feel guilty for it but you sure don't restrain yourself from using it. Quit with the justification, whether real or faked. If I had it I'd use it and wouldn't feel bad about it, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it either.
I've always assumed that it's similar to the "white guilt" syndrome we sometimes see.
But since I don't come from the trust fund world, I don't know how accurate a comparison it really is.
I don't restrain myself from using the advantages I've been fortunate enough to have. I've lived in NYC with no roommates since I graduated college, I've avoided full-time cubicle work, and I'm working on my second MA as part of a PhD.
I feel guilty in the sense that it's merely an accident of birth that gives me opportunity that 99% of the world will, unfortunately, never know. Also because I'm a rich white male in a world fucked up by rich white men. Mainly, I think my guilt comes from having gone to boarding school and known many others in my position, or an even better one, who mainly thought they deserved their good fortune. A sense of entitlement is among the least attractive features a person can have, to my mind. There's also the reverse guilt of not absolutely maxing out the benefits of my lot that an ex helped create, but that's not too powerful in my head.
Fishbone- For one person only a year removed from dorms (had a house with friends senior year of undergrad), 250 isn't intolerable. Plus, I had Central Park at the end of the block, and I made full use of that proximity. That's pretty much the only thing I miss from living up there, aside from an unspectacular but better than most in the city indian restaurant.
Well according to Megan it must be all those NYC teachers living there with there $120K a year jobs with benefits.
Brad -
Yeah, I guess that makes sense. The guilt stuff and the space stuff.
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