This week, I visited my hometown of Redlands, CA Redlands
is about eighty miles away from Los Angeles, but is connected by the stretch of
industrial and suburban areas that spread out from LA via the freeways. In the
article, “The Emergence of Postsuburbia,” Olin, Kling, and Poster write that “since
World War II, North American suburbs have become socially varied because they
increasingly house the working class as well as the middle class, racial
minorities as well as whites, and single people as well as traditional
families. But they are still characterized by a land-use pattern that is
dominantly residential and a transportation pattern that is dominantly one in
which people commute to work outside the area.” This description of a typical
suburb of today also happens to exactly describe Redlands.
In Redlands, there is a very popular (and quite large)
outdoor shopping center called Citrus Plaza. Olin, Kling, and Poster would call
it a “regional [center] anchored by several large department stores” (such as
Target, Kohl’s, and JC Penney) that was “designed for efficient shopping.” An
interesting thing to note is that Citrus Plaza sort of a place with restricted
social access on the basis of class. When compared to other shopping centers, the people who shop at Citrus Plaza are middle-class, mostly white, and often with all or part of their families. The architecture and design of the center attract these people. Citrus Plaza is a shopping center that is commonly a place where people shop for items that aren't necessities (like groceries would be). My friends and I even go there just to hang out and walk around sometimes. Overall, it has a "going out" kind of atmosphere while also allowing us to feel close to home.
Hello Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI have never been to Redlands, CA, however, the picture you posted of Citrus Plaza is reflective of many other suburban shopping centers I have been to. I've noticed that many suburbs are subject to developments of large shopping centers. It displays the idea of how post-suburbia has become highly consumerist society.
Do you think this is because individuals are no longer confined within their social classes but are able to interact with various classes that influence their behavior? Perhaps consumerism offers a way for individuals to purchase items, such as clothing, to make them feel like they belong within a certain group or instead, some may utilize consumerism as a means to distinguish themselves and their social status.
Something I thought was interesting about what you mentioned in your blog was that many of the people who shopped at Citrus plaza was with all or part of their families. When I walk around shopping centers such as Century City or Sherman Oaks Mall, I hardly see whole families all together. I'll see parts of the family such as the mom and kids, older men walking alone, or friends walking together. I think this draws on the idea by Olin, Kling, and Poster:
"These broad social changes in work, consumption, and community life have had devastating effects on the traditional nuclear family that characterized industrial society from about 1820 to 1920. Mark Poster in Chapter 7 defines the characteristics of an emerging postnuclear family type... This new, segmented family type is much less unified and concentrated than its predecessor. Each individual within it has a particular cultural sphere of reference and pursues that significant relation by means of new communication technologies."
However, it's great to hear that there are still families who come together during the week from their separate activities to bond collectively.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteLike several cities, Redlands seems to relate to Olin, Kling, and Poster's "The Emergence of Postsuburbia" in that suburbs now house various classes, races, and family types. In addition to the types of people that inhabit these areas, the suburbs are "characterized by a land-use pattern that is dominantly residential and a transportation pattern that is dominantly one in which people commute to work outside of the area", which you say relate perfectly to Redlands. This type of area, as described above, also relates to an idea brought up in this week's online reading: David Harvey's "The Environment of Justice" with reference to the "standard view" in which "concerns for environmental justice (if they exist at all) are kept strictly subservient to concerns for economic efficiency, continuous growth, and capital accumulation" (Harvey 7). In your post, you go on to mention that Redlands offers "a very popular (and quite large) outdoor shopping area called Citrus Plaza." According to Harvey, this shopping center simply serves to maintain economic efficiency without concern for the environment. To build this shopping center, much of the original environment of Redlands surely had to be at least slightly damaged, if not severely. And this is all to serve the purpose of economic growth.
Furthermore, relating back to Olin, Kling, and Poster's "transportation pattern that is dominantly one in which people commute to work outside of the area." This idea continues to relate to the standard view with respect to the environement (or the lack thereof). It is widely known that automobiles do a disservice to the environment, and this, still, is all to keep the economic profits flowing. Your mention of the architecture and design of Citrus Plaza that is meant to attract people relates to an idea discussed in class having to do with keeping people at just the right level of satisfaction to believe that their lives (with respect to their jobs) are sufficient enough to continue working at an unsatisfactory wage. In short, this has to do with the belief that if people feel that their entertainment in life is at a high enough level, they feel that they are living a happy life. Just as you note, the area has a "going out" type of atmosphere, and this is precisely the intention.
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThis is a popular one to comment on. I also commented on yours, but figured a link is easier if you want to check it out!
http://tassietakesla.blogspot.com/2012/11/blogging-social-difference-in-la-week-7.html
Thanks,
Meaghan
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, I thought your article on Redlands was an enjoyable and connected well to a continuing theme of urban sprawl and expansion.
ReplyDeleteA main theme that is apparent is consumerism, it dictates so much of the development it seems, especially regarding these shopping centers that act as community centers as well. With great suburban growth comes a lot of people who are brought in from various parts of the nation and world with different experiences and cultures. But what seems to bring all people together is shopping and buying stuff. People have different religions so a church or synagogue does not suffice, sports are only an interest of some so a stadium or arena not as much, but a shopping center is open to anyone who can get there. And while it costs money for people to shop there, just to meet and walk around costs nothing.
Going off what a lot of people have said, I think there is something very interesting about the nuclear family component to this as well. Not just random people but families come to spend time together shopping, it replaces so many other opportunities or fills a void many have who cannot relate to one another with other institutions. For all we hate consumerism, a mother and daughter shopping together for clothes can be part of a healthy family relationship as opposed to no time together at all.
Finally, commenting on the first quote of Olin, Kling, and Poster, where they discuss suburbs being "socially varied", areas like Redlands and many others show this at work but not in what I think they mean to say. The impression they give is of areas where races and ethncities and social classes mix in readily whether they like it or not, creating neighborhoods and cities that are extremely diverse. One only needs to look at Redlands to see a city predominantly white, Monterey Park predominantly Asian, and South Gate predominantly Latino. While many people have come in to make these suburbs of a city, they have isolated themselves and kept each other apart. They shop at different places and congregate in different areas, much like what we see in Citrus Plaza.
Great article Amanda, thanks!
-Nick