Where's the Nearest Whole Foods?

     Chicago is known for diversity. You can go from one neighborhood, walk a mile and be in vastly different neighborhood. What makes up the differences is largely structural forces. Structural forces are instrumental to the cycle of poverty. Many individuals who are born into poverty often remain in poverty. This cycle of poverty will often lead neighborhoods to continually diminish. This diminishing factor will often lead to the neighborhood inhabitants becoming alienated from individuals living in "nice" communities. They become alienated originally because of suburbanization. Those who have the means move to "nice" neighborhoods, often in the suburbs (Gottdiener, Hutchison, Ryan 140). Various reasons, ranging from better schools to lower crime lead these individuals to move.

 This migration has a huge impact on the economy. Individuals who move have historically been Caucasians. This is referred to as white flight. It is quite rare for a neighborhood to improve once this flight begins. This flight is likely perpetuated by the broken windows concept. This concept states that if individuals see that a neighborhood is run down they will want to move to a neighborhood that is not run down. Unfortunately, only individuals with the means can move and those without the means are forced to stay in the neighborhood. The opposite of this flight is gentrification, something that can be seen in the Chicago neighborhoods of Pilsen and Logan Square. With this flight there are many structural as well as culture factors that change. Businesses that once thrived struggle. If an individual goes to an impoverished neighborhood you won't find many Whole Foods or other higher end chains. These chains just cannot stay open because their isn't enough demand for their goods and services. Fast-Food thrives, largely due to providing affordable food in a quick manner. So many businesses simply cannot survive in neighborhoods that are experiencing flight; there aren't enough customers. The businesses that do stay usually sell items very cheap, resulting in workers being paid minimal wages. There are usually not enough jobs available in these impoverished neighborhoods. These structural factors lead to social isolation (Wilson 18).

     When money leaves, poverty comes. Poverty leads to social isolation which directly changes how things are done in impoverished neighborhoods. An example of this isolation can be seen in, The Code of the Streets, which states that conventional behavior and values have been replaced by a code of respect that allots for violence (Anderson 1999). In a impoverished neighborhood in Chicago as depicted in a PBS youtube clip, “Do you feel safe here?” This question was posed from a resident of an impoverished neighborhood to an interviewer. The interviewer was noticeably uncomfortable and dodged the question. This example helps show the difference in attitudes that this social isolation allows. Later on in the clip one resident sees a City of Chicago police car and says, “That's the worst gang in Chicago” (PBS youtube). These examples show how underprivileged neighborhoods can develop stark differences from wealthier neighborhoods. The gang comment exemplifies how many impoverished areas have a distrust of police. Wilson develops how this attitude came to be.

     Blacks are more likely to live in impoverished neighborhoods than whites (Wilson 59). This often leads to neighborhoods becoming segregated. Blacks also average lower income levels than whites (Wilson 28). So blacks often cannot afford to leave disadvantaged neighborhoods and are subject to the declining structural forces. As a result of the lack of opportunity in these impoverished neighborhoods blacks have higher unemployment rates (Wilson 31). The lack of opportunity in these disadvantaged neighborhoods lead blacks to have a higher rate of violent crime as opposed to whites (Wilson 23).

These disadvantaged neighborhoods often will have an effect on surrounding neighborhoods and the end result is a community that is socially isolated from the middle class.

     Cycles can be horrific. This cycle that perpetuates disadvantaged neighborhoods is quite difficult to break. People want basic necessities. These necessities include feeling safe in a neighborhood. Desires influence where we choose to live. These desires contain basic necessities but also can include being able to live near a hospital or organic grocery store; something many neighborhoods don't have the luxury of providing. So in a way seeing a higher end store such as Whole Foods indicates a neighborhood with relatively low crime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o80wKKJI6uc