Back in the day, I remember reading about how older people enjoyed going to fast food restaurants to hang out, tending to use the spaces as an expanded senior center. I used to think that it was a clever way to create a third space in defiance of all the public space being torn down just to make money for large corporations. However, as a fast food worker, I have some different opinions about the habit, especially since some of the older people have become quite entitled and enjoy commenting on my work as I do it. I have come to the conclusion that many commercial spaces, especially in the era of vertical mixed use, are not about lingering and enjoying sociability, but constantly being served.
First and foremost, spaces where people can only access them while spending more money are ideas that rich people have, and for that reason, more people are spending time at home or trying to recreate those spaces in areas with fast food. Rich people have a very different idea about being in public because they tend to exist under the impression that everyone is trying to be them or get what they have. Spaces where the whole point is to spend a lot of money alienate the poor and working class because most of the time, we are working in spaces like that. Most of the people I know despise tourist areas because it reminds them of time when they were working more than they were enjoying themselves. “High-end” and “luxury” shopping centers send the message that the only reason anyone should be out in public is to spend money.
Additionally, the “elites” tend to be universally disgusted by the idea of poor people resting, which is why they spend every waking moment of their lives calling all of us “lazy.” This is one of the reasons that most public spaces now have consistent hostile architecture, because anyone resting is seen as a threat, not a sign of societal failure. Unhoused people cannot sleep without being harassed even if they are peaceful, and there are places where the only place to sit is in direct sunlight without easy access to water. This also means that any public spaces that could have been made for resting have been turned into outdoor shopping malls where people will constantly be asked if we need “help.” Either the working poor is expected to be working or absent, all because the “elites” cannot develop self-awareness, impulse control, or emotional regulation in any meaningful way.
Forcing everyone to spend money to “relax” distorts the reality that many people are struggling to meet our basic needs, and no empathy can be found among developers or business owners. The destruction of the middle class also means the destruction of discretionary spending, which is why there are so many boycotts going on right now. Being in public spaces is a human right, and the working class should not be relegated to servitude for the crime of leaving our houses. So, the next time an unhoused person is sitting down quietly talking to themselves without disturbing anyone, leave them alone. Moreover, stop demanding that the working poor cater to the entitlement of people who forgot to make room for us.
Chasing A Dying Empire 