The wonderfully cranky Fran Lebowitz takes on the reordering of the city under the midget Mayor for Life. At times she’s just reflexively cranky, but for the most part, she highlights how the city has been hijacked by the rich.
Robert Anasi
The wonderfully cranky Fran Lebowitz takes on the reordering of the city under the midget Mayor for Life. At times she’s just reflexively cranky, but for the most part, she highlights how the city has been hijacked by the rich.
Happened to turn on NY1 just now and see you being interviewed. Looking forward to reading, “The Last Bohemia.”
But, to be fair, wasn’t NYC — and particularly Manhattan — “hijacked by the rich” in 1811 with the Commissioners’ decision to create the grid and then exercising eminent domain in the mid-19th century and booting off farmers, squatters and landowners from the 843 acres that became Central Park?
And, wasn’t an island like this destined to be hijacked?
Howard, you make a good point. I don’t think New York City was ever some pristine utopia and commercial interests generally have the final say. Over 150 years ago, Melville was writing about the way the city obliterated its past. The space that opened up here in the 60s and 70s was pretty unique, and due to the abandoning of the city by industry, leaving a lot of people in the lurch. That said, I think the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction. We’re supposed to believe that what’s good for the rich is good for everyone; building luxury condos will trickle down to the little people when the Masters of the Universe toss scraps of artisinal bread off their balconies.