Neighborhoods: Over the ghetto, and through the hood, to Josiah’s house we go

The area that I currently reside in has a very bad reputation for being dangerous. Unfortunately, it lives up to that reputation on a fairly consistent basis. The reality is that, even though the people there may speak and dress a certain way, most of the people that live there, are just trying to get by and make a decent living or go to school. But, the sad truth is because of certain stereotypes and a small group of people that perpetuate those stereotypes: like not paying to ride the bus, and (not so random) shootings The whole area suffers, with side affects such as decreased bus service, virtually zero cab service.

I’ve grown up in many different neighborhoods but for the most part had lived a relatively sheltered life, more out of neglect than necessity. But it would be out of pure naivety for me to believe that who I have become, has not, in some part, been affected by where I now live would be pure gullibility. When I took the time to reexamine how living where has influenced how I think and act and react to life, I’ve come to a realization that it has some adverse effects on psychology. My “neighborhood” has made me more suspicious of other people, I have prepared myself to be able to engage in and ultimately safely extract myself from a physical altercation. I don't talk to anybody. I don't want to talk to anybody; and it's a shame that the prospect of getting to know a new person is becoming marginalized with the not so invalid excuse of "I don't want to get shot because i decided to get to know this person". To not arouse curiosity, I've made a point of not buying anything that people with impoverish mentalities would hope to own, and steal to do so. I've learned to VALUE, what a poor person wont. I know that no matter how expensive I will never have to worry about some one stealing my books.