The New Plantations...
After several days in one of America's primer beach resorts, I have come to the conclusion that Planned Communities and Developments have created a new system of plantations. Specifically, Kiawah Island in South Carolina, Seaside Florida, Rosemary Beach Florida and Celebration Florida . I was on business at the Kiawah Island Beach Resort and found lush habitats, pristine water, immaculate golf courses and savory foods.
However, these niceties were encapsulated by white Anglo-Saxon groups pretending to be relevant. People of color, any color, were absent unless you looked between the hedgerows. There you would find Hispanic Americans, American-Africans and of course the solitary white manager. The resort was filled with absurdly wealthy individuals and the lower classes which serve their needs. During a bike ride through the resort I stopped in a quaint supply store and met two day laborers. Both were from Jamaica and felt that America was wonderful, however they both agreed that "you can get addicted to the wealth and materialism quickly". After the conversation, recognizing the importance of Mandeville in a historical context, I left feeling that these resorts have become a new plantation system.
These resorts, communities and developments have rewoven the segregation system back into acceptable Southern society. However, the rule of law is not the deciding factor in this Neo-segregation, economics takes its place. Wealth meets color once again and we relish in the fact that Seaside is surreal, Rosemary Beach has its celebrities, Celebration is a Disney fantasy and Kiawah puts segregation back in its birthplace.
However, these niceties were encapsulated by white Anglo-Saxon groups pretending to be relevant. People of color, any color, were absent unless you looked between the hedgerows. There you would find Hispanic Americans, American-Africans and of course the solitary white manager. The resort was filled with absurdly wealthy individuals and the lower classes which serve their needs. During a bike ride through the resort I stopped in a quaint supply store and met two day laborers. Both were from Jamaica and felt that America was wonderful, however they both agreed that "you can get addicted to the wealth and materialism quickly". After the conversation, recognizing the importance of Mandeville in a historical context, I left feeling that these resorts have become a new plantation system.
These resorts, communities and developments have rewoven the segregation system back into acceptable Southern society. However, the rule of law is not the deciding factor in this Neo-segregation, economics takes its place. Wealth meets color once again and we relish in the fact that Seaside is surreal, Rosemary Beach has its celebrities, Celebration is a Disney fantasy and Kiawah puts segregation back in its birthplace.
posted by JDAvignon at 11:02 AM
2 Comments:
...and yet there you were supporting (expressly or tacitly) the new plantationism. Next time, ought you skip the mixed grill and burn the place to the ground or at least poison the water supply? Much of your analysis convenietly circumvents of the realities of 21st century global economics.
Capitalism sucks, but enjoy your next "vintage."
So someone finally took the bait! My contribution to these developments was in the realm of education. In fact, the progressive form of education in America, the charter school.
Development and dissemination of market place ideals in the realm of education, starting with Seaside Neighborhood School and working throughout the Southeast. O yes, the new plantation system was in full tilt. Having experienced this oasis of monopolized capitalism was refreshing and nauseating. Kind of like emails with anonymous attached to them.
However, the societal flux of hard working immigrants never failed to fill up a glass of water or sever a bush to the correct community specifications. The WASP population relaxed in glowing reverence of their hard work, loving every minute and counting the days when they too can have a piece of the American pie.
Now back to my Chateauneuf du Pape. Being that D’Avignon was the new house of the Pope, but details just get in the way.
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