Hidden Costs

I've been actively running my mouth in the comments section of this blog, on a couple of posts on housekeeping, here and here.

I've also been reading The Hidden Cost of Being African-American by Thomas Shapiro. (For an insight into this book, go here). I'm just getting into the book, but am enjoying Shapiro's method of presenting detailed family portraits. Most of the families presented are from the St. Louis area, so the details especially resonate with me (I wonder if he'll bring up the peculiar St. Louis habit of asking "where'd you go to school?" They mean high school; and that's shorthand for putting you on the socioeconomic scale. Pizza Hut did a successful run of television ads in the St. Louis area around 10 years ago poking fun at that and other St. Louis customs, as well as the pronouciation of the letter "R".) It's an easy read, and in the introduction the author explains his methodology as a way of expanding on the issues brought up in his earlier book, Black Wealth/White Wealth. Readers of Nickled and Dimed will find this book familiar, but Shapiro lets the people speak for themselves.

Life has intruded on blogging in a big way right now, but I hope to come back soon, because I'm still thinking on those housekeeping threads, and that book. The discussions are related. They bring to mind thoughts of power relationships, sexism and gender roles, barriers, mobility and access, hopes and dreams, and unconscious patterns of behavior. And of course, hidden costs. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, speaking of hidden costs, check out Michael Ventura's latest column. His "Letters at 3AM" column is permanently blogrolled in the Bedda! section. Enjoy.