Different Forms of Suburbia

An article in today's New York Times focused on the growing racial and ethnic diversity in Maplewood and South Orange, two adjacent towns in Essex County, New Jersey. The article explained how real estate values have actually been helped by the growing numbers of blacks and Hispanics in both communities, along the added bonus of the direct commuter train service to midtown Manhattan. It seems that may people of different backgrounds, including same-sex and interracial couples, have forged a common bond with each other and work together to keep the schools and public amenities in relatively good shape. Both Maplewood and South Orange, as a result, have seen a large number of cultural institutions in the form of jazz clubs and art galleries and have a lot of arts events all year round.

My hometown of West Caldwell is also in Essex County,but it couldn't be father apart from Maplewood and South Orange. I live in the most whitebread, homogenous town in the county - and of course, it's solidly Republican. Our downtown is an assemblage of strip shopping centers, our social life is dead, and our cultural life is nonexistent. Everyone thinks the same, acts the same, looks the same - it's classic American suburbia under glass. At least it feels like it's under glass, since I rarely get out of it. Hopefully, with spring here at last, maybe I'll find some social and cultural opportunities out of town to take advantage of.

Or maybe I'll just spend my Friday evenings mowing the lawn.