Only one thing worse than a 'gentrifier,' and that's a gentrifier who places pity on those she thinks she's helping. By not including their words in quotes in this article, she does the very thing she's accusing most Western expats of...she's taking their voice and inserting her projections to fortify a naive take that isn't the least bit nuanced. Didn't even feel a need to discuss possible solutions, I assume that's because this writer believes that we solely need to rid the world of filthy colonist Robber barons and all will be true and right? Have you met people? Rich and poor, there are scoundrels that'll put a wrench in Utopia, every time.
Revolutions will never happen, because almost all revolution is performative now. All that I glean from this article is that she posits herself the 'right' kind of immigrant who can hang with the working class, in their working class barrio but still needs a chai matcha latte...but will absolutely not be seen getting one in Palermo? I mean, no facts in this piece at all, nothing of note to chew on. In one sentence she alludes to the barrio demise because a locally owned organic shop opened that will compete with the Bolivian owned stall. In the next she comments on the filth, noise and drug problem in the area. Suppose she wishes the filth, noise and drugs will remain because it's way worse for a coffee shop to have a go there? A coffee shop that certainly employs people and extends the ritual to the barrio and acts as a third space for folks on the occasion they might want to treat themselves to a beverage? Guess she assumes all folks there are in extreme poverty and could never afford any little luxuries at all. Again, weird. Also, the Bolivan veg shop will likely thrive as it's a different entity completely with an already established customer base.
This is a very: 'we have no agency,' thought process and it's what is stunting us as humans. We have loads of personal and communal agency to deploy, we aren't helpless victims here, but we won't get anywhere just writing a gripe to rid ourselves of guilt we feel for doing ok in life while others aren't. She'd do better to organize based on what actual community needs are. But, then she'd have to actually fully dive into that community. Sounds like it's a great place to live and she ought to ride that wave, dive into her chosen home and get her hands dirty lifting it up and working to exercise her own civic duty by taking more tangible action. Join groups that protest, volunteer, see if there are commune meetings she can attend with neighbors to air her grievances and concerns and get a bit more substantial info on how this stuff works.
