Places of Equalization

I stand in line at the DMV (don’t worry, this is not another rant about it) and I wonder…

Does Elon Musk go to the DMV?

Does Jeff Bezos go to the DMV?

Renewing a registration or license requires showing up in person and presumably can’t be delegated to an assistant. Do Elon and Jeff wait in line like the rest of us for their number to be called?

Is the DMV one of the final standing places of equalization in America?

Perhaps even more pronounced than the rise of income inequality over the past half-century has been the rising social stratification that has resulted (in part) from increased segregation of physical spaces. While law now prohibits segregation based on race, segregation based on wealth has never been more rampant.

Back in the 70s, grocery stores were more or less all the same. We now have everything from Walmart to Whole Foods. I happen to visit both regularly, and the shopping experience at the two could not be more different. The lives of my fellow patrons at each also appear to be immensely different.

There was a time at which all airplanes offered only one class of service. TWA was the first to introduce a “second class” in 1955. These days, many flights offer up to five different class options, occupying different areas of the plane. Not to mention airlines that specialize in serving particular types of clientele.

We now have everything from Planet Fitness to Equinox.

From McDonalds to Morton’s.

From Motel 6 to the Four Seasons.

It is quite possible for two people in the same city to pass each other on the street, but never occupy any of the same physical spaces otherwise. We take this for granted as the nature of reality, but it is not how it’s always been. Even churches, stadiums, hospitals, and schools have fallen victim to stratification.

When physically segregated, we are less exposed to the realities of life for those unlike us.

I can only imagine how difficult it is to be out of work, living off food stamps.

I can also only imagine how difficult it is to be running Amazon or Tesla.

Our lack of first-hand visibility into the lives of strangers will continue to make us more divided and disconnected from one another.

While leaving the DMV, I reflect on other environments of equalization that I’ve experienced in recent years.

Mardi Gras comes to mind. While the wealth gap in New Orleans is as pronounced as anywhere, Mardi Gras brings everyone together each year along the city’s streets.

Burning Man also creates equalization through its “gifting” economy and prohibition of all commercialization.

In what ways can we collectively reduce the physical distance between dissimilar people to foster greater connection and empathy between us?