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In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

theguardian.com

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Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#121

Post by Retric »

stcredzero wrote: post #76
smokey_the_bear wrote: post #6

McDonalds is the only restaurant I enjoy eating at with my 2 and 3 year olds. Every other restaurant is a slog to get through the meal. Honestly I'd eat there more often if it weren't for the social stigma of it. (I live in Berkeley). I am pretty sure the cheeseburger, apple slices, and chocolate milk are not much worse, and probably better, than the typical fare on a slapped together kids meal. When I was a kid, my…

People finding community of some form is not just a good thing, it's an essential thing to human life. It should always be lauded. However, there is a lot of socioeconomic and sub-cultural in-group/out-group judgement in US society, all of which feels absolutely justified by those doing the judging. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberali... In reality, it's all exactly the same sort of crap that…

You can find deeply troubling things about all cultures. White, black, brown, rich, poor, middle class, young, old, doctors, brick layers, or welfare recipients. Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists all have beliefs that seem wrong to people both inside and outside of those groups.

Pretending groups are somehow above criticism is more about manners than fact.

PS: I have watched several people become more and sometimes less racist after moving to DC. This has far more about cultural friction than the people involved.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#122

Post by smokey_the_bear »

zepto wrote: post #108
Erik816 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are pretty much describing the liberal guilt trip that is keeping him from occasionally taking his kids to McDonalds. It's pretty clear it's not the healthiest thing you can eat. It's also probably true that you should teach your kids that if, once in a while, they eat something that is not optimally nutritious (say, on a road trip or as a special treat) they are not going to die.

He's not talking about once in a while - he's talking about several times a week.

We take them approximately once a month.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#123

Post by bitwize »

bluedino wrote: post #12

Aren't Japanese McDonald's a popular hangout for teenagers?

When I was in Osaka, the McDonald's had a blockbusting line going into it.

The food was, near as I can tell, identical to the American locations -- but the place was spacious, clean, and staffed mostly by the sort of mousy-voiced girls Japan seems to produce in legion strength. And you get a Handi-Wipe to clean up with after your meal.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#124

Post by jrnichols »

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #91
stcredzero wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People finding community of some form is not just a good thing, it's an essential thing to human life. It should always be lauded. However, there is a lot of socioeconomic and sub-cultural in-group/out-group judgement in US society, all of which feels absolutely justified by those doing the judging. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberali... In reality, it's all exactly the same sort of crap that…

I agree. I have noticed a strange flip-flop over the last 30 years or so. While the most prominent in and out groups have changed, the folks who used to talk the most trash about outsiders are now much more reticent. Now many of the folks who used to complain about getting put down are now the ones (mostly in private, but many times in public) with all the trash talk, i.e., acting like they always thought all the oth…

""Redneck Liberals" comes to mind. "

I don't think people realize just what a late group this really is. Often times they're more under the Libertarian umbrella, though, but still... there's more shades of purple than there are red or blue.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#125

Post by meddlepal »

greenspot wrote: post #102

McDonalds is the master in orchestrating food. I love McDonalds and I think their hamburger is the best hamburger, their french fries are the best and all the other menu options have this typical McDonalds design--everything, every single piece and ingredient is meticulously thought through and the final dish has a perfect taste. The taste you get for the carb in-take is unmatched. It's cool to hate McDonalds, I know…

I don't hate McDonald's because it isn't organic or biowhatever. I'm also not concerned with elevating myself to some perceived class I don't belong in. I hate it because it tastes like garbage and is expensive compared to similar options. For a dollar or two more I can get a vastly superior burger, fries and shake at 5 Guys, Tasty Burger, Wahlburgers or whatever.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#126

Post by stcredzero »

DarkLinkXXXX wrote: post #109
DanielBMarkham wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I have noticed a strange flip-flop over the last 30 years or so. While the most prominent in and out groups have changed, the folks who used to talk the most trash about outsiders are now much more reticent. Now many of the folks who used to complain about getting put down are now the ones (mostly in private, but many times in public) with all the trash talk, i.e., acting like they always thought all the oth…

Political jargon already has a term for this. When someone claims to be a member of political demographic A, but his ideals are more closely aligned with, or he secretly supports political demographic B, he is said to be a crypto-B. For example, liberals might hyperbolicly call Trump a crypto-fascist, and Sanders supporters might call Clinton a crypto-Conservative, or a crypto-neoliberal. Granted, it's not used in ma…

People in the US need to be more aware of the Authoritarian Anti-Authoritarian spectrum in politics. There are some people on the left who are very authoritarian, while there are others who instead prioritize individual rights. In the us, the term "Libertarian" has been placed on the political right, while the "left" is a mishmash of very Authoritarian and Anti-Authoritarian views.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#127

Post by waterphone »

zem wrote: post #95
notliketherest wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social stigma? Why do you care what other people think?

why do you not? it's a very strongly ingrained part of human nature, and a lot of civilisation depends on it. in particular, the whole notion of a social contract would likely collapse if no one cared what other people thought; neither empathy nor game-theory-style rationality are strong enough as universal motivating factors.

I care about things that matter. I don't give a shit if someone else dislikes McDonald's or Walmart, I'll eat or shop there if I myself choose to. If they care, that's their problem, and if they bother me about it, they're meddling in things that are none of their business and I wouldn't associate with them anymore.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#128

Post by Kalium »

kristianc wrote: post #120
stcredzero wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People finding community of some form is not just a good thing, it's an essential thing to human life. It should always be lauded. However, there is a lot of socioeconomic and sub-cultural in-group/out-group judgement in US society, all of which feels absolutely justified by those doing the judging. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11451378/smug-american-liberali... In reality, it's all exactly the same sort of crap that…

> Knowing, for example, that the Founding Fathers were all secular deists. Knowing that you're actually, like, 30 times more likely to shoot yourself than an intruder. Knowing that those fools out in Kansas are voting against their own self-interest and that the trouble is Kansas doesn't know any better. Knowing all the jokes that signal this knowledge. Doesn't Vox exist to perpetuate this kind of nonsense? It's unde…

Yes, this is exactly why Vox exists. Which is both why Vox is the best place for that article and the place where its core message will go unheard.

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#129

Post by bleachedsleet »

bluedino wrote: post #80
tetromino_ wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your kids are your kids and it's your choice how to raise them given your financial and time constraints, but teaching a 3-year-old to associate comfort and happiness with unhealthy food doesn't strike me as the wisest decision. When they are old enough and responsible enough for their bodies, they might decide on their own that they enjoy nicotine, corn syrup, salt, starch, and fry oil - but why bias them towards su…

My siblings and I all got the 'bad' happy meal as a reward. Hamburger/nuggets, fries, Coca-cola or Sprite. Oh, and it came with the happy meal box full of activities and an actual toy. None of us developed unhealthy relationships with food or even became overweight.

"I've never known anyone addicted to heroin so I know heroin addiction must never happen..."

Re: In poor neighborhoods, McDonald’s have become de-facto community centers

#130

Post by jrnichols »

bluedino wrote: post #86
jrbapna wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would think, but the internet speeds are an issue, which severly limits their ability to make them community spaces. At many starbucks in my neighborhood back home you can barely get a website to load. Those few that offer internet by Google, rather than AT&T, seem to be much better. Ive always wondered why they cant simply limit the time one can use the internet before making another purchase rather than capping…

Around here, Starbucks switched to Google (which isn't Google fiber, but whoever the cable provider is in the area) for 60-80mbs speeds. This was a HUGE improvement over the old Wayport internet that was delivered over a T1, and then DSL (3mb). I noticed that McDonalds as well as other companies all used Wayport and the slow speeds are unusable unless only a few people are on the wifi.

It's almost unusable even if you're the only one in the place.

I had figured that AT&T would quickly work to improve services, especially ones under their "attwifi" SSID because it really makes them look lousy having such awful speeds.

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