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Monday, February 13, 2012
April 4, 2009

Reflecting On The Meltdown

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Getty photographer Mario Tama sends in this evocative image from yesterday’s demonstration in New York’s financial district.

It captures a two-day anti-capitalist rally protesting the Wall Street bailout. Through the use of reflection (in this photo of a restaurant, as well as this one playing the street off against a corporate lobby), Mario portrays America’s class schism (note the guy in the lime-colored reflective vest overlapped with the guy in the jacket with the wristwatch); America flip-flopping between awareness and denial; and the strange disconnect these days between crisis and “business as usual.”

Mario’s photos from New Orleans will be the feature of a BAGnewSALON, our on-line discussion series, here tomorrow.

(image: Mario Tama/Getty Images. New York. April 3, 2009)

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  • http://profile.typepad.com/PSthePublicSquare PS: Public Square

    The bulk of the protesters (carrying sign saying things like “People Need Jobs”) seem to be walking straight out of the coffee bar (which to me reads: service economy). Visually, this is tied even closer by the similarity if the red protest flag, and the red menu on the wall. Not only reminiscent in the flag, in this context it is difficult not to read the red in this image as “communist/socialist.” Funny then, that the red emphasis is not outside with the masses, but rather the tables that the white collar workers are having coffee around.

  • Maria Lemus

    It’s beautiful.

  • yg

    this reminds me of the venkatesh op-ed referenced below.* contrary to the good professor’s opinion, in actuality, it’s the “haves” who remain insular, not the “have-nots.” see their insistence to be treated with private jets, spa retreats and retention bonuses despite being on the public dole.
    *in the “there’s rage and then there’s rage” thread.

  • http://profile.typepad.com/sionphoto Sion Touhig

    Probably reading too much into this, but the first thing that struck me, viewing the image from where I now live (Singapore), was one of the besuited ‘haves’ is Asian.
    The other two seem to be deferring to him, or waiting to hear what he’s gonna say next, but the Asian guy is just quietly smiling and biding his time, while the trashed and hollowed out US economy trudges along outside in the cold, like a retreating army…

  • Mani Sitaraman

    Actually, the guys in the coffee shop look like they have just received news that they will be laid off.

  • yg

    nice book.

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