On Fri, 21 Aug 1998, alec ramsdell wrote:
>
> If there's anything I've written that would interest you in more detail,
> or anything that suggests another angle that maybe I havn't taken, let
> me know. I guess I've scratched the surface of drug-dealing, but havn't
> done much with wireless technologies. What do you think? What's your
> take so far on beepers and gangstas?
Well, I think they're interesting on a couple of levels. Beepers operatate as a status marker, as they do in the general pop. But I think it might be different in the drug trade, because the dealers are entrepreneurs, and the status they are trying to achieve is as business people in a very traditionally capitalist way. They are also interesting because the post-industrial cities have pretty much ensured that people can't get well-paying, "straight" jobs--so it's a good example of post-fordist, flexible niche marketing. of course, with the lack of decent jobs I also taken into account structural racism, and how it's keeping people from getting decent educations & jobs. As surveillance devices they currently operate the same waythey operate in the white business world--ensuring that you are always at work--basic Foucualdian theme. My last point I think is obsolete since everyone has a beeper these days--there was a time in which only doctors, plumbers, and drug dealers had beepers, so young black guys, particularly those who affected a particular style--sweats and gold chains, were immediately looked upon with suspicion by the police. (well, more suspicion than normal for a black man).
Thanks for giving me a chance to work some of this out, it's really helpful.
Frances