In No Duh News, App Confirms That Park Slope Is Made Up Of a Bunch of Richies

The brownstones and $1,000 strollers may be evidence enough of the great wealth in Park Slope, but in this age of technology -- there’s an app for that. Using 2010 census information, the Richblockspoorblocks.com  app uses technology to essentially profile neighborhood wealth across the nation. Park Slope, the official verdict is in: you’re a bunch of richies!

The big question is whether this is a helpful tool, or a completely invasive one?  On one hand, if you’re a girl scout it may behoove you to know where the money is when you’re peddling the old Thin Mints.  Tech-savvy trick-or-treaters may hypothesize which manse doles out the full-size candy bars.  On the other hand, pinpointing less affluent areas tends to imply (as highlighted in a red on the map) that they are to be avoided.  ‘Danger Will Robinson!’  Do we really need to emphasize an already obvious class system?  Degradation and segregation.  I’m sure this is not the intent, though the site could just as easily be called “findthatghetto.org” or “yourrichassneighborsarebetterthanyou.net”.  

Using richblockspoorblocks.com is quite easy.  Simply input your city and state and the map quickly populates your search area with a spectrum or colors ranging from red to green that coincide with a key for average household income.  The main problem is that the key is poorly designed.  I counted roughly 20 color options, yet the key only provides low end and high end, $22,179.50 or less - $113,521.85 or more.  Not cute!

I’m not trying to hate, but I’m also not in love.  Hell, I’m not even in like, but it’s not about me.  It’s about you, the people!  Do you feel better knowing that your rich asses are surrounded by many other rich asses?   Care to learn the very roughly estimated, much interpreted average income of Kalamazoo, MI?  You tell me Fipsters.  You tell me.