- Hierarchized and weaponized: institutional run-around that low-income residents frequently face, particularly with the New York City Housing Authority and federal government programs. Such practices are toxic in that they instill a sense of distrust and apprehension in the government and other institutions that are purportedly intended to serve residents of the city. It also causes increased levels of stress and other detrimental health effects. Many are rendered unable to attain solutions due to the sheer amount of time and energy spent attempting to engage with those perpetuating the run-around. Such reminds me to an extent of a localized version of the “waiting room” as depicted by Chakrabarty: encouraging those who are facing the detrimental effects of inequality to wait until it is convenient/”desirable” to implement change.
- Toxic imaginings that are placed: The “bathtub” appears on the outside as a great mystery: will it be targeted for terrorism? Will there be a toxic flood resulting from it that hurts Harlem? Will there be dangerous experiments held that are funded by the U.S. government? A lot of these fantasies are informed by past experiences such as the Manhattan Project. For the staff members at Columbia, the “bathtub” fulfills a fantasy of digging into a place that was deemed to difficult to be dug into, an accomplishment and feat of strength. The “bathtub” represents “progress” and the fantasy of stepping into the future of the knowledge economy. Perhaps the cure for Alzheimer’s will be found in the depths of Manhattan.
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