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Demographic emptiness
Sep. 17th, 2005 08:47 pmEvery few years I get the urge to play with Claritas' MyBestSegments. Specifically, with the "Zip Code Look-Up" tab.
Typically, I am then shocked to find that everywhere I've lived from 1985 on, I've been surrounded by the most affluent demographic groups possible - even in my college town. It's not so much the rich people that shock me - I know where they live, I went to school with their kids - as the sameness of it all.
To me, it seems like I've lived in many different places. But really, I haven't strayed far from my comfort zone, ever. A little playing around with the Claritas database in conjunction with the US Post Office's Zip Code look-up tool, and I can quickly enter completely different territory - places that might as well be Mars. Rural areas, downtown areas. I've never lived in either of these places - yep, that's right, suburban my whole life top to toes.
The demographic profiles provided by Claritas - they break American society down into 66 separate segments - each come with a little cartoon picture of the inhabitants doing what they do: making cellphone calls, playing bingo, even standing around outside the trailer with a passel of kids. There's a brief cartoonish summary of the group: its income, its pastimes, magazines it reads and TV shows it watches, where it eats, and what it drives.
The magazines, TV shows, cars and pastimes never quite match up with me. I doubt they match up perfectly with much of anyone. Sometimes they provide a small window of understanding: oh, so that's who eats convenience-store food! But there are no names or personal histories, no depth. So the other thing I always take away from the database, apart from surprise at the sameness of the places I've lived, is a feeling of deep emptiness.
I think maybe I should go connect with some real people.
Typically, I am then shocked to find that everywhere I've lived from 1985 on, I've been surrounded by the most affluent demographic groups possible - even in my college town. It's not so much the rich people that shock me - I know where they live, I went to school with their kids - as the sameness of it all.
To me, it seems like I've lived in many different places. But really, I haven't strayed far from my comfort zone, ever. A little playing around with the Claritas database in conjunction with the US Post Office's Zip Code look-up tool, and I can quickly enter completely different territory - places that might as well be Mars. Rural areas, downtown areas. I've never lived in either of these places - yep, that's right, suburban my whole life top to toes.
The demographic profiles provided by Claritas - they break American society down into 66 separate segments - each come with a little cartoon picture of the inhabitants doing what they do: making cellphone calls, playing bingo, even standing around outside the trailer with a passel of kids. There's a brief cartoonish summary of the group: its income, its pastimes, magazines it reads and TV shows it watches, where it eats, and what it drives.
The magazines, TV shows, cars and pastimes never quite match up with me. I doubt they match up perfectly with much of anyone. Sometimes they provide a small window of understanding: oh, so that's who eats convenience-store food! But there are no names or personal histories, no depth. So the other thing I always take away from the database, apart from surprise at the sameness of the places I've lived, is a feeling of deep emptiness.
I think maybe I should go connect with some real people.
