It’s strange living in a monoculture here at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. It’s homogonized in a number of ways. In terms of age, of course—nearly everybody that I encounter is between the ages of 18-21, save for a few teachers each day. Nearly all of them appear to be from a middle- to upper-middle-class class background. The majority of them wear clothing with the manufacturer’s name advertised in prominent letters. Many of them are conservative in their nascent political views. Many of them are Christian, if class conversations and “Cru.” t-shirts are any indicator. (Incidentally, I’m thinking of getting a t-shirt made up that says “Campus Crusade for Chris.” I don’t know who Chris is, but I’m certain that I could invent a good story.) My excursions about town are plainly following the same patterns of students, since I see almost exclusively students wherever I go. I can see that it would be very easy to be lulled into the belief that the world is a very narrow place, indeed.
I know there to be people other than this generalization, but it’s obvious that I’m going to have to make an effort in order to interact with them. But it is weird. Where are the homeless? Where are the low-wage workers that aren’t students? Why is everybody white and asian? Where are people on welfare? People who can’t afford cars? Why are there no street musicians anywhere?
It is a strange world that I now inhabit. Good thing I’m going up to Charlottesville again this weekend for a return to something closer to normalcy.