The New Land Barons Ride Fixies

Photo by keightdee.

14 Responses to “The New Land Barons Ride Fixies”

  1. Charles Nibbly says:

    Ya know, I love me some bikes and those who get out on them instead of driving…

    But the problem I have w/ fixies are the not-so-savvy riders who do it for the image, b/c all the kool kids are doing it.

    Well here’s a friendly reminder kool kid aspirers: FIXIES HAVE NO BREAKS.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHqPpfgvxkc&fmt=18
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvCf_-bPAIQ&fmt=18

  2. meave says:

    oh COME ON! If I’m totally humorless, my apologies, but this is the stupidest “social commentary” yet. The new land barons do not live in the Mission and they certainly do not ride fixies. If anything, the “new land barons” on bicycles are the ones with fancy road bikes who ride centuries and participate in charity rides like the SF to LA AIDS ride; however, a person doesn’t need lots of money to do any of those things.

    If you, stencil-graffiti person, want to criticize fixed-gear bicyclers, or the gentrification of the Mission, or more specifically the 18-34 white residents of the Mission, have at it. Consider first that you are not the first person to do so, and that many others have been more successful and wittier than you. The “land barons” could be quite clever, but you didn’t do it right, so it’s not. Hint: owning a great deal of land is not the same as gentrifying a neighborhood.

    I recommend spending some more time in the Mission and reading about the “land barons” you’re talking about before you do any further stenciling. Our sidewalks are cluttered enough as it is; if you want to contribute to the graffiti, at least make it worth the five seconds it takes to read it.

  3. zinzin says:

    go meave.

    and btw, if a few fixie-riding, ironic-plaid-pant-wearing, handlebar-mustache-sporting (i still don’t get that one) hipsters have managed to work a job, save some sheckels and buy a piece of the Mission they love….more power to them.

    maybe they’ll care a little about the hood and clean it up a bit.

    this little bit of “social commentary” reeks of self-satisfaction and jealousy.

    to the spray-perp: the “progressive” experiment in SF is over. it failed. unfortunately, poor Mission is (as usual) the last one to know…

    to all of us: GET SMART AND VOTE!

  4. c says:

    fuck that, ride a skateboard

  5. em says:

    meave, zinzin,
    what both your posts lack is any kind of analysis about the class background of so many of those white, mustachioed, plaid wearing, fixie riding middle class suburban kids. these aren’t kids that have to save to buy a piece of the mission. these are the kids that come from walnut creek, mill valley, westchester, and so many other suburbs who have mom and dad send them checks for said plaid and bike, and carry with them their entitled suburban values that are tearing this neighborhood and city apart.

  6. Kate says:

    Guess it’s time to kick all of the “white” middle-class kids out of the Mission, huh? While we’re at it, might as well get rid of the “white” middle-class “straights” in the Castro because we clearly don’t have any right to live where we please.
    Maybe we should move to Southern California, where the “white” middle-class would never dream of sharing land with the “brown” lower-class. I mean, clearly that situation is better for everyone, right?

  7. zinzin says:

    em… i’m not sure that’s really true. i mean, i assume there are some trustfund kids in the mix, as there would be in almost any large city social group characterized by education and / or interest in popular culture…but i don’t think you can support that generalization, can you?

    i mean, is there something i don’t know? all oily hipsters are secretly rich & on the dole from their parents? really…? and i mean, can “middle class” parents really send that kind of cash off to their 26 year old? and if they could…would they? i don’t think so, in many cases. i think these folks work jobs and get paid here in SF. lots of em work hard and get paid a lot. i know them. they’re my friends.

    that being said, the notion that folks with “entitled suburban values” are what’s “tearing this neighborhood and city apart” is arcane and laughable.

    a lying, thieving “progressive” Board of Supervisors more interested in their own political careers than the poor saps they dupe into voting for them is what’s “tearing this neighborhood and city apart”.

  8. B. Hamilton says:

    Does the thought of so much undocumented garbage-graphitti ever getcha’ staring out your window at 3 in the morning, sweating and muttering obscenities at parked cars? Because you are catching things that go far beyond the “Obama is a faggot” tags I am snapping while staggering at a urinal. You should make it your god damned life’s mission (fuck puns) to search every stenciled millimeter of the earth in search gold. You know, stuff like the one-inch alleys between houses, or the obscured 3-miles that sit below The Knockout, or even the inner cheek of a gang member. Everywhere. Hell, there might be one written on your back that you don’t know about.

    I’ve never heard of the mission, but everything outside of it is normal as fuck. Hipsters aren’t buying land, but they sure are making a damn good cup of coffee.

  9. ct says:

    I agree, yet again, with zinzin — even if half the kids in the Mission have rich parents (which I don’t believe), most of the ones I’ve run into don’t have rich enough parents that they own their own places. Buying in the Mission is serious money; a lot of these alleged land barons still seem to be living 3 or 4 to an apartment. I’m sort of of the mind that people should be held accountable for acting like dicks, not for being white, tattooed, mustachioed, etc.

    This stencil is painted up and down Valencia St, in different colors, between 18th and 22nd or so. I suspect this person is also behind the “Sanctuary city for the rich” stencil that shows up in a couple places, and possibly also the incoherent thing about Google on the sidewalk in front of Ritual.

  10. zinzin says:

    and even if they DID own their own places…when did that become an indictable offense? i thought that was a laudable accomplishment….you know, American dream and all.

    thing is, the {insert usual comment about lying, thieving, inept, ineffectual, dogmatic “progressive” machine / BoS here} has created a “fight for the bottom”…wherein only those least able to make these accomplishments should be allowed to do so. rise one click above the very lowest level on the economic ladder…they turn on you like you’re a bunch of Nob Hill matrons.

    EVERYONE deserves opportunity, and everyone should be applauded when they’re able to achieve something. and EVERYONE should face the consequences when they behave poorly. (jeez i sound like Todd Parr).

    unfortunately, the folks currently holding the city hostage…uh…i mean “Supervising” the city don’t see it that way. they focus on poor brown folks and guilty liberals, because these saps will let them – each for their own non-reasons – continue their charade of “leadership” and “government”.

    ask anyone even one degree off the farthest left of the spectrum what they think. my experience tells me they’re tired of being marginalized by these lying “progressive” grand-standers. and that they want REAL representation…not at the expense of everyone else…just along with them.

  11. JimBeam says:

    The backlash about this stencil pretty much proves its truth. Why fight so hard against an untrue perception?

    The Mission is obsessed with hiding truths like this and it’s also obsessed with its own image (I mean, why the fuck do you care if someone thinks you’re a trust fund kid and you aren’t? What you do care is if someone thinks you’re a trust fund kid and you are).

  12. zinzin says:

    Fair enough JimBeam. i think you’re right.

    that said, the Mission’s real “big secrets” in my opinion are:

    while the Mission has the reputation of being the city’s “most left leaning district” (see the Chronicle article)….lots & lots of people subscribe to a relatively mainstream set of values & goals

    while the Mission has the reputation for being inhabited by hipsters, thugs, artists and activists…a large proportion of folks are regular families with kids & jobs

    while the Mission has the reputation of being gritty and liking it….most folks would welcome a break from the crackheads, hos, bums & shit.

    so i agree the Mission is obsessed with it’s own image…but maybe not only in the way you’re thinking.

    lots of folks are quietly obsessed with the image reflecting reality…for a fucking change.

  13. JimBeam says:

    I definitely agree with all of that.

  14. SFDoggy says:

    JimBeam: What a great circular argument you have. Basically you are saying if someone argues for a point of view they most be wrong because why would they argue for it then. Brilliant! Except that it also applies to you — you must be wrong because why would you care so much to argue your position except that you are defensive and wrong. Loser.