Poorism

For years now tourists have been paid guided tours through the ghettos and shantytowns of South Africa, Brazil, and other poor countries to see how 'the other side lives.' Although this may be interesting for some to see, it seems as though it would leave the poverty tourists, or 'poorists,' with something of a bad taste in their mouth. But this hasn't stopped a Los Angeles Gang Tour from opening up, where people pay to be bussed through the ghettos and famous gang violence hot spots in L.A. Not only is this potentially dangerous, it creates the feeling of putting on a show.

But this 'show' is not some performance, it is real people out living their lives, and real violence happening for tour busses to see. This poorism creates the feeling of people going to a wild animal preserve and driving through to see the animals, something that is just plain wrong. Yes, gang violence and poverty is something that needs to be recognized and acted on, but this is the wrong way of going about it.