Soc riches

[fairlane]

The actual numbers is one I was thinking about a while ago. Neither group sounds particularly big based on Ponyboy's desriptions - from memory there are 20 soc's at the rumble, and about the same of greasers.

Presumably there are other kids who fall into those rich/poor groups but don't get caught up in the rivalry.

[Keira]

That's really a very interesting point you brought up, Mars. I never gave a whole lot of thought to the money the Socs have, and what their parents must do for a living. I just assumed normal things such as doctors, lawyers, judges, professors, what-nots. But now that you've brought it up, it sheds a whole new light on the fact, because the way that some of the Soc's are described, it sounds like they have a bit more money than your average rich family. I'm glad you've pointed this out!

[Tensleep]

Wow, great topic! Thanks for those stats, Mars. I love that kind of stuff. Now, all we need is a comparison chart and we're set .

I'll just add that aside from oil, there was a lot of settlement by not only immigrants, but Natives. Actually, as of 1830 Oklahoma was pretty much a designated reserve for the tribes relocated from the Mississippi river basin until the land was revoked in the laster part of the century and the reserve was designated to the southern part of the state. As well, there was a good number of African Americans, as well. Our Choctaw professor talked a lot about the white corridors in Oklahoma City. Seems that the white people down there didn't want to be anywhere near these black people if they could afford not to be. I shake my head at that one...

Anyways, my point was that there was a lower demographic because of the races as well as old money and oil. There was a lot of racism, thus lower end jobs were given with this bias, as well as low post secondary education, and ta da - a rather large contributor to the large lower class numbers.

And that was what I learned in University. Took eight months, but I now get how to use the words 'ta da'.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[Nittanylizard]

Good topic! In Ten Years Later I had Soda's girlfriend's father in the oil industry because I had remembered Ces (from the book and movie site forum) mention something about the oil industry in Tulsa. Before then I hadn't put too much thought into what all the rich people were doing with themselves.

Liz

[Tensleep]

Yeah, Tulsa was a pretty big oil spot for a while. I think it started to pan out after 1950, but don't quote me on that. That's just when my grandparents backed out and headed back for Alberta.

I actually have a picture of the drilling operation in Tulsa. I should put it up.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens

[hahukumkonn]

I never really thought about that aspect of Tulsa's economy. I tended to go with the images I saw in the movie, which was grain elevators and smaller manufacturing concerns. MamaCes said there'd been a sawmill once, and it fit into about the right era so I went with that.

But oil... there's an interesting wrinkle - wonder if Darry's other job is working an oil derrick?

Re: the distribution of income chart - as a stickler for keeping track of the fall in the value of money what you should all instantly notice is that distribution of income, today, would mean a good 20% of Tulsa's population makes less than $15,000 a year - and you figure what $15k buys after taxes and you get a really good feel for just how much scraping-by a guy making $3000 a year in 1966 is doing supporting a family - although it should be cautioned that some funny business with the CPI in recent years means the comparison isn't quite as accurate as you'd think, especially when you consider that long-distance rates used to be a fortune, while food and rent (or a mortgage) was cheap by today's standards even when you throw in the effect of inflation.

I also hadn't thought about the whole my-dad's-the-boss-of-YOUR-dad angle; that'd have to make for some tension, especially if two guys' fathers didn't like each other much.

[zevie]

Lovin' the stats, too. The median income also has to be compared to the cost of living in Tulsa, not just in general in the states, cuz I believe Tulsa currently has the cheapest cost of living. So, someone making 15 grand there wouldn't be quite as squeezed as someone making 15 grand in New York, lol. Though it still sounds pretty rough.

[BlindedxxFalcon]

I never really thought about it.