UC Berkeley has conducted a few studies and—surprise surprise—the rising wealth in
San Francisco means:
Rich people are more likely to behave unethically even if they get very little benefit.
They’re more likely to take candy from a jar labeled as just for kids, cheat at games and cut off pedestrians in crosswalks. They’re also more likely to say they’d do the same thing when told about somebody who accepts bribes, lies to customers, cheats on an exam or pockets the money when a clerk gives too much change.
Just as the concept of "trickle-down economics" is completely bogus, so is the idea that gentrifying a city to the point where only
wealthy men can afford to live in it is somehow better for everyone. It actually ends up hurting the entire point of having
wealth in the city space.
Supervisor David Campos, who represents the Mission, has talked a lot about San Francisco’s growing income inequality and what he views as a “Tale of Two Cities.”
He said some wealthy San Franciscans are incredibly generous, such as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, but said he thinks it’s the exception in today’s corporate culture. He is pushing Airbnb, for example, to pay millions in back taxes but hasn’t gotten anywhere.
This isn't Tony Bennett's San Francisco anymore. It isn't anybody's San Francisco.