About this episode
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“Civil servants” are employees of the municipal, state, or federal government. Within cities they often live in far-flung areas that are colloquially referred to as “police neighborhoods" or “firefighter neighborhoods.” The tendency of civil servants to live amongst each other has caused them to develop a distinct set of customs and norms that can be described as “civil servant culture.”
On this week’s episode of Silent Generation, Joseph and Nathan begin by discussing whether civil servants constitute their own subculture or social class. They then talk about the symbols they use to identify one another such as thin line flags, punisher symbols, and regional accents. They then survey the areas that civil servants tend to cluster in Chicago (Beverly/ Mt. Greenwood, Garfield Ridge/ Clearing, and Norwood Park/ O’Hare) and NYC (Staten Island, Breezy Point), before concluding with a discussion on the differences between public facing and administrative civil servants.
Links:
Residency Requirements for City Employees by Connie M Hager
Mayoral challenger outlines plan to ease police staffing shortage by Fran Spielman
The thin blue line: The history behind the controversial police emblem by David Hernandez
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Thin Line Flags Infographic
First Responder American Flag, 3 x 5 Feet
Man walking to every CPD station to raise awareness for police mental health
The Punisher Skull - 99% Invisible
Italian cop in NYC
Infographic: Where Cubs and White Sox Fans Live
City Active Employees: Map and Cens