High end shopping? Yeah, we got it, if you can navigate around the tourists... Classy shops and restaurants? Yep, by the dozens, but can you afford them? Burger King? Mmhm, right next to one of the seemingly 1000's of Starbucks in this 20 square block area (hell there is even one of them in my building!) ...and homeless people? Sure, can't throw your well oiled Tag Heuer wrist watch out the window without hitting one...not that I'd throw a Tag Heuer out the window (Tag = $$$).
The Financial District (where I work) is a much colder, impersonal place than is Fillmore Street. More big buildings, more grey everywhere, more people, less trees (if any) and lots of cars, honking and other noise. A walk around lunch time or quitting time and you'll see lots of people and not much else... The Financial District is awash with every piece of humanity you could ever want to find, and the amazing thing about it is that no one actively interacts with one another. Everyone is off in their own little world avoiding gazes or even friendly hellos from passers-by!
Every day I leave from my building at 343 Sansome Street (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=118852) and make the trek to the Transbay Bus station...a fun journey to be sure. There are all kinds of people, some dressed nicely, some not so much, some asleep on the ground... But they all share this aversion to human interaction. Basically it seems as if it human nature - that as public space encroaches more and more on private space (as it does in the city) people become increasingly introverted. People want to protect what little space they have left to themselves (pretty much their body and mind...) and not share it at all with someone who is standing right next to them.
Take elevators for instance, you ever notice how no one ever wants to look at each other or stand next to someone else let alone talk with one another. Heck, even conversations between friends stop once the elevator doors close. Think of the city as one large elevator. People increase their distance from you when you walk up next to them at the curb, they walk faster if you are too close, no one ever even makes eye contact anymore...
Well, with all that said, I want to issue a challenge to readers of this post - increase your visibility in public, make people notice you and interact with you. Here are some ways in which you can bring interaction back into the non-interactive blights we call cities:
- When you head home from work, skip rather than walk as often as possible.
- When you are on an elevator, stand with your back to the doors and when people get on yell out, "I like cheese!" Then remain silent.
- Stare at people.
- When in an open space (such as a street corner) stand as close to others as possible as if there were no where else to stand.
- Ditch that drab grey suit, buy pink instead.
- Wear dark sunglasses and only put in one earpiece for your iPod. Carry a parrot on your shoulder and insist that people address him as "Mr. President."
You don't have to do these things, but if you do, I am sure that someone will notice you (but hopefully not just the cops...).
The people situation isn't necessarily a bad thing, I guess people are just trying to protect what little privacy they have left even if it is at the expense of common courtesy (no one even opens doors for others anymore...but that is for another post). And, the Financial District isn't all that bad, it is actually a really bright place with friendly people and lots of things to see and do. Until I can post some pics up, use your imagination...
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