3 ms·

I am not sure we have a ton of social cohesion in New York necessarily. Among the well-to-do, sure, we're not only working in tech, but there is still the disc

I am not sure we have a ton of social cohesion in New York necessarily. Among the well-to-do, sure, we're not only working in tech, but there is still the discomfort with there being many classes of people. (The gig economy killed any hope of there ever being a middle class again.) I think if you want people to say "hi" to you, you have to act the part. Some single 20-something walking around with headphones and a hoodie... nobody is going to talk to you. Get a dog and a partner, and people will talk to you while you're out walking the dog. They're walking their dog, and so you have something to talk about. (The dogs will break the ice!)

Apocryphon 6y ago
Granted, he's talking about something that's very subjective, but there does seem to be a popular conception of New Yorkers having a shared identity regardless of class- > There is certainly class separation and racial division in New York, but there is an inherent camaraderie to the city itself, a shared feeling that everyone is in the belly of the same vast urban beast. Of course, that could just be something unique after the collective trauma of 9/11 (and Hurricane Sandy, etc.). You see it in pop culture depictions- "this city sucks, but it's our city!" Again, getting random city dwellers to say hi to you is the opener of this article, it shouldn't be the last word that everyone fixates upon.
raffraffraff 6y ago
The dog thing is so true. Are they a nice dog owner? Do they pull the dog along their own preferred route, staring at a their phone, getting annoyed when the dog stops to sniff? Do they yank on the leash? Or do they patiently allow their dog to take in the smells of the neighborhood and leave their own messages in return, let the dog change direction in response to a smell or sound? Do they allow their dog to meet other dogs, with the other owner's permission? (As my wife says "this isn't your walk, this is the dog's walk") Is this a responsible owner? How does their dog behaved around other dogs? If the dog misbehaves, how does the owner respond? Do they pick up after their dog? Bottom line: a dog is an excellent asshole-o-meter.
- c22 6y ago
  Do they leave a bag of their dog's shit in my freshly-emptied trash can (or worse, recycling bin) for me to smell all week after I wheel it back to my house? (All signs point to yes)
  - c22 6y ago
    I assume the downvotes are coming from people who do this? Help me out, cause there's something I've always been curious about: If you are walking down the street drinking a Starbucks or eating a candy bar and you finish, do you leave the empty cup or wrapper in someone else's bin too? Genuinely curious... I've always brought my own garbage home with me, or to the next public bin. What do you do when it's not trash day?

Apocryphon 6y ago

Granted, he's talking about something that's very subjective, but there does seem to be a popular conception of New Yorkers having a shared identity regardless of class- > There is certainly class separation and racial division in New York, but there is an inherent camaraderie to the city itself, a shared feeling that everyone is in the belly of the same vast urban beast. Of course, that could just be something unique after the collective trauma of 9/11 (and Hurricane Sandy, etc.). You see it in pop culture depictions- "this city sucks, but it's our city!" Again, getting random city dwellers to say hi to you is the opener of this article, it shouldn't be the last word that everyone fixates upon.

raffraffraff 6y ago

The dog thing is so true. Are they a nice dog owner? Do they pull the dog along their own preferred route, staring at a their phone, getting annoyed when the dog stops to sniff? Do they yank on the leash? Or do they patiently allow their dog to take in the smells of the neighborhood and leave their own messages in return, let the dog change direction in response to a smell or sound? Do they allow their dog to meet other dogs, with the other owner's permission? (As my wife says "this isn't your walk, this is the dog's walk") Is this a responsible owner? How does their dog behaved around other dogs? If the dog misbehaves, how does the owner respond? Do they pick up after their dog? Bottom line: a dog is an excellent asshole-o-meter.

c22 6y ago
Do they leave a bag of their dog's shit in my freshly-emptied trash can (or worse, recycling bin) for me to smell all week after I wheel it back to my house? (All signs point to yes)
- c22 6y ago
  I assume the downvotes are coming from people who do this? Help me out, cause there's something I've always been curious about: If you are walking down the street drinking a Starbucks or eating a candy bar and you finish, do you leave the empty cup or wrapper in someone else's bin too? Genuinely curious... I've always brought my own garbage home with me, or to the next public bin. What do you do when it's not trash day?