A New York State of Mind
Community versus Culture
Read Mercer Schuchardt
July 1, 1998
The phrase "Manhattan community," like "assisted suicide" and "virtual reality"—is an oxymoron of our time. But as with all good paradoxes, both sides are true. We moved to New York (actually to Jersey City, but we work, go to church and graduate school in Manhattan) in the fall of 1995, with the aim of getting a graduate degree as quickly as possible and getting out immediately thereafter. I earned the degree two years ago, but we're still here. When we first got here, I used to say, "New York is just like Georgia: a bunch of rednecks, only more of 'em." Now I just say, "Get out of my way."
In terms of sheer population, New York City is one of the most congested spots on the globe. Home to some twelve million souls, New York is nevertheless one of the loneliest places on the planet. Such utter aloneness in the midst of such a busy place reveals what happens to the human psyche when you overload it: selectively and progressively, it simply shuts down. The adventure of being a believer in New York is therefore to (a) maintain your faith when all about you are losing their humanity and (b) not only not shut down, but become even more alive.
New York starts out with a rush. Here you are, after all, in the city that never sleeps, in the city that, along with Hollywood and Washington, is the primary source of the country's cultural output—so much so that, upon arriving, you spend the first six months realizing that you already know every major street, landmark, and building by the lifelong osmosis of movies and TV shows. I grew up without a television, and I still knew a great deal of New York before I arrived.
Next you declare yourself a cultural or information junkie, and claim to thrive on the incessant hum of human activity. ...
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