Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Psychology of the City

Especially relevant since much of my recent discourse has revolved around a 'reading' of the city. Hat tip to Richard. This will have to be the best paragraph I read today. I know it's only 7 am but I had an early start.

Great cities attract ambitious people. You can sense it when you walk around one. In a hundred subtle ways, the city sends you a message: you could do more; you should try harder ... A city speaks to you mostly by accident—in things you see through windows, in conversations you overhear. It's not something you have to seek out, but something you can't turn off.

A most fascinating piece by Paul Graham. Read more here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's so much truth to this statement!
Every city I find myself in, 'speaks' to me in a unique way. The 'anthropomorphized' city.... as a certain someone calls it. Super bit!

Anonymous said...

And there are the cities that make you want to chill out and enjoy the present moment. But then again in today's world, they wouldn't be classified as Mega-regions, eh?

Paul said...

"One of the occupational hazards of living in Cambridge is overhearing the conversations of people who use interrogative intonation in declarative sentences."

Hahah. I would certainly consider that a hazard too!

Liam said...

i wonder what he would feel/hear/see/think/sense... on a visit to slc...