There's a reason so many songs have been written about this place. People everywhere. Subways screeching. Towers soaring. And beyond these surface readings, so much more.
Humans dive into work-caves Monday to Friday only to come out blistering with energy for the weekend. Manhattan through the lens of my iPhone's Google Maps looks like a computer game. Where to spend my hard-earned points next? The city guarantees never-ending enjoyment, it's a flattened Fun Palace. Sure, it gets cold and snowy in the winter, debilitating playgrounds and lowering the life of the streets, but the skyscrapers and brownstones ensure that most activities remain unstopped. There's a rich inner world within the buildings of New York, just as there's a rich inner world in the minds of people you pass. I had a sonder moment while in New York. These buildings house world-class art, they are the site for negotiations that move the world market, they are where people mix intoxicating drinks and energize one another.
New York may be the epitome of human civilization, the ultimate artifact from our existence and influence. Here, meaning is made. Stories are shared and passed to the next players. Where movements move and creators create. The unpredictability of running into someone familiar or maybe your soulmate makes even the experience of taking the subway somewhat exciting. New Yorkers let go of some control over their lives, allowing others to come in and shape their time. Diverse yet robust crowds of people find pockets in the city. This intermix and messiness is not just creative inspiration, it is a step in the formative process. We're all here together. We bounce ideas and test them in the world.
Working in an architecture firm I've been able to spend time in the company of a creative class of people, who engage with culture and collaborate to design structures and urban frameworks for influential clients. The designers are driven by more than just the personal gain that results from their efforts; they hold one another up to a bar of performance and dedication. If the team sprints, you sprint too. They come alive in the act of creating something, making a contribution. They believe in infinite refinement and strive towards beauty. Working and living is like a game and the rules are paradoxically becoming clearer and more perplexing. Entropy doesn't cease to exist or increase. I've learned a few lessons my first year in the workforce in this fast city. Make an effort that makes you feel alive. Find the people that you enjoy giving to. Decide if you want to be comfortable or contributive. Learn how to play well with others. Communicate and connect, because the substance lies in the synapse. It's not in the material of the city, it's in the relationships.
