17 Comments
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Pete Rodriguez's avatar

Great read. You're right in a lot of ways, but I think that spontaneity, that "vibe" is still there if you look hard enough for it. More difficult to find, but possible. Hop on a Citi Bike and turn down a new street, take a subway one stop further than you usually would, and you might surprise yourself.

Maybe just me being optimistic but, hell, what other choice is there?

meat stevens's avatar

Came here to say this! Great read but the spontaneity is alive and well. Let’s go Knicks!

Allen's avatar

fun read. even boiling down to the subway, people don't know how to act anymore. let people off before you get on!!

Joe Gaffney's avatar

I feel like Substack is the antithesis to this negative turn you’re describing. This is a great read, and it has a comment section I can scroll to the end to. I’ve found a hidden gem. It’s really hard to find those nowadays because everyone is tuned in. There’s a line outside every door with a quality slice.

There’s a line in a Weezer song I like, “Turn off the TV, cause that’s what others see.” I feel like the best solution to this problem, especially on an individual level, is to ditch the mainstream content for a while. Experience something novel regardless of quality or public opinion. Maybe you’ll find a hidden gem.

Joe Gaffney's avatar

Anti mass consumption

Magnetic Saviour's avatar

Loved the part about Aime De Leone having guys from West Village dressed like extras from Mean Streets lmaoooooo that was too spot on

Neil McEnerney's avatar

Great read. let’s go Nets

Nick Simon's avatar

This can’t be the takeaway

david vizgan's avatar

Very nice essay!

Joe Gaffney's avatar

Everyone’s tuned in. Not just in New York tho

grace's avatar

Good read. Grew up on LI, spent a lot of my childhood in Queens at my grandmas house. Theres so many people here now, none of whom have memories of this place older than the 2 years ago they moved here. Its different now, and its a hard pill to swallow. Man I still love those Knicks though.

Alex's avatar

Great analysis. What's "cool" gets affirmed as "cool," but that affirmation consists of re-packaging that "coolness" to others until it's no longer as "cool." Unfortunately that's the breaks. When it comes to culture, heavy is the head that wears the crown. The fear is keeping the city affordable. When New York's just a playground for the finance bros, what do we have?

What Ever Happened's avatar

New York has Kith and Austin has Yeti! Sadly idk what’s worse.

Jax Preyer's avatar

Best thing I've read all week, you hit the nail on the head.

Magnetic Saviour's avatar

Nah this was a great read, feel like you said what a lot of us have been thinking for a while. I remember being away at school being disgusted by the way New York was represented on Twitter. It’s like the internet turned us into a comedy style and we see it being mimicked in a lot of popular media by people who don’t understand it at all.

Andrew Boryga's avatar

This is excellent and put into words a lot of reasons I left NYC in 2016. I'd been a born and bred dude from the BX who figured I'd spread my ashes on my block, but after a certain point the vibe started to get very weird. Wonderful writing. Looking forward to more of it.