I’m really glad he (I assume it’s a he; there I go making assumptions again) called me out. Seriously. NYC deserves to be defended from what were undoubtedly gross generalizations. And I’m glad to get such an in-depth perspective from someone who lives there.
He is damn right that this was a very narrow experience. (For the record, I was originally planning to take up residence there for a couple of months this summer, but for various reasons, it didn’t work out.) There is no way that a five day trip – maybe not even a five year trip – could accurately paint such broad strokes about such a complicated city. I refer to a line from an older post: “if one thing is certain, it is that there is no getting to the bottom of New York.”
I hope it’s clear that what I wrote in yesterday’s post were a tourist’s (and fanboy’s) impressions of Manhattan after a very short trip, not in any way an accurate portrayal of the city as experienced by long-term residents. In some ways, though, I think a tourist’s impressions are more interesting than anything a long-term resident has to say about the city. That’s because it’s like a child being surprised by and questioning everything he sees, even if he is wrong about how it works or what it usually does.
I am tempted to respond to some of his more specific claims about budget and general design of the trip, but what’s the use. It’s true that it was a narrow experience, and that, I think, is his main point.
I also want to make clear that I am not [intentionally] disparaging NYC/Manhattan. When you read/hear so much about the city but never experience it, it should come as no surprise that most of your initial impressions are disappointments. But on the whole I still think it’s an amazing place, and I’d gladly live and/or spend more time there.
