When I think hard about the reasons why I've liked living in India, another one (besides the ability to speak two languages on a daily basis) comes immediately to mind: I really like cities. The more "city" they are, the better. And both Mumbai and Delhi (the only two places in India that I've lived) are absolute cities.
Before I moved to Mumbai, I read three books to prepare myself for the trip. The first was Vikram Seth's epic "A Suitable Boy" which, at least in hardcover, should be sold by weight, like vegetables. The second was the fun, occasionally irritating "Shantaram," and the third was the Pulitzer-nominated "Maximum City."
The last, by Suketu Mehta, is meant to be a peek into Mumbai's many hidden universes, but it's also an excellent primer in what makes cities unique. People, I've noticed, tend to divide pretty neatly based upon how much "city" they crave. Here's what characterizes a city (based on my observations):
1. Constant human presence. The streets of (most of) Manhattan, Mumbai and New Delhi are rarely empty. In Mumbai, solitude is as theoretical as snow. I find the background chaos of India's mega-city streets both comforting and protective. Nothing bad will happen to me, I figure, so long as someone (or multiple someones) are watching. I've believed this ever since I was a small and over-imaginative kid, convinced that every bedroom shadow hid an axe-murderer who was just waiting to catch me alone.
On a practical level, the constant presence of people manifests itself in noise, trash and odor. Walking down a Mumbai street is an overwhelming and synesthetic experience, and people who enjoy cities are usually also people who can filter out or ignore excess sensory stimuli.
2. Rapid physical change. Neither Stonehenge nor the Grand Canyon have changed perceptibly over the past 100 years. The same can't be said for the face of any modern city. Modern cities adapt rapidly to new inhabitants, new economic trends, new tastes. A city's personality is constantly in flux.
People who crave the security of a familiar landscape might find a place like New Delhi - which changes its appearance daily - almost schizophrenic.
3. Frenetic-ness. The word "frenetic" means "frantic, frenzied" and comes, apparently, from a Greek word that also means "inflammation of the brain." Practically, what I mean is that you're more likely to be at a dinner surrounded by people who can't stop checking their phones in a place like New Delhi than in, say, suburban Iowa. People move and adapt very fast. Partly this is choice, but partly it's necessity (see #6).
4. Superficiality. Sorry, but it must be said - historically, bright young people have always moved to cities to "make their fortune." As the costs of travel decline, I've noticed the emergence of a new class of "urban dweller", people who jet easily between New York City, London and Shanghai, with occasional pit stops in Rio or Hong Kong. The result, unfortunately, is that first impressions are often last impressions. Residence is transient, and relationships often skin-deep.
Are there exceptions? Yes. But again, people in NYC are more likely to judge you by what car you drive or what company appears on your business card than, say, people in suburban Iowa. (Of course, these kinds of judgmental people are often attracted to the idea of living in cities in the first place). This is what happens when you meet people devoid of context. But it might also be because of...
5. Diversity. Most modern mega-cities contain a wider variety of people than villages, small towns or suburbs do. There are amazing benefits to this, and I'm not just talking about the variety of ethnic food you get in Manhattan. When I was 20, I stepped off a bus into the streets of NYC and felt like I'd been transplated into a universe where anything was possible. It was the first time I'd felt like I had the freedom to construct my context. People didn't look at me and see a woman, or even an Indian-American. I was only myself.
The inescapable downside of diversity is inequality. Yes, bright young people move to cities to make their fortune, but many of them fail, or succeed much more slowly than they hoped. And others succeed beyond their wildest dreams. Modern mega-cities groan under the weight of urban income inequality. The picture that epitomizes Mumbai is the view from any balcony: exclusive high-rises set amid sprawling slums. Life isn't fair, and living in a city allows no one to lose sight of that fact, no matter how high they build their towers.
6. Hyper-competitive-ness. A lot has been written about how cities can serve as economic engines. In an article that I can no longer find online, the Economist's Ryan Avent argues that cities are hotbeds of economic activity because the constant presence of people allows ideas to spread more rapidly. The constant influx of new people, the fast pace at which change occurs and an openness to new ideas make NYC a thrilling place to live.
But as a result, everything in a city - from scoring a table at a restaurant on Friday night to dating to starting a company - is insanely competitive, whether or not it should be. People face near-infinite options. Those who are prone to distractions and obsessed with novelty (and city-seekers are, usually, of this type) can get lost in variety and lose touch with happiness.
--
Of course, city-dwellers tend to separate into three groups. 1) Those who really would rather not be in a city, but have no immediate choice. 2) Those who don't really care and 3) Those who love and crave the unique stimuli that cities offer.
Interestingly, a Psychology Today definition of "extroversion" reads as follows: "Extroverts make up about three-quarters of the American population, and as such come in all stripes. They zip through the world in search of novel experiences, social connections and leadership opportunities. Extroversion is a core factor of personality and is difficult to modify. But generally speaking, the only people bothered by extroverts' volubility and drive are the introverted members of their circle."
I would posit that people who are drawn to cities are often extroverts. Extroverts are also prone to the problematic traits of the type: impatience, gregariousness, self-centeredness, a tendency to get distracted by shiny things, an obsession with appearances and social standing.
The only bare tip I have for surviving the challenges of fast-paced urban life (and extroversion) is to channel an introvert and do some deep thinking: know exactly what you want and never compare yourself to others and (maybe cliche but still important) don't underinvest in the people who matter. Good luck with that, really. (Or, if you really want to do some deep thinking about the meaning of your life, read this all the way through. It's worth it.)
Before I moved to Mumbai, I read three books to prepare myself for the trip. The first was Vikram Seth's epic "A Suitable Boy" which, at least in hardcover, should be sold by weight, like vegetables. The second was the fun, occasionally irritating "Shantaram," and the third was the Pulitzer-nominated "Maximum City."
The last, by Suketu Mehta, is meant to be a peek into Mumbai's many hidden universes, but it's also an excellent primer in what makes cities unique. People, I've noticed, tend to divide pretty neatly based upon how much "city" they crave. Here's what characterizes a city (based on my observations):
1. Constant human presence. The streets of (most of) Manhattan, Mumbai and New Delhi are rarely empty. In Mumbai, solitude is as theoretical as snow. I find the background chaos of India's mega-city streets both comforting and protective. Nothing bad will happen to me, I figure, so long as someone (or multiple someones) are watching. I've believed this ever since I was a small and over-imaginative kid, convinced that every bedroom shadow hid an axe-murderer who was just waiting to catch me alone.
On a practical level, the constant presence of people manifests itself in noise, trash and odor. Walking down a Mumbai street is an overwhelming and synesthetic experience, and people who enjoy cities are usually also people who can filter out or ignore excess sensory stimuli.
2. Rapid physical change. Neither Stonehenge nor the Grand Canyon have changed perceptibly over the past 100 years. The same can't be said for the face of any modern city. Modern cities adapt rapidly to new inhabitants, new economic trends, new tastes. A city's personality is constantly in flux.
People who crave the security of a familiar landscape might find a place like New Delhi - which changes its appearance daily - almost schizophrenic.
3. Frenetic-ness. The word "frenetic" means "frantic, frenzied" and comes, apparently, from a Greek word that also means "inflammation of the brain." Practically, what I mean is that you're more likely to be at a dinner surrounded by people who can't stop checking their phones in a place like New Delhi than in, say, suburban Iowa. People move and adapt very fast. Partly this is choice, but partly it's necessity (see #6).
4. Superficiality. Sorry, but it must be said - historically, bright young people have always moved to cities to "make their fortune." As the costs of travel decline, I've noticed the emergence of a new class of "urban dweller", people who jet easily between New York City, London and Shanghai, with occasional pit stops in Rio or Hong Kong. The result, unfortunately, is that first impressions are often last impressions. Residence is transient, and relationships often skin-deep.
Are there exceptions? Yes. But again, people in NYC are more likely to judge you by what car you drive or what company appears on your business card than, say, people in suburban Iowa. (Of course, these kinds of judgmental people are often attracted to the idea of living in cities in the first place). This is what happens when you meet people devoid of context. But it might also be because of...
5. Diversity. Most modern mega-cities contain a wider variety of people than villages, small towns or suburbs do. There are amazing benefits to this, and I'm not just talking about the variety of ethnic food you get in Manhattan. When I was 20, I stepped off a bus into the streets of NYC and felt like I'd been transplated into a universe where anything was possible. It was the first time I'd felt like I had the freedom to construct my context. People didn't look at me and see a woman, or even an Indian-American. I was only myself.
The inescapable downside of diversity is inequality. Yes, bright young people move to cities to make their fortune, but many of them fail, or succeed much more slowly than they hoped. And others succeed beyond their wildest dreams. Modern mega-cities groan under the weight of urban income inequality. The picture that epitomizes Mumbai is the view from any balcony: exclusive high-rises set amid sprawling slums. Life isn't fair, and living in a city allows no one to lose sight of that fact, no matter how high they build their towers.
6. Hyper-competitive-ness. A lot has been written about how cities can serve as economic engines. In an article that I can no longer find online, the Economist's Ryan Avent argues that cities are hotbeds of economic activity because the constant presence of people allows ideas to spread more rapidly. The constant influx of new people, the fast pace at which change occurs and an openness to new ideas make NYC a thrilling place to live.
But as a result, everything in a city - from scoring a table at a restaurant on Friday night to dating to starting a company - is insanely competitive, whether or not it should be. People face near-infinite options. Those who are prone to distractions and obsessed with novelty (and city-seekers are, usually, of this type) can get lost in variety and lose touch with happiness.
--
Of course, city-dwellers tend to separate into three groups. 1) Those who really would rather not be in a city, but have no immediate choice. 2) Those who don't really care and 3) Those who love and crave the unique stimuli that cities offer.
Interestingly, a Psychology Today definition of "extroversion" reads as follows: "Extroverts make up about three-quarters of the American population, and as such come in all stripes. They zip through the world in search of novel experiences, social connections and leadership opportunities. Extroversion is a core factor of personality and is difficult to modify. But generally speaking, the only people bothered by extroverts' volubility and drive are the introverted members of their circle."
I would posit that people who are drawn to cities are often extroverts. Extroverts are also prone to the problematic traits of the type: impatience, gregariousness, self-centeredness, a tendency to get distracted by shiny things, an obsession with appearances and social standing.
The only bare tip I have for surviving the challenges of fast-paced urban life (and extroversion) is to channel an introvert and do some deep thinking: know exactly what you want and never compare yourself to others and (maybe cliche but still important) don't underinvest in the people who matter. Good luck with that, really. (Or, if you really want to do some deep thinking about the meaning of your life, read this all the way through. It's worth it.)
No comments:
Post a Comment