Are we becoming boring?
According to an article in the New York Observer (a paper that deserves WAAY more credit than it’s even given), New Yorkers are increasingly becoming…well, lame.The article proposes that people are going out less and staying in more all in the name of a lack of motivation. A lack of motivation to do everything from keeping up with fashion, trading in text messaging for an actual one-on-one get-together, waiting in line for that hot new nightclub, having people over for a cocktail party and even looking for that special someone. Apparently we’ve all lost our mojo.
To our credit, the article states, “giving up is not a defeat, not at all. Because what more and more New Yorkers are “giving up” is engaging with a social and intellectual public culture that more and more fails to enchant them.”
Wow. New York culture is failing to enchant?! I thought that was that certain something about the city that keep us all going. Will we all turn the way of Seattle and start being hermits, committing suicide by the hordes? I sure hope not. After all, New Yorkers may be cynical, but we’re not known for being depressives.
In my opinion, I think we’re all stuck in an evil cycle of apathy. New York still enchants, but we’re all failing to allow ourselves to be enchanted. We’re all so overloaded with options – being busy bodies, so we’d rather just stay home, crack a bottle of Pinot, order take out and a good movie on demand.
It’s interesting to see that the Observer has successfully plucked that certain something out of the air and put it into print. Perhaps it will help in snapping us all out of listlessness.
N.Y. Beauties Collapse: Formerly Chichi We, Now Netflixed, Dumpy NYO
posted by Lisa @ 11:22 AM
6 Comments:
I think part of the problem is that we're all being bombarded with communication and our brains have a way of telling us to slow it down a little bit.
I guess it's either:
* Be out with people, as they chat away on their cell phones while you are getting text messages, having a drink, trying to talk to friends (probably about that myspace account you just saw), and thinking about the best way to frame your evening in a blogger post...
or...
* Be at home digging through people's myspace pages posting on blogs
Either way, it's quite challenging to break out of the cycle of information overload, so "enchanting" unfortunately seems to take a back seat to it all.
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Honestly, I think we're just cutting out the shit...Who wants to go wait outside to get into a crowded bar so that maybe some asshole can pay attention to you? Do we really care? Lately I think a quiet dinner with friends or movie at home are much more satisfying
I read this article and thought, "I don't like going out to these clubs and restaurants because I don't like the people who go out to these clubs and restaurants."
i don't think Elle just means going out to bars. do you also mean the various cultural events that you read about on daily candy or gothamist?
i think there is a snob element in the Do or be seen as dead mentality. perhaps there is less social pressure on having "done" the things to do, and time to DIY one's personal space is where the pendulum is swinging.
Interesting question Elle, have we become more boring? Personally, I do spend less time out on weeknights, but that's only because of a recent focus on my career.
But when it comes to weekends, if I spent two nights home, I would lose my mind. You can still have a quit enjoyable evening out. A couple glasses of wine at Bar Vetro, some beers at Croxley Ale's. These moments should never end.
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