TROUBL

Commuting to work in New York can not always be a good experience. Some days, the subways are so packed that finding a tiny space to squeeze into, a handhold to grab, and enough air to breathe can be difficult. Often times, there are horrible smells in the subway stations and cars, screaming babies, and people begging for change, or ranting. There are frequent, unexplained changes in subway service, deafening construction work and unintelligible announcements blaring over the loudspeakers. Sometimes, the trains just stop in the tunnels and commuters are forced to wait, getting to work late with little or no explanation.

Commuting above ground is hectic, too. From seven till ten, every morning, and again from four till seven every night, the streets are packed with cars and pedestrians that all try to squeeze past each
other in barely-controlled chaos. Tourists wander the streets in hugepacks, taking photographs and walking excruciatingly slow, while native New Yorkers maneuver past them, trying not to lash out in anger. Taxis dart in and out of traffic, making walking and driving hazardous for those not gridlocked. It’s an all around mess.

So, when one sees how many iPods, Zunes and other MP3 players are stuck into people’s ears, the cell phones texting or calling on the street or the subway, and the personal computers and gaming systems on many laps; it’s no surprise. Many of these gadgets are used in tandem; it’s not uncommon to see a commuter with a PSP in one hand, a cell phone in the other, and an iPod cord sticking out of one ear. And who can blame you? Nobody wants to listen to the loud conversation of the drunken frat kids across the way, or pay any more attention than necessary to the car horns beeping all around. It gets old really fast.

But, shouldn’t we all tune in to what’s happening around us sometimes? There may be a lot of background noise and truly annoying activity happening in the midst of a New York commute, but it seems people these days are so attached to their music, cell phones, computers, and gadgets, that they might be missing out on the experience of real life.

With so many forms of information available in the ever-higher-tech world, it’s satisfying to be able to stay in touch with it all using the gadgets available. Catching up on e-mail while riding home and listening to the newest album by your favorite musician, checking the news all at once, might give you more time to focus on other things when you reach your destination, but what about the richness of the here and now? Think of it this way: As underwhelming as it might be at first glance, the combination of people in every subway car is a once in a lifetime event, even if it seems like just another packed ride home. Even though the guy in front of you might smell terrible, you two will never be in the same subway car with the same other 100 people–ever again. The sounds of the subway and the crowded streets, loud as they may be, are part of what makes New York the fascinating and unique place it is, almost a cacophonous symphony composed by the city itself. Those musicians in the parks and subways are actually really talented. The insane rants of the soap-box preachers might not make sense, but they are, nonetheless, intricate and interesting. The sirens that speed past, echoing off the buildings, are telling the tales of exciting and terrifying events happening, really happening, nearby. The yells of incensed pedestrians as cars bear down on them and the many, many accents and languages in conversations all around you are all colorful threads of a rich tapestry of city life. Walking down the street with your ears plugged into a prerecorded song, eyes focused on a text message to a friend, mind on the list of things you have to check off on your PDA before you get to work… These are all ways to cut yourself off from real life, to live in a world far removed from the amazing one we really live in and block yourself from the massive, ever- changing energy.

This is an invitation to everyone, in New York and everywhere else: Take one morning commute to work and unplug yourselves. Turn off the iPod or the car stereo, leave your phone in your pocket, and don’t even look at your PDA or PSP. Watch the people around you and the things they do. Pay attention to the smells of restaurants you walk by. Have the audacity to laugh at the dog with the sweater and booties on. Lock eyes with a stranger and experience life without distractions. You might hate it, but, at least you can say you did it.