Say Hello, Why Dontcha?

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Filed in City
February 28, 2006

Hey folks, I've been gone on a bit of a trip, visiting many of the lovely litle towns and islands just across the Georgia Striaght. Of course many differences betweeen Vancouver and places like Salt Spring Island/Campbell River/Quadra were plain and sure to be expected, but the one thing that particularly struck me as a surprise was this: people said Hi. Or maybe they didn't say it, but there was eye contact and a smile. Sure, sure it happens in Van too, but hardly as much and only with 33.3% as much enthusiasm.

Is this an inevitable part of Big City Syndrome? (let's not get into the Is Vancouver a Big City debate at this exact moment). Frankly, it kinda saddened me to think that us Vancouverites are too wrapped up in our own busy little lives that we won't extend a greeting to our fellow residents/visitors. Especially you people who see the same faces on the bus every bloody morning.

I visited London a couple years ago, a city so overwhelmingly populated that talking to a stranger is a major faux pas (unless maybe you're NOT from London) and everyone looks straight ahead with a slightly downward-tipped gaze. One guy told me that in fact he'd like to be more open to people but after brushing shoulders with thousands of people a day, he just can't put the effort out, too occupied trying to squeeze from point A to point B in X amount of time. (Aside from all that, London's pretty rad, i admit). But is this the future of Vancouver? Pardon me for sounding like a patriot, but that would be downright un-Canadian.

So sure we're growing, and sure there's lots of pretentious snobs and lowlifes who you really can't stomach, but i really really think that you should say hello to them anyways. What is it gonna kill you? At worst you'll end up getting into a heated argument about what a great guy Emerson is or why The Hulk was better than Brokeback Mountain. At best you'll realize that lust at first sight can happen. Most likely you'll just get a quick nod and averted eyes. But at least it's a start, eh?

Image of somebody named Amber courtesy of http://www.rithea.com/CiscoBye.html. Does she even know her pic is one of the first hits on Google Images?

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Montreal and Brooklyn are both examples of chatty cities.

Posted by: sean Orr at February 28, 2006 8:07 PM | Quote Comment

i can't remember what london was like, but manhattanites are surprisingly friendly - contrary to what seinfield might lead you to believe. people are too concern about being cool here to risk looking vulnerable by talking to strangers.

Posted by: chinesetakeoutbox at March 1, 2006 2:05 AM | Quote Comment

We might not be over-the-top friendly but we're never on the offensive - I find that to be a defining characteristic of larger cities (i.e. Montreal, Barcelona), everyone feels like you're out to screw them over. I like Vancouver and Berlin because people aren't on the verge of freaking out.

Posted by: Ariadna at March 1, 2006 8:49 AM | Quote Comment

Throughout the 20th century, the focus of media, arts and culture was on grand cities like New York, London, Paris and Tokyo. These global crossroads will continue to impress with their vibrance and vitality. Having lived in London and now in Vancouver, I realize that both cities have so much to offer but I can't weigh one over the other.

The 21st century might be a time of increasing influence by cities like Barcelona, Montreal, Berlin and others like ______ (you fill in the blank). Our wired world is helping to reduce the boundaries of geography and even language. These 21st century darlings - and I include Vancouver - have so much to offer the canons of creative thought because the affect of their unique environments on the people who inhabit them.

Posted by: marcos at March 1, 2006 9:56 PM | Quote Comment