Spheres of Investment

People do not talk to one another on the subway. It simply isn't done.

Tourists and out-of-towners (not the same thing - but that's another post) think we're cold, calloused. They like to try a little old fashioned friendliness on us thinking that their warm smile and awkward personal questions will be the ray of sunshine that turns all of Manhattan into one big Main Street, USA.

This is not the case.

There is a reason that people don't converse with strangers on the subway and there is a reason we all mind our own business. There are simply too many people, and it is impossible to become invested in all of them, it is beyond human capacity to invest in each of the hundreds if not thousands of people that we come into contact with everyday.

The result is that we limit our spheres of investment. We are invested in our neighbors (within a 2-3 block radius), we are invested in our co-workers, or in the members of our French class or bowling team. In my case, I'm invested in my ward, in the people in my apartment building

New Yorkers are actually very friendly, we just save our friendliness for our spheres of investment. New Yorkers, you see, are also very practical.