Comments on: Mapping the City — But Whose?

By: The Geography Collective

The Geography Collective — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:47:43 +0000

[...] “Like naturalists canvassing uncharted biomes, the surveyors of the Geography Collective carefully documented the features — architecture, streetlife, traffic — that composed their selected regions’ urban ecologies. They also took care to make scrupulously objective observations: “[e]ach photo is always taken looking directly forward without bias, presenting an urban view which is emotionally challenging for the photographer whose gaze is drawn towards specific people, objects and places,” the project’s website states. Theirs is a scientific approach that contrasts strikingly with similar walks taken by literary “psychogeographers” like British novelist Will Self, whose traversal of New York from JFK Airport to Manhattan was documented in an account peppered with patronizing curiosity about and sometimes haughty contempt for local residents.” [...]

By: dphanley

dphanley — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:36:26 +0000

You know, we just bought a condo in the suburb to end all suburbs, Orange County, California. Amazing – as the crow flies, it’s less than a mile to John Wayne (yes) Airport. So – no need for taxis or shuttles – we can just walk there! Yay. Wrong! It is impossible legally to arrive at the airport by foot – there are long roadways with no footpaths or crossing points which snkae around the airport and parking until you get to the terminal. By car, over two miles. Still convenient but – bummer.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 05:10:16 +0000

Take that Self! Nothing like an intelligent and articulate scathing of an author who would use the phrase ‘there’s the interface!’ in good conscience. I thought you raised excellent points. But can the flaneur not be an explorer of both people and things?

Thankfully, us men-about-town aren’t all clad in euro-chic black duds and armed with photographic devices with which to capture the ‘coffee-coloured man’ in its natural state. In the context of Self I agree with you fully, but I felt a pang of hurt when I gathered that as an ostensibly harmless flaneur I am a propagator of urban colonisation. Say it ain’t so.

By: zvi

zvi — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 06:34:21 +0000

I am too tired at the moment to read this entire piece (or at least to “digest it”), but it reminded me of the time that I walked across Brooklyn. I took the metro to Brighton Beach, had breakfast at some diner on the boardwalk and then asked the locals what was the “best way to get to Manhattan.” This generated a rather heated discussion about whether the metro or the bus was better. When I told them that I was walking, they said that was not an option. I insisted that this was my intention, but they all agreed that this was simply not possible.

Anyway, I walked. I chose the most direct route (I can’t recall what street it was), which basically led straight up to the Brooklyn Bridge. I have to admit that it really was not a particularly interesting way to go. I saw lots of used car dealerships and chain link fences. It was interesting to note how each neighbourhood had a clearly defined ethnic profile.

My only memory of the walk was when I tried to order a coffee at some little Bodega. The guy asked me how I wanted my coffee, and I couldn’t imagine what he meant. I replied hesitantly “Hot?” and the guy went ballistic! “A wise guy, eh? Do you want a regular or…?” Me: “And a regular would be …?” “What kind of an idiot are you – two creams and a sugar” (or something like that). “I’ll have mine black, thank you.” Ah, Brooklyn….