how we shape cities, and cities shape us

There is a gentrification that is happening to cities, and there is a gentrification that is happening to the emotions too, with a similarly homogenising, whitening, deadening effect. Amidst the glossiness of late capitalism, we are fed the notion that all difficult feeling - depression, anxiety, loneliness, rage - are simply a consequence of

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Instagram and TikTok have facilitated easy, superficial connections that placate the human need to truly connect to people, art, and ideas. Comparing ourselves to strangers' highlight reels flattens our self-worth.

Consuming content about cultural events gave the impression of relational connection, when in reality, I'd just watched a 15-second... See more

According to Simone Heng, author of Let's Talk About Loneliness, there are five types of human connection, and we need a mix of all of them to feel connected in our lives: micro connections, such as chatting to your barista; self-connection; intimate connections, i.e. having people who know and love you warts and all; relational connections within

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The West Village Girl is probably the best example of this sort of zombie formalism, deeply self-obsessed moment. West Village is an NYC neighborhood that serves as a production set for an optimized lifestyle. You can live your entire life within a five-block radius: Pilates, three-drinker dinners, charm bars, espresso martinis, run clubs,... See more

The bike rides. The sleepovers. Your first cigarette. Gossiping about your latest crush. Being consoled when they break your heart. Discovering a new city. Re-discovering your own (at 2AM). The hungover brunches. The tears. The laughs. The love. So many of the moments that shaped us were shared with friends. And then those moments started happening... See more