General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: It's bothered me for years. Where did the ridiculous notion [View all]kcr
(15,300 posts)But that doesn't mean people in the city are callous and unfriendly. It's true that when you're in a large city like New York, people interact much differently. It's partly due to defense mechanisms, but also due to efficiency. With millions of people, if everyone took the time to slow down and interact the way they do in smaller towns, it would gum up the works. It does take some getting used to. But you also notice the humanity that's still there. For example, I suddenly felt ill once standing up on a crowded, hot subway that had broken down, and people offered me their seat when they saw how distressed I was.
But I had to adjust. I had moved to the area from Tennessee after having lived there over 15 years, so for a couple weeks or so I'd get odd looks because I'd forget and do things like smile and say hi to strangers walking in and out of the grocery store out of habit.