As a New Yorker, this article resonated with me as if I had found my diary entry on another blog. “Strumming my pain with his fingers…”
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(posted by JEREMIAH MOSS at VANISHING NEWYORK)
“Until 9/11, New York was not quite America.
In 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen joked: “the failure of the country to get behind New York City is anti-Semitism… The rest of the country looks upon New York like we’re left-wing Communist, Jewish, homosexual, pornographers.â€
At the same time, a spokesman for Gerald Ford, in those “drop dead†days of fiscal crisis, compared New York to “a wayward daughter hooked on heroin.†Throughout the 20th century, the city was seen as the anti-America, a space apart, exceptional. Despite Giuliani’s Disneyfication efforts, this vision of the city continued through the 1990s, when New York magazine’s cover story explained “Why America Hates New York.†In short, we were liberal, multicultural, and bereft of the right-wing’s version of Christian Family Values.
It was a badge of honor that many New Yorkers, especially Manhattanites, wore with pride. The city was different, brighter, better than the Heartland. It eschewed suburban norms and snubbed the shopping mall. It was a beacon to those of us who never fell in step with the “American way‖the artsy, lefty, Commie, and queer among us—and we came here to make art, make a mess, and find ourselves in a city that embraced and understood us in ways our hometowns and families of origin never could.
Then it all changed.
(photo via ACCORDING TO G)
On the morning after 9/11, the fractured, frightened city awoke to find itself cradled in the arms of the nation. It was a major turning point. After that terrible day, we heard the phrase “We are all New Yorkers†echoed across the country and the globe. Suddenly, New York was viewed as acceptably American as apple pie. The New York Observer proclaimed, “The Heartland Loves New York.â€Â Lower East Side radicals who had once burned the flag in protest were now hanging Old Glory from their fire escapes. For a little while, it felt good to be accepted into the fold. But then the floodgates opened. Despite the consistently high terror threat level, the city now seemed safe, familiar, normal, and newcomers with suburban sensibilities flowed in, giddy to realize their Sex and the City dreams.
In the past decade, more than ever, New York City has become a vertical Suburbia—complete with big-box shopping mall experiences, golf courses, and condos that function like gated communities with manicured rooftop lawns and barbecues. The city has lost its cranky, critical, cultural soul. Ten years after 9/11, we are no longer the black sheep. We’re just like everybody else.
As Fran Lebowitz recently said in an interview, “Present-day New York has been made to attract people who didn’t like New York. That’s how we get a zillion tourists here, especially American tourists, who never liked New York. Now they like New York. What does that mean? Does that mean they’ve suddenly become much more sophisticated? No. It means that New York has become more like the places they come from.”
Maybe the terrorists have “won” after all.”
(photo via ACCORDING TO G)
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Well written! I could not have put it better myself. It truly sums up how sad I am about the state of NEW YORK…well the city, you know.
I’d love to hear what other New Yorkers think…
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Surely what you claim to be the abiding issue of what happened to new york resides in the the gentriification and the globalisation of a once gloried city. as paradymatic as 9/11 became the seeds of destruction had already been sewed. gentrification saw the indigenous people unable to afford the property in the city- the commercialistion of cultural ghettos became the norm-disenfranchisement amongst artists,writers and lefties spread. displacement of the cities pyschology was ultimately shifted. homogeneity is the remnant of a slowing compressed world where everything looks, smells, tastes and feels the same. praise be to globalisation
You moved to the city approx 2 years before 9/11. Your exactly like everyone else who moved here looking for their big chance in life. You were a tourist. You were a part of the gentrification. Your from Albany please stop with this new yorker, down town princess BS.
I agree with Jessica in a sense. I can see if you were born in the city and you actually witnessed the FULL transition of the gritty streets becoming acceptable for tourists, but you did not. I consider the old ny taking place in the early 80's-early 90's. I was born and raised in Manhattan, and was able to witness the FULL downfall of my beloved city. Depending on when you moved here, I'm pretty sure the streets were already clean compared to my teenage years. I'm sick of people moving to the city thinking that they can achieve success and live the glamorous lifestyle they see in movies. I assume you also had a vision of moving to follow your dreams, and relive the stories that some may have told you; that happened in an era you may have been too young to experience. I have learned to accept the fact that things will always change with time. All I'm saying is if you don't like the direction of how the city is changing for society then, move back to Albany or stop bitching...
Ummm to the rude people above... Isn't Albany.. NEW YORK?! AND she is posting an article that someone ELSE wrote. I'm not understanding the hostility. I don't know what happened to you all in your general life or just today to make you be so rude to someone for such a small reason. But I forgive you and I pray for your enlightenment. You can't control people and you shouldn't have to hear someones ENTIRE story to get the jist of it. That being said. I get it Vashtie and I just pray for individual peace of mind... thats about the only place you're going to find it and the only place that matters. Long live the "Weirdos" whatever place you're stuck in or blessed to relocate to! LOVE AND LIGHT
NYC has always been a city made up of people from other places. So there is no inherent problem with you being from somewhere else. the beauty of NYC is that it is a beacon to so many that come here and add to the character of the city. but at the same time, why do you seem to be so oblivious to the fact that you have been here for a relatively short period of time compared to so many people, many of whom don't spend their time portraying themselves as an ambassador of "Real" NYC whom only seems to be experiencing NYC through the lens of Lower Manhattan's hipster enclaves. This is a skewed view from the start, this city is bigger than you and your opinion on what makes it "Real". You just gotta deal with it.
And Albany is upstate NY you dumb ass Anonymous.
Anonymous... your cuntness makes me chuckle... I think I New York is New York, upstate, downstate, left state, right. AMERICA has always been a COUNTRY made up of people from other places... NYC (Im fully aware this is the city I am refering to), is a different vibe altogether so you making That your point, is kind of pointless. I don't think thats what she was talking about... she was talking about that certain something NYC once had...
and my point was who is she to make that statement. what does she know of this "certain something" why is there only one "something" in the first place. and NYC is not NY state. you can run on about how you feel its all one place blah blah. but who you anyway. who am i? the point is be aware that your are a few years shy of being a tourist yourself and maybe understand you don't know all there is to know. anonymous are you even from city/live here? if the answer is NO then kick rocks
Umm, its funny that ya'll are going back and forth about a blog that Vashtie didn't even write. She said she didn't write it and asked what the natives thought and still the rude comments and the back and forths to make a "point" occurs...but anyway, carry on...since I'm not from New York either. - London
^^^ They're going back and forth because she clearly said, "As a New Yorker, this article resonated with me as if I had found my diary entry on another blog. “Strumming my pain with his fingers…â€
And she also goes on to say, "Well written! I could not have put it better myself. It truly sums up how sad I am about the state of NEW YORK…well the city, you know."
But whatever, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It seems like Vash does not want to categorize herself as once being a "newcomer with suburban sensibilities" from Albany who moved to the city, in order to achieve her success...
You go girl. Just saw you NY 1 interview, serendipituously. However, what part of Trinidad were your parents from, where there wasn't any indoor plumbing. I grew up in St. Augustine, we have always had indoor plumbing. Wishing you every success.