Social Commentary

It seems to me NYC is one of the few cities where it's acceptable to be alone. Most people cling to their group, directing ALL energy and focus onto each other while allowing all strangers to become fixtures of the background-obstacles to be avoided, dismissed and ignored. I find it easy to slip through this city, in my own world, rarely interacting. It doesn't feel awkward to be by myself. It's as if there's an underlying agreement that in a city saturated with human energy it's acceptable and rare to have moments to yourself. And since I wander far and wide, unlike native residents, I'm always the unknown new person. This actually makes it all easier because the probability of me running into anyone I know, and them wondering why I'm alone, is in the thousandths of a %. It's a curious combination of freedom and lonliness. Or maybe it's maturity that allows me to slip through the social norms w/out care or consideration.