No. 61 of 108
August 13, 2025
According to a recently published study based on analysis of video footage, pedestrians in three urban cities (Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston) walk more briskly by about 15 percent than in the 80s and linger in urban spaces about 14 percent less. About two thirds of folx were walking alone in both time periods, but more folx stayed alone in the 2000s. The percentage who became part of a group fell from 5.5 percent to 2 percent. Findings suggest public urban spaces “are less places of encounter today, and more simply a means of transit.”
Feeling isolated? Lonely even among a crowd of folx? Walk slower! Sit for a bit. Keep the cell phone in your pocket, backpack, bag of any sort, take that device out of your ear, and ignore the watch. Meet in the commons, not just the Zooms, chats and coffee shops. Even if it isn’t for the purpose of a meet-up, the commons are places to notice, hear, smell if everything is alright, or not. Give yourself the opportunity to smile and frown, whether noticed or not. S-l-o-w and notice a bit to reverse the trend of separation, isolation, and disappearing. Trend toward re-connection, social cohesion, becoming communities. (… and wear sunscreen. See No. 58)