I once did a non-simultaneous home exchange with an elderly couple from Rome (I live in Vancouver).
When they arrived, they asked where the "Piazzas" are here in Vancouver - to sit and enjoy a communal public space.
I was at a loss - there really aren't any public spaces designed for just watching the world go by here other than the beach, which closes at 10p - cops zoom up and down on 4x4s kicking people off the beach.
The woman said something that stayed with me and, I think, is true: "You know, in Europe homes are small, there are many public spaces, and life is lived in the streets. In North America houses are bigger, people have more land and entertain at home, and life is lived at home."
Not only that, I live in a medium sized town(by europen stadars) of 400,000. When you go walking around you develope relationships with the people that lives around you, also you meet and start talking with random people you know but don't meet usually. As we are a social species this is really missed when is lacking. It's also surprisngly good for all kinds of networking effects, not only business but personal needs like doctors, home contractors, schools, you name it. Not only directly (you meet the doctor friend of your father), but also indirectly, getting recomendations.
Even in europe this has diminished an order of magnitude, my grandmother that used to live in Madrid before the spanish civil war, tell us (she is still alive at 98) that they used to know not only all their building, or their street, but their city neighborhood. Who was the son of who, jobs, personal problems, there was a great deal of comunal help.
I've only found this in contemporary Habana, everybody seems to know everybody when you walk at the city center.
That's why we use social apps, and elderly people sees that goship programs (in Spain is an epidemia). We need social contact, knowing what's happening around us, and the modern live style had made this need a business oportunity for Facebook et Al.
My wife is a doctor and a lot of people that comes to see her has the need to "confess" all their live. I guess a lot of psicological problems at developed countries are due to this lack of social human contact(not only family and close friends).
I have social anxiety. The idea of going outside and socializing with strangers is panic inducing. I wholeheartedly agree this is because of the environment of having a culture of socializing face to face. Of course right now the idea of changing the culture is scary.
Where are you from?, I find that the idea of social anxiety is almost non existant in Spain (there is people less social, but doesn't seem to be a big issue, or super common), but I find that it's a common conversation topic in the states. Maybe you've been raised in an hambient that makes you more prone to experience social anxiety.
Also when I go out I don't do it with the idea of meeting strange people, but you do find people you know from time to time. And also you know you can have a nice conversation in the cafeteria at your street or the book shop.. It's not an anonimous and impersonal experience (although you may go the other way and have one if you wish, is not a big brother situation)
Public parks are often closed at night to keep people from doing various bad things there at night: drug dealing and prostitution are the two big ones.
Having the spaces closed at night also lets the police toss out any homeless people who might use it to bed down for the night.
That's really interesting to hear (I live in Vancouver too). I think it maybe also speaks to our North American culture of drive to work, stay at work, drive to home, stay at home... though I've heard that Vancouver is quite decent (compared to other North American cities) for having a downtown with actual people living there... similar to NY.
When they arrived, they asked where the "Piazzas" are here in Vancouver - to sit and enjoy a communal public space.
I was at a loss - there really aren't any public spaces designed for just watching the world go by here other than the beach, which closes at 10p - cops zoom up and down on 4x4s kicking people off the beach.
The woman said something that stayed with me and, I think, is true: "You know, in Europe homes are small, there are many public spaces, and life is lived in the streets. In North America houses are bigger, people have more land and entertain at home, and life is lived at home."