Matthew Waldman Vol. 03: What is "The New Yorker"?

Vol.03 What is a "New Yorker"?

People often say, "I am not an American, I am a New Yorker." I was born and raised in New York City. I don't say this out of pride, but simply because it is the place that forms my identity. I understand that NYC (New York City) cannot escape the fact that it is in America, but I find myself caught in the middle of this situation.

It's not that I don't respect my country, America, but there are just too many things I can't respect, so if it weren't for NYC, I probably couldn't live in America. That's why I've long felt that NYC is not America. This might be extreme, but to explain it properly would require detailing everything from the Vietnam War to the current invasion of Iraq, my parents, and even the anti-war stance of NYC's public education system, which would make this far too long, so I'll omit it.

America is vast. Having only lived in NYC and Tokyo, I'm no expert on America. I understand that a city like NYC could only exist in America... but... Am I still caught in the middle? When Obama became president, for the first time, I felt like maybe it would be okay to be American...

Identity is so complex... especially in a country like America. Beyond distinctions of race, ethnicity, religion, class, and education, there are further hierarchies and prejudices within them. For example, among African Americans, there's a prejudice called "shadism," where darker skin tones are considered less desirable. Among Asian Americans, the term "F.O.B." is used to emphasize those who are "fresh off the boat" – recent immigrants. A strong identity like that of NYC has the power to overcome such complex and absurd prejudices!

Unlike American nationality, NYC has many New Yorkers who weren't born in NYC. Frankly, it's a city of immigrants, and people like me are relatively few. There are also New Yorkers who have never even been to NYC. Of course, they don't realize it until they come to NYC.

For instance, Tina Roth, who had just graduated from a design university in Germany in 1998, came to my studio one day to ask for an internship. Regardless of the quality of her work, her portfolio exuded a very positive energy. When I asked, "What are your future plans?" she replied, "I plan to intern in NYC for just six months for the experience, then return to Switzerland." I responded, "No, you're a New Yorker already, though you may not realize it yet. I think you'll live here and marry a wonderful Jewish man." She seemed a bit surprised but didn't respond to that. Yet, a few years later, just as I predicted, she was living in Brooklyn with a wonderful husband and children. The number of years spent in NYC isn't the point. New Yorkers are complex.

Photo by Thila Hoffmann

So, what is a New Yorker?

1. Often confused with being international, it's fundamentally a sense of being stateless. It's for those who understand they live on a planet, not just a country, and believe that NYC is currently the most international and stateless city on this planet (whether for better or worse, of course).

2. Someone addicted to stimulation.

3. Someone with perfectionist tendencies. Someone who understands the difference between effort and passion, and how to combine them.

4. And most importantly, an open-minded person. Even if you don't speak English, New Yorkers will listen, and they'll try to communicate something even if they don't understand.

I'm not trying to say NYC is the best. There are just too many things about NYC that are beyond discussion. The cost of living is too high, and taxes are too high. Despite the high taxes, the services are poor. Road maintenance is worse than in developing countries. Airport access is brutal compared to Hong Kong or Paris. It might be better than Tokyo, though... In the last decade, things have improved considerably, but the city is still dirty. Poor subway planning, etc. If I were to write more, it would become a separate topic...

My writing is too prose-like, so next time, I think I'll try a dialogue.

The dialogue participants are—
Frank Nann. An architect born in Taiwan.
Miho Hattori. A musician born in Tokyo.
Tina Roth. A designer born in Switzerland.

The questions are—
A. When did you consider NYC your hometown?
B. When did you realize you were a New Yorker? Was there a specific event that triggered it?
C. In your own words, what is a "New Yorker"?

This will be in the next issue.