Been doing all these promo interviews lately for THE CITY WE BECAME, and it's weird to me that people are so shocked by my depiction of NYC as a place where, generally, people help each other. (Not a shock to New Yorkers, obvs, or anyone who's lived here.)

Like, that's just part of city life. You can't survive here without help, unless you've just got a fuckton of money (and then you buy help). But I thought it was part of NYC's reputation that ppl here try to help. Apparently that *used to be* the case, but not any more.

Frex: I was describing to one interviewer how street randos start directing traffic during blackouts, and how lots of poor families eat on credit bc of their local bodegas, and how there's a whole economy of favors traded, and interviewer just boggled. But why?

It's the same anywhere in America. It's just that in a smaller town, support networks are formed differently -- via churches or official clubs or family friends. Humans are social animals. It's just that here, those networks also form spontaneously, from strangers.

It's driving home how a lot of rural people... really don't believe New Yorkers are just ordinary folks like them, do they? Hollywood's got a lot to answer for here, but more than that, politicians. Who happily dehumanize "city vs country" for votes, or profit.

::sigh::

Anyway. Told interviewer that Dad's fav bodega has been saving a pack of good toilet paper for him every week. Interviewer was silent a moment, then: "Uh, can I get in on that?" LOL. Ya gotta be here!

May all of you find someone who will give you the good TP when you need it.

(Or may your bidet installations all go well.)