so I had a whole post written about the National Portrait Gallery, and somehow deleted it. I could probably retrieve it, re-write it, but in all honesty, i just don't want to. So here are some of my scribblings of late instead. Perhaps one day I'll get the urge to re-work that post, but today/tonight ain't it.

here we are.


Thinking about cities. They don’t necessarily make people more civilized, they just magnify your civilization or lack thereof. Proximity is the key. If you’re a jackass, everybody knows it. However, it is also easy to hide in a city, because you’re just a face in the crowd. So your deeper parts go unknown, and the little things are blatant. The tiny ways you interact with people, whether you are kind or inconsiderate. Do you give up your seat or pretend you don’t see? Pick up the dropped parcel or walk on? Snap angrily or give the benefit of the doubt? It could be argued that the little things indicate what your true character is, hint at the deeper things. I know you can fake the little things, but I honestly think it’s pretty hard. What you do when you are a speck in the crowd, and something catches you by surprise, or bypasses your analytical side, gets to you, annoys you, those things are telling.

And believe it or not, people remember. I can recall innumerable kind strangers. The graciousness of people you’re around all the time gets taken for granted, but surprising kindness is remarkable. I could pick the cashier at Tesco today out of a crowd for you because he was kind. I could probably draw him.

All that to say, I love cities. They are a neverending movie. Sometimes it’s terrible, yeah. But that’s the part everyone talks about. Tell the whole tale, people.

In that vein, here’s a couple quotes

There is nothing in which people more betray their character than in what they laugh at." Goethe

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. --James D. Miles.

I know who Goethe was, but I’ve no clue about the other dude.

good night.
-Lu