Hustle and Bustle

Toronto is a big city. It's interesting how the atmosphere here is entirely different, and produces entirely different people. Here, being selfish is the way to get ahead. You want to make that train? Cut people off when swiping your card, push down the stairs and jump in between the doors while shoving others out of your way to make room. I once let four trains go by because other people seemed to be in more of a hurry than me, and there wasn't enough room on the subway for all of us. No one else ever extends the same courtesy, and any sorts of generosity seems lost on the population of Toronto.

It gets you thinking, what is the way to get ahead in life? Doing good deeds for others, or looking out for yourself? If you believe in karma, you'd be all about the first, while if you make your own luck, you much more likely lean toward the latter. Are city-slickers just make-your-own-luck kind of people, while country folk believe in something a little more mystical? The different is palpable, moving from Kingsville, to Waterloo, to Toronto. The level of courtesy given to others decreases as the population increases. I wonder if there is actually any real correlation there. I should write thesis.

This leads into my photo for today. I actually love the way this turned out. For fun I played with photoshop and added some effects for kicks. It truly shows people in their own worlds, focusing entirely on themselves while a man sits homeless with his dog on Bloor street, begging for attention.

    Nov 2

Advice learned from all of this? Take the time to notice the other people around you. Get out of your own bubble and hold doors open for other people, smile at the person sitting across from you on the subway and make an effort for others.