Subwhy

In "Just Walk on By," Brent Staples discusses his ability to alter a public space by making others feel threatened just by his presence. As a society, we've come to subconsciously misjudge others based on our stereotypical perceptions of them.

Last winter break, I went to New York, probably one of the most public places you'll ever have been to. And one particular public space, the subway, caught my attention. If you're stuck in Troy, or Michigan in general, you won't really come across a subway. But in cities like New York, as well as my homeland of South Korea, the subway is a significant mode of transportation, with stations always bustling with people. Anyways, more often than not, a homeless individual would enter the car I was in. I sat unaffected- I thought it was no stranger than a beggar on the streets of big cities. Some kids gave weird looks, some parents seemed to want their kids not to make eye contact, and some parents were too busy on their phones to be aware of their surroundings or keep track of their kids. But some people would interact with the individual, even make conversation and, from time to time, place a few dollars in their box. But sometimes, people would flat out ignore them. Like literally. They would ask for spare change, and some people stared at the ground as if no one was there. As if they weren't human.

So my point is this- some people decided that because said individual was not of a certain socioeconomic class, they were not worth talking to, or even worth considering actual human beings. When the homeless enters a public space, it is no longer a public space, because people are offended by their presence, like, "how can someone like that be given the privilege to enter the same space as me, a middle to upper class member of society?" It may be true that you are more likely to be pickpocketed by one with lower status or income. But who really is the victim here? Are you threatened by their presence? Is their existence shocking? Or are they being victimized by blatantly ignorant misjudgment? Public spaces are public because they are open to all people. Now, if an individual does legitimately threaten you or others, that's a different story. I'm not saying you shouldn't be careful around certain people, and I'm not saying that you have to be wholeheartedly nice to everyone you meet. But at least have the decency to acknowledge their existence. At any rate, we should feel sympathy, if not empathy.