The idea is simple enough; it's contemplated in the minds of many as they watch millions pass at a street corner, coffee shop, or park. We wonder what their story is, and what their life is like. Who they love, and if they love anyone. Who loves them? Why do they dress as they do, hum as they do, stride as they do? "Humans of New York" fulfills our human curiosity.
The process is quite simple, really. When you see someone who might have an interesting story, take a picture of them, get a quote, and put it on the internet. The process should take no longer than five minutes. Yet its impact has proved beyond incredible, both for those documented and those not.
Brandon Stanton, the creator of the original small-scale blog, moved to New York on a spur of the moment decision following his dismissal at a job trading bonds in Chicago. He moved from tracking what many believe to be the object that drives life to tracking life itself. “You photograph the things that other people walk by every single day and don’t notice, but somehow, you photograph them and make them beautiful,” Stanton said. Through his blog, Stanton has slowed down human lives into images on a illuminated laptop or cracked cell phone, so we can continue to live as humans are meant to; amid one another.
Upon mindlessly scrolling through the "Humans of New York" photographs, I found one photo of a little girl, her legs and torso draped in a bright pink dress, and her head graced by a decorated purple hijab. Another post simply and boldly describes the job of a custodian, one who proudly claims to have “the cleanest bathroom in New York City.” One more sings the solemn tune of a 20-something-year-old black man soberly describing his tattoo, one he decided on after serving his sentence. Each narrative holds its own truth and causes varying emotions for each one of the hundreds of thousands who read them. After interpreting the post and inspecting the picture, glance through the comments under a photo. For every harsh or rude comment, there are hundreds more encouraging the strength of the person photographed or proclaiming their utmost admiration.
"Humans of New York" has helped much of the world recapture its human element, fulfilling man’s natural curiosity in the 21st century world through each story of triumph and heartbreak. Next time you see someone who sparks your curiosity for whatever reason, talk to them. But for the times you don’t have that opportunity, there’s "Humans of New York" to keep us distinctly, well, human. If there’s one thing the viral blog has taught us, it’s this: don’t let the everyday amazing walk by.
