A trip to the park may seem like an ordinary thing. It’s something that lots of people do on a daily basis without a second thought: on their lunch break, walking their dog, going for a run, or just simply to enjoy the fresh air. Yet, no one really stops to contemplate all the component spaces of the park, public or private. On a recent trip to Madison Square Park in New York City, I had an opportunity that propelled me to explore my surroundings and think about separate experiences of the different people in the park; are they public or private experiences?
Public spaces are typically open to everyone and everything, while private spaces are usually only open to one or a select few. However, they are not always separate. As I walked through the park, I noticed that people were doing things in public that are considered private where I come from (a small town in Michigan). They weren’t committing crazy acts of debauchery, but it was just things that most people in a small town don’t usually do in public. For instance, there was a man playing a saxophone in the middle of the park. It filled the whole park with music, and insinuated a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. Even though this “private” act positively affected everyone’s “public” experience, these kinds of things don’t usually happen in small towns.
It was interesting to see how people were comfortable doing certain things in such a public place without a care in the world. The comfortable atmosphere lulled lots of people to sleep on the grass and some were lounging on the park benches. People were studying on their computers and writing amid all the chatter. There were even people having intimate phone conversations out loud, but no one was paying attention. Everyone was able to have his or her own private “space" or zone while being in public. It was beautiful in its simplicity.
One thing I’ve learned after moving to the city is that public and private can be interchangeable. It all depends on the perspective. In big cities, people can do private things in public as a result of everyone’s blasé outlook. Most of the time, everyone goes about their business and does not blink an eye at strange things happening in public. While in small towns, things are done in private because it can so easily become public business since the community is small. It’s kind of an ironic thing because small towns are seen as intimate and private, yet at the same time, everything is public. On the contrast, in big cities, everything is public, but since most people seem to keep to themselves, everyone’s business is private.
