One would ask whether New York (NY) is unique compared to other cities globally. It is renowned that people come to NY expecting a better future for themselves and their children. Staying indifferent to New York is quite challenging, and people usually get very distinct feelings. Buschs work Kickflipping New York describes this place as an exceptional opportunity to change peoples life and introduce their names to the world (1). By contrast, the author White questions the controversial history of NY and wonders if the city is still functioning in his work This is New York (3). Like any other big city, New York offers many opportunities, but birches might be quite expensive for them. This place is so diverse and multicultural that anyone can find their niche here if they want. However, newbies may have to put up with some rather controversial things to achieve this.
Thesis statement: My view is that NY’s uniqueness lies in its combination of all the best, including diversity and openness, and the worst like hidden poverty and pollution, unlike other global cities.
Significantly, New York’s openness is one of the critical features distinguishing it from other cities in the United States. In NY, one can choose where to live, a preferred lifestyle to lead, and can make any form of demand as the city’s openness offers according to individual wishes. Busch says, “Its plurality, the rhythm of order and disorder, the splendid chaos that makes up the urban landscape, all are such that you just have to choose your terms” (Busch 1). Yet, everyone must work hard to enjoy their choices. NY is unique for it has people from the world over, with different cultures, religious beliefs, and many differences but still get along peacefully. Talented and daring people from all over the world come to NY in search of opportunities to enhance knowledge, and skills and find their place in life. It is especially prominent in educational institutions, where student groups are becoming more inclusive and diverse due to different exchange programs. Everyone is welcome, though this openness includes constant change and unpredictability. Therefore, while diversity and openness make NY an interesting place to be, they also challenge some regarding unpredictability.
Another reason making NY unique is that one does not have to be born there to feel like a New Yorker, unlike other places. For instance, White emphasizes that one does not have to be born in NY to be a New Yorker while to be a Londoner you must be born in London (2). White suggests three types of NY including, people born in NY, the commuters, and the people born elsewhere but come to NY searching for something that the third group is more significant. As such, people choosing NY as their final destination help the city for they come with new talents, ideas, art, and cultures, bring uniqueness, and a refreshing that keeps NY moving. Entering any educational place, people can see many newcomers from all over the world. It is always interesting to ask them the story of their life and the goals that guided them to the city. As a rule, such people have many ambitions and ideas on how to make the commune better and more diverse. Different experiences encourage looking at the current situation from varying angles and winning the most efficient solution.
Finally, but in contrast to the above, is the existing unimaginable hidden poverty. In NY are thousands of homeless persons, constituting a significant section of the city’s population. For instance, garbage from households and businesses is stored in plastic bags and disposed to sidewalks to be picked up by trucks. Spoilt food waste produces stinking creeks all over. There are garbage bag skyscrapers everywhere with rats. The heavy smell hovering in the city, and masses of garbage and plastic on the streets harm the general psycho-emotional condition of the townspeople and negatively affect the state of life. Numerous studies show a close connection between the level of pollution in a place of residence and the psycho-emotional state. No matter how beautiful New York is, a large amount of garbage decreases the pleasant impressions not only of permanent residents but also tourists and exchange students. (Shmool et al. 5). White notes, “By rights New York should have destroyed itself long ago, from panic or fire or rioting or failure of some vital supply line in its circulatory system or from some deep labyrinthine short circuit” (White 3). Such scenes are not displayed on NY’s postcards but such is unheard of in cities like Moscow, Paris, or Berlin. Therefore, NY has a disgusting side that separates and distinguishes it from other global cities.
In summary, NY is a contradicting city, which defines its uniqueness. Both good and evil are combined, which could make one love or hate the city. What makes NY outstanding from global cities remains its ability to lie in its combination of the best and worst, unlike other global cities, and accommodate everyone and everything. All people have a chance of living better and feeling at home. Ultimately, NY’s power lies in its people.
Recent research on this topic has considered psychosocial stress as a possible key factor modifying the relationship between chemical exposures, including air pollution or lead, and adverse health outcomes. Measurement of psychosocial stress differs from chemical pollution exposure assessment, because the physiologic impact of non-chemical stressors is mediated through individual perception. Psychosocial stress is often a result of exposure to social stressors (i.e., an event, condition, or external stimuli posing a physical or psychological challenge). When individuals evaluate stressors as imposing demands that are beyond their ability to cope, a sense of distress results; with repeated exposure to such stressors this sense of distress can become chronic. Chronic psychosocial stress is associated with negative emotional states and maladaptive behaviors that influence immune, endocrine, and metabolic function to produce cumulative wear-and-tear – often referred to as allostatic load. These physiologic changes may alter individuals’ reactivity to chemical exposures (e.g., pathogens, pollutants) and increase risk for multiple disease etiologies. As such, individuals and communities who are chronically exposed to social stressors may be more susceptible to adverse health effects of environmental chemicals. The field of stress measurement primarily relies on individual questionnaire or biomarker data to assess the occurrence of stressful events, conditions that might produce stressful experiences, recent perceptions of stress, or the mental health sequelae of chronic stress (i.e., depression, anxiety).
Works Cited
Busch, Akiko. Kickflipping New York. New York Times, 2004.
Shmool, Jessie, et al. “Social Stressors and Air Pollution Across New York City Communities: A Spatial Approach for Assessing Correlations Among Multiple Exposures.” Environment Health, vol. 13, no. 91, 2014. Web.
White, E. B. This is New York. New York: Harper & Bros, 1949.