bike thief

the neistat brothers posted their social experiment called Bike Thief, where they steal bikes in broad daylight.

i’m not sure if this is as much a statement about new york or about cultural trends generally — perhaps new york is just on the extreme end of anonymity — but it is poignant.

question, do you think people are ignoring the thief because 1) they are afraid, 2) would prefer to ignore the situation, 3) figured from his body language that he was not really a thief, or 4) something else?

is ignoring a social ill in and of itself? and what of xenia? does ignoring the impact of our consumption, economic inequity, or other social ills bear some connection to ignoring a bicycle thief?

in new york you could argue that you just cannot intervene all the time in other people’s business. it’s not only dangerous but just impractical. maybe i’m cutting nyc culture too much slack. impracticality is a reason not to say hi to everyone on the street — you’ll walk by one million people each day — but when you see someone hack sawing a bike chain? come on.

i did notice here someone apparently tagging a building, and i stopped to take his picture as evidence, and he immediately complained that he was actually spraying solvent and removing graffiti. i believed him. though in telling that story i don’t want that to imply that i’m for strong property rights and against graffiti. i do think it is quite fair to discuss property rights, public wall space, and what’s best for the common good. we all live here after all, and some of us are not born or inspired into privilege and land ownership. should only the well-off decide the aesthetic of our communities?

via laughingsquid

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