Last day on the island of Korpo. Spent a remarkable evening with some of the people who live in the archipelago, and our conversations left me thinking about how I would like to live. I admired the camaraderie that pulls the island’s residents together regardless of profession, age, or interest. They know the name of every cashier, teacher, bus driver, and chef in town. These spaces feel increasingly rare in today’s cities, where we’re often siloed into career-oriented clusters by the demands of predatory capitalism.

It seems perverse that a deeper sense of community would come from living someplace remote rather than among the crowds of the city. “When you choose to live someplace isolated, you’re choosing solitude,” said an artist who moved to the island a few years ago. “When you feel lonely in the city, it’s not by choice.” For a moment, I wanted to stay on this beautiful little island where simply being present mattered to others. New York does not care if you’re there.

After the party, I walked to the end of the ferry dock and wondered what choices I would make in this new decade. The Baltic Sea was quiet, the stars were like headlights, and I craved the sound of traffic and crowds.

Bohren & Der Club of Gore – Black City Skyline

From Sunset Mission | Wonder, 2000 | Boomkat

An ode to cities. A cigarette on a dark street slicked with rain while neon blinks mindlessly through the night.