New York no longer makes sense. And like everything in New York, it all comes back to real estate and the politics of space.
It doesn’t make sense to live here (rent is too high), or work here (most can work anywhere), or, really, to play here (no regular bars left in Manhattan.) New York is absurd in every way these days. There are millions of square feet of vacant retail, office and residential space, yet few outside of chains and huge companies can afford any of it. The last relatively charming and affordable neighborhood in Manhattan has devolved into self-parody, and people are making the best of it: hanging out in Times Square, the Financial District or the East Village in reclaimed spaces such as old theaters, barber shops or fast food joints.
