Thoughts and Ideas

I want to walk where others have also walked. “We are nothing if we walk alone; we are everything when we walk together in step With Other dignified feet” (Solnit 2). Solnit is pointing out the idea how others can possibly spur different ideas into ones brain. How you interact with them, see them, watch them, all plays a part in your interpretation of a walk. I want to walk right in the heart of downtown with others and interact. Walking in Lincoln Park is great and very peaceful but, “Cities have always offered anonymity, variety, and conjunction, qualities best basked in by walking” (Solnit 3). I want to try and see new things that I haven’t seen yet and discover a different Chicago. He points out just how much a city has to actually offer someone. The uniqueness any city has unreal and can make any one want to chase the unknown. I want to really join the actual city of Chicago and don’t want, “To be lifted to the summit of the world trade center [which] lift[s] [you] out of the city’s grasp.” (de Certeau 92). Certeau hits at the idea of being physically lifted out of the city and getting a whole different perspective of a city. This is something that I would like to think about as I walk and consider the first trip we had where we went to Willis Tower. The idea of actually being engulfed by the tall buildings, unique shops, and different people.

Speaking in terms of mostly run down areas it is very hard for these people to just get basic access to needs as discussed in the two articles. You are constantly in fear of bad things happening and possible displacement. The complete opposite can be said about nicer or newer neighborhoods. Things are closer, within walking distance, you can go outside and walk around and never have to worry about bad things happening. Usually more poorer areas are the ones that have to worry about displacement, new highways, buildings, and apartments. Nicer neighborhoods again have access to a lot more very close to them. This brings a sense of community and a feeling of wanting to go outside and talk to others. There can be many different threats to walking. In “Displaced” you can really see how tragic it can be and the circumstances that it can take. People are sometimes desperate and have no other option but to walk and that can result in some bad things. We have to create a sense of people wanting to go out, making a city compact, exciting to see, new and different. I walked to the ION apartments which is not too far from my dorm. Around the apartments it is kind of bare, not deserted but not much oomf. ION brings that with community places to sit down and eat at as well as a cool architecture apartment building.