I (and I’d argue most New Yorkers) cannot see how that would be in any way a good experience.

Cops, huge crowds, bone biting cold, long waiting times… not worth it. But worst of all is still camera flashes, in my opinion

Something's gotta give. I don't think we can take it much further. I hope it's a passing fad. Once everybody shares everything it's not special anymore so how do you stand out? Having no online presence might become a new flex.

On the other hand A lot of friends are starting to opt for dumb phones, others (gen z) are now picking up digital point and shoot cameras.

What if clubhouse ‘took off’ and everyone’d be making podcasts instead of vlogs. “Quiet please”!

I guess it would be like the joke that since using a phone while driving is prohibited, people turned to reading books behind the wheel en masse

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretend_It's_a_City

> Making TikTok by playing loud music creates a nuisance for pilgrims from all over the world who come to the birthplace of Gautama Buddha

> Over recent months, there have been reports of TikTok creators storming farms and trampling crops, and even causing traffic jams while shooting. Chamomile farmers in Morang in eastern Nepal were forced to harvest their crop early, as some TikTokers trampled on their crop. In Kathmandu, a popular street that was decorated with colorful umbrellas to attract tourists after the Covid-19 slump went viral on TikTok, and authorities were forced to shut it down as creators flocked to the area, leading to traffic congestion.

On a normal day in NYC tourist areas, it is common for tourists (especially younger women) to take pictures every few feet. Initially you’d be polite and not walk into their frame, but this gets old super quick. You’re irritated, they’re irritated (because you didn’t pause for their dumb photo shoot)… ruins everyone’s day. All you wanted was to walk uninterrupted.

I used to live and work in upper east side. Took me a while to get used to it

Blocking one's path for once, even more so with telescope sticks and of course taking pictures with one in the background without consent. I live near one such touristic area where there's a rather narrow sidewalk. In the summer it is like running the gauntlet. I'm too often too nice by first letting people finish their posing and taking pictures, only that frequently even 5 selfies seem not enough because they didn't get that perfect angle right for the 'insta'.

> taking pictures with one in the background without consent

They don’t need your consent!

Can do vs Should do.

Yes, you can stand in the middle of a narrow path and use a selfie stick to take photos. No, you shouldn't do that if it inconveniences everybody around you. Doing so anyways makes you a self-centered dickhead.

Right up there with "I'm not touching you!"

And if you're offended by that, you are being egregiously unreasonable. Exactly the same is true of the picture-taking "concern".

I could try wait for a dozen people to finish taking photos (and it’s never just one photo, selfie or otherwise).

Or, after a couple weeks of this, I just stopped caring and would walk past them irrespective of interrupting someones shot. Now if they made an effort to leave an easily navigable gap behind the photographer so I could walk past without interrupting, sure, I did that. Most didn’t.

There’s still a lingering uncomfortability knowing I might be recorded forever in someone’s social media feed or whatever they do with the photos. Yes I know, it’s a public space and all.