The Public and the Private: Together, Alone
The theme of various ways of coexistence between the public and private spheres is present beyond just these cities. Certain portrayals of Boston discuss the interplay of these two, such as The Friends of Eddie Coyle, a movie in which crime occurs very much in the open. As discussed in detail in my earlier blog post, “The film’s drama mostly unfolds outside in the public realm, rather than in dingy basements or secluded rooms, which is especially surprising for this being a crime film. A notable scene where the public realm plays an important role is, of course, the fatal shot that killed Eddie Coyle in a soulless and rainswept plaza.” Perhaps Boston, then, is a city similar to Moscow, where the public and the private are harmoniously intertwined. This is also true of modern Boston, as seen in the pulsating Copley Square that I visited and analyzed for the Omeka unit assignment. In this busy square, all walks of life transpire about, much like in Moscovian squares, and people live quiet, intimate moments out in the public.
The heart of Copley Square, as seen here, perfectly sums up the urban core of Boston's public sphere. It's full of wide open spaces, much like Moscow, but still enough space to allow for intimate private moments to occur. Cities like Mumbai just don't have enough public space to allow for the same level of private intimacy to occur.
The interplay of public and private realms is an incredibly important aspect of cities; yet, as learned here, cities vary greatly across the coexistence of the two. The Moscow of I Am Twenty is a place where the public realm becomes the private. Berlin in Doblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz is a place where the private realm is separated from the public, but cultural mediaries such as Doblin’s piece help engender the two. In crowded Mumbai, it seems difficult for the private realm to even exist—but, as seen in The Lunchbox, there exist other ways to bridge the public with the private.
It's perhaps best to conclude with a quote from Sennett:
The difference between public and private lies in the amount of knowledge one person or group has about others; in the private realm, as in a family, one knows others well and close up, whereas in a public realm one does not; incomplete knowledge joins to anonymity in the public realm.
Thus, even in the public, anonymity can—and does—exist. The public and private realms have a strange interplay with one another, one that stands as the cornerstone of truly understanding urban life, as we've uncovered in this Omeka post.