right, left, what?

I couldn't think of an appropriate picture, so here is me, contemplating my right versus left...

In Tuan’s Space and Place, the evolution of spatial organization and the human response to space inspires many interesting insights, as the author simplifies our complicated and unconscious human nature associated with the built environment. He discusses in depth how experience allows for the emotional elevation from space to place, but I think some of Tuan’s more interesting points stem from human’s unconscious experiences and consequential definition of space: notably, the idea of “front” and “back” versus “left” and “right.”

I, for one, have always had issues with my right and left, often finding myself second-guessing what probably should be second nature. But as Tuan points out, these indications are indeed secondary to the primary indications of front and back, thus causing my constant confusion. “Right and left are distinctions I have to recognize. They are means, however, to my end which always lies in front.” And there it is—succinctly put, and so very true. Right and left are directions. Front implies a landmark or conclusion, which is far more important than the mere route.

Another interesting idea that Tuan explored was our adaptation to crowding, and the toll it’s taken on our ability to find intrinsic satisfaction while being truly alone. Indeed, we learn to exist as a culture, in a group which “curtails the enlargement of human sympathy in two antipodal directions: toward one pole, an intimacy between unique individuals that transcends camaraderie and kinship ties; and toward the other, a generalized concern for human welfare everywhere.” This cultural crowding makes it hard to find personal meaning, and could thus naturally lead to justified racism, or, on the other end of the spectrum: social apathy.

In fact—and I’m not exactly sure what the official term is—there is a concept in psychology which relates to crowding justifying apathy…so in essence, if someone is being mugged, the more people who witness this act, the more likely the perpetrator will get off the hook, while on the other hand, if only one person witnesses the crime, the victim is more likely to saved… Safety in numbers tends to hold multiple meanings, according to this idea—both in encouraging responsibility, and giving it up… I digress in this brief interlude of psychology, but it is truly interesting to study both our fear and affinity toward crowding. We like space, but not if it means being alone. So how much is too much? On one hand, we prefer convenience—but convenience, at least up until the age of internet shopping, came at the price of too much crowding. Perhaps that will change now in light of our the heightened accessibility via the internet, but these current contradictions are nonetheless interesting to note…