When you travel the subway; what do you mostly see, or imagine, or sense or anticipate?
People just riding the train? Creative people shrouded with feelings of edginess and flair? Or a flock of the lonely and dark, lurking in the familiar shadows of the underground?
I have always associated the subway with the latter. Not sure why. I didn’t have a childhood of underground adventures, no stressful commuting days as a city slicker and certainly zero deathly howling sounds or rat screeching experiences late at night. I can only recollect the occasional tourist experience. Certainly not enough real life information gathered to provide expert testimony to all or any alleged incidents down in the deep dark corridors of the subway.
I do have an over active imagination though, and sometimes even in the darkest of shadows I can create a romantic notion just as a magician would produce a white rabbit from their hat. Maybe I watched a lot of cliché movies. The subway is often the place you don’t want to be in a movie when everything is going wrong. That’s where the chases and monsters and dead ends belong.
So it isn’t surprising that subway stations and trains can sometimes be associated with feelings of loneliness or discomfort for some souls. This may be for a variety of reasons of course.
At peak times the underground world becomes a crowded and impersonal environment. Now I for one don’t desire random armpits in my face before supper, or endless eye contact with the risk of attracting unwanted crazy new friends for the rest of my commuting days. Conversely, at the other end of the day, when travel is off peak and quiet, we have the possibility of the crazy person now being the only other person on the train; choosing the seat next to you instead of one of the other 4000 empty seats; and right now you would give anything for a hundred strange armpits to protect you.
Funnily enough despite the over-crowding, a sense of anonymity and detachment is still created among passengers. In such environments, people may feel isolated or disconnected from others, which in turn contributes to feelings of loneliness. We all know of a song that refers to that moment you feel alone even when in a crowded room or surrounded by ‘family and friends’.
You see that’s the limited social interaction. While the subway environment brings people together in a shared space, real time social interaction is often limited or non-existent. The souls focus on their own thing, such as reading, listening to music, or using electronic devices, rather than engaging with others. And to be honest why would you engage with others? Its hard work ignoring and avoiding everyone so imagine how hard it would be to small talk and smile fake.
However; oddly enough, this lack of social interaction can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness, particularly for individuals seeking human connection in general. We seek – yet we ignore. Fear or laziness? You know what I mean don’t you? (A collective smile from all us extremely lazy people!) ‘I wish I wasn’t lonely’ – yet when the chance to become Subway Soul of the Year is on offer, it just isn’t, well it just isn’t, the right time! (Insert one of your billion reasons here)
A great excuse of course is transience and transiency. The Subway is a transient space where people come and go, most often without forming meaningful connections or interactions with others. You could buy the daily newspaper from the same stall for a billion years and never know the vendors name.
Passengers may feel a sense of impermanence or transiency in these environments, which can exacerbate feelings of loneliness or disconnection from the community. All these people and yet zero chance of forming anything solid. Or maybe you sat opposite, and had a glimpse of the soul you could fall in love with, at that first sight, and yet never saw them again. You made sure you travelled the same line at the same time for the next billion years but alas they had vanished.
Of course we can add into the equation the perceived lack of safety, which is a very real concern. Some individuals feel uncomfortable or unsafe while riding subway trains, particularly if they have experienced harassment, aggression, or other forms of misconduct from fellow passengers. Concerns about personal safety or security can contribute to feelings of discomfort or unease, leading to a reluctance to engage with others or participate in social interactions. And that is fair enough. Whilst we subway souls do have the ability to catastrophise at the drop of a hat, there is no disputing this is also a real thing.
Safety concerns add to an already stressful commuting experience, which for many people, is a gruelling and unpleasant yet necessary part of their daily commute to work, school, or other grey destination. Commuting can be draining, particularly in busy urban environments where delays, overcrowding, and other challenges are common. You can’t choose your family and you certainly can’t choose your fellow commuters and their random hygiene standards. And so again, believe it or not, these stressors can contribute to feelings of frustration, fatigue, and emotional exhaustion, which may manifest as loneliness or discomfort.
Overall, however, the subway environment experience will vary greatly depending on individual preferences, personality traits, and life circumstances. I have never had to commute out of necessity but I genuinely do have my own unstable romantic notion of a subway experience.
Easy from the comfort of my own imagination I know, and just as shallow too; like a moody subtitled black and white movie or as if I was an image on an album cover work of art. Sitting nonchalant and reflective among the lost souls of the subway, finding comfort and solace in the routine of commuting or appreciating the opportunity for solitude and introspection. Each vibration being my meditative vibration and the flickers of tunnel lights the pulsating metronome of my beating heart. (You genuine commuters probably want to punch me after that).
I am fully aware that others, possibly many many others, do experience feelings of loneliness or discomfort in these environments. No romance just tedium and the need to jump straight in the shower once home.
Now we begin to consider there being a flip side to the danger below, the possibility there is also that arty creative dark edgy vibe of the subway environment to factor in. Subway trains are often associated with creative people feeling edginess and flair for several other reasons, especially relating to the individuality of its Urban Environment.
The underground culture. Something else we see in the movies. The graffiti, street art and the musical buskers, thrive on the underground scene, bursting with an energy and spirit of youthfulness that probably wouldn’t work so well in daylight. I can get this. The atmospheric frequency of the subway which floats and alters throughout the day and night.
Creative individuals may be drawn to the underground atmosphere of subway trains, finding inspiration in the artistic expressions and alternative lifestyles they encounter. Maybe it’s aura thrives on that contrast of the dark and the necessity being forced to merge, the volumes of souls and the variety of their emotions all manipulating each other.
The subway is typically found in large cities and urban areas; the hubs of cultural activity and creativity. Cities often attract artists, musicians, writers, and other creative individuals seeking inspiration and opportunities for self-expression. The vibrancy and diversity of urban life can stimulate creativity and foster a sense of edginess and flair among creative individuals. This is their doorway to the big city. Capital city.
There is also a unique momentum and sense of movement, the carrying and distribution of souls from one destination to another at high speeds. This sense of motion and momentum can evoke feelings of excitement, adventure, and freedom, which may inspire creative individuals to express themselves in bold and unconventional ways. The dynamic environment of subway trains, with people coming and going, can also create a sense of spontaneity and unpredictability that appeals to creative sensibilities. I really like this thought. The freedom that comes with it. Freedom is such an important life value for those who want to over come feelings of being alone or fearful.
Freedom and liberation are so powerful. Creative individuals may feel a sense of liberation and empowerment in reclaiming public spaces for self-expression and cultural activism. The subway is a very alternative Space for Expression, providing nonconforming spaces for creative expression outside of the traditional venues such as galleries, theatres, or concert halls. Musicians, performers, and visual artists often use subway trains as stages or canvases for their work, transforming the mundane commute into a lively and engaging artistic experience. You need a steady hand as that train flies to exit X.
Add this to the Diverse Community, which travels the subway out of necessity or strange yearnings and you have every imaginable emotion of the soul to connect with. The Subway brings together people from all walks of life, creating a diverse and eclectic community of passengers. Creative individuals may be drawn to the rich tapestry of human experiences and interactions found on subway trains, finding inspiration in the stories, personalities, and cultural influences they encounter. The melting pot of ideas and perspectives on subway trains can stimulate creativity and open-mindedness.
And yet….. with all this before vibrating energy surrounding you as you sit and wait for your junction. Sometimes that weighted shadow which falls over your shoulders, just doesn’t allow your head to look up. Just keeps your eyeline below the frequency of the subway souls party line. Just holding your heart below the threshold.
Lonely isn’t the new moody. Whilst often we want to be alone for genuine reasons it doesn’t take away the hole created by feeling empty despite being surrounded by fullness. That breeds fog and confusion and too low an energy to respond in the best way.
Loneliness can indeed make it difficult to focus. When you’re feeling lonely, your mind may be preoccupied with feelings of isolation, longing for connection, or thoughts about past social interactions. These emotional distractions can interfere with your ability to concentrate on tasks or stay focused on the present moment. They can obscure what you should do about a new state of connection, possibly rush into the wrong states of connection with the wrong souls.
Loneliness can also impact cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and decision-making. Research has shown that chronic loneliness can lead to changes in brain function and structure, affecting areas involved in attentional control and executive function.
Also, loneliness is often associated with negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, or low self-esteem, which can further impair cognitive performance and make it challenging to concentrate.
Additionally, it may contribute to a lack of motivation or energy to engage in activities, including tasks that require sustained attention or mental effort. And even if you have access to every distraction in the world or all the money you need to do anything you desire…. it’s still a big hurdle to overcome if you feel lonely.
Without the support and encouragement of social connections, it can be harder to muster the motivation to stay focused and productive. Yet finding and establishing and even desiring these connections isn’t always as straight forward as it would appear.
Overall, loneliness can have a profound impact on mental and emotional well-being, including cognitive function and focus. Finding ways to address loneliness, such as seeking social support, engaging in meaningful activities, or practising self-care strategies, can help improve concentration and overall mental health.
The next few articles in this series will look at this tangled string ball of loneliness, and start to develop a pathway of intentions for Subwaysouls.com to find an unravelling, and to encourage with little steps a challenge to loneliness.
Don’t worry, you wont have to have any human contact and there isn’t a party invitation in the post. I like the viewpoint that all this lonely energy on the subway could be mashed together. Like taking each little snow drop that falls; which on its own is a flimsy feather, and then joining them all together into a stronger weight of a snowball. Maybe one day if we feel brave enough we could all push it and roll it down the hill for some momentum to take us to the next place we think would be fun. Just to have the option.
Or if you just like being alone. That’s ok too. The subway has long and short gaps between stops. There’s a lot of random post coming your way to kill 7 minutes on the underground. In any way you choose.