Subway Perception

When I was an Intern in DC, I was dependent upon the subway for exploring a new city. At first, I only took the red line between office and home, but gradually used the tube to get to different neighborhoods. Each stop was an entry point into a different world. Only rarely did I walk between stations. So even with a map of the city, I gained a sense of space similar to a gopher with eyes sensitive to sunlight.

When I moved back after college, after a cross-country trip, I found myself with a car. The distance between metro stations proved to be smaller than I thought. No longer was I a subterranean gnome. My world not only expanded, but I connected the dots to find it smaller.

Most web traffic flows through a few key portals. As people learn the command line or follow blogs, its a experience of expanding and connecting space, because of the availability of context. Maps help, but can't compete with landmarks and journeys.