The Lonely City.
In her book 'Lonely City', Olivia Lang uses Edward Hopper's paintings as an example of loneliness – loneliness in cities in particular.
On my very first lecture on the foundations of Urban Studies we got the following definition of a city:
If you're standing on the porch naked and your neighbors can't see you – it's rural. If you're standing on the porch naked and your neighbors call the police – it's suburban. If you're standing on the porch naked and your neighbors don't care – it's urban.
In 1964 Kitty Genovese got stabbed multiple times on the street while there were eyewitnesses present. Only one person called the police, but no one interfered. Four years later this incident brought the 'Bystander Effect' to life which argues that the more people witness an emergency, the less likely it is that someone may help the victim.
Cities can be cruel at times. There are many of us, we are all very different, and we all value our personal space. Cities give us the unique opportunity to blend with the crowd – become invisible in a sea of people, just be ourselves. In the end, we are all strangers to each other.