The Metropolis

Canalival: A "bunch of twats", yes. But also a minor urban tragedy

Mike Pollitt | Tuesday 4 June, 2013 12:16

_{photo – @dalstondin}

The fallout from Canalival, in which hundreds of people gathered on Regent’s Canal with inflatable boats, booze, and an apparent disregard for any social consequences, continues.

The Duchess of Hackney expresses the reaction of many with a focus on the character of the participants:

“Thousands gathered as planned. No registration, no tickets, no entry fee, just a bunch of total immature twats gathering in a small narrow area. It was selfish and void of any responsibility or concern for nearby residents, wildlife, flora or fauna.”

Plenty to agree with here.

But there’s more to this than just a bunch of twats. The disaster that was Canalival is a minor tragedy of 21st century city life.

Consider the Facebook invite for the event:

“NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, COME, BRING SOMETHING FLOATY, BRING SOME BOOZE, BRING SOME MATES AND GET INVOLVED…This is for everyone.”

Here’s the minor tragedy: this event was not without virtue, but its virtues destroyed it.

An open, free, invite; a desire to use public space in a novel and enjoyable way; a desire to create a spontaneous feeling of community between strangers.

None of these are sins.

The problem is that in a city of 8 million, those virtues don’t scale. If Canalival had been 50 people, it might have been charming. Instead it was obnoxious.

The lesson may be that in a global supercity, nothing can be “for everyone.” Everyone is hell.

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