Tourists in the Village
From The Peopling of NYC
Tourist have essentially shaped New York and have converted it from more than a mere metropolis to a virtual Disneyland. Neon lights flash and everything has become an attraction, something to see. Have the tourists defined New York as a center of culture, history and sparkle? If a tree fell in New York, and there was no one there to see, snap a photo, point it out, would it have really fallen? Understandably, tourists are an important element in New York City, but have they transformed the city from a home, the zenith of culture, music, fashion, history and passion, to nothing more than a gigantic theme park?