In the book EAT, PRAY LOVE the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, and her
friend have a discussion about how every city has a “word”. An excerpt
from the conversation goes as follows:
“Giulio asked, "What's the word in New York City?" I thought about this
for a moment, then decided. "It's a verb, of course, I think it's
ACHIEVE." (Which is subtly but significantly different from the word in
Los Angeles, I believe, which is also a verb: SUCCEED. Later I will
share this whole theory with my Swedish friend Sofie, and she will
offer her opinion that the word on the streets of Stockholm is CONFORM,
which depresses both of us.) I asked Giulio, "What's the word in
Naples?" He knows the south of Italy well. "FIGHT," he decides.”
They go on to discuss how feeling at home or fitting in in a new city
relate to if your personal “word” and the city’s “word” fit together.
This week we have decided to take a poll on what people think Oklahoma
City’s “word” is. So leave your comments on what you think it is!
Posted on
Thu, June 25, 2009
by Dr. Rachel