I Walked the Empty Streets of an American City (Where Is Everyone?)

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]Today I think I'm going to go down into Providence, downtown Providence. A lot of people have said to me, you know, MD, yeah, you know, you're that's all fine and dandy, but you know, you're walking around in the suburbs. Not all places in the United States are like that. You got to go down into a major city. And they're right. Not all places in the United States are like that. Um, in downtowns, in the center cities, things are different. Um there is a bit more action there. I just feel from my experience that American cities are just highly corporate. Um American cities are places for students. They're you know that's where office buildings are. A lot of the middle and upper management like you know like young middle upper management lives in very expensive condominiums downtown. very expensive apartments like you know 3,000 a month for like a one-bedroom a studio but American cities are really kind of off limits to the struggling artist you know the barista that makes your coffee at the coffee shop and often times I feel that those people are precisely what bring kind of a really cool vibe and a character to your city you know those are the those are the people that make your city artsy and give a little bit of grittiness, a little bit of interest.

[00:01:29]And I feel that American cities have developed in a way that for the most part the people that live downtown in American cities are either students that are living on campus or they're like middle managers you know at like major um you know major American companies that are making 200 300 grand a year um before they eventually go and you know buy a little McMansion out in the suburbs. Um, so a lot of cities kind of have this kind of I don't want to say vacant feeling, but you know, there's just something about them that feels kind of shallow. So, today I'm going to go down to Central Providence. I'm going to walk around and um kind of see what it's like and and and kind of explore those things. and if I can um maybe even talk to some people uh that I see on the streets and see how they feel about it.

[00:02:30]Um so yeah, let's take a ride.

[00:02:39]Ah folks, here I am downtown Providence.

[00:02:44]A lot of you have said, MD, your problem is that you're walking around in the middle of nowhere. What you have to do is you have to go into a downtown city.

[00:02:54]So that's what I've done. I'm here in downtown Providence. And is there more going on here than in your typical suburb? Absolutely. No question about it.

[00:03:07]Um, do I feel cozy here?

[00:03:14]Not exactly. But we're going to take an objective look. We're going to walk around. We're going to see what we can explore.

[00:03:20]It's about 5:00 p.m. So, a lot of people theoretically are done with work or will be done with work soon and pouring into the city to enjoy all of the pros, all of the things that city life has to offer. I don't know about here, but in other cities, after people are work, after people are done with work, you know, they they go into restaurants, they enjoy the parks, especially on a beautiful day like this. So, we're going to walk around and uh we're going to take an objective look and and see what's going on here. So, let's go.

[00:03:54]Let's check it out.

[00:04:05]>> No, I'm not. I forgot.

[00:04:12]This is the uh state house, the capital of the state of Rhode Island.

[00:04:19]Let's cross the street and take a closer look at it. It's actually a very beautiful building again. If I don't get hit by a car here.

[00:04:36]>> Five minutes later.

[00:04:38]>> Jesus.

[00:04:55]and we were also coming.

[00:04:56]>> Oh, are you good?

[00:04:59]>> Yeah, I'm good.

[00:05:03]The fact that in the center of a city you actually have to hit the uh cross the street button. That alone already speaks volumes that they don't really expect you to be walking here. They expect you to be driving >> 5 minutes later.

[00:05:24]And so eventually what you end up doing is you just end up saying screw it and jaywalking like like all of these people. It literally takes like 5 minutes for each light to change so that you can cross legally and safely.

[00:05:39]Now another interesting thing about Providence is it's a little bit different than most cities.

[00:05:45]Providence was one of America's first cities and it was really kind of still built under the old um you know European way. It's a very British city in in in in that regard. You can tell by the way the the roads are designed and and some aspects of it feel very European.

[00:06:04]Another interesting thing is it's a it's it's a it's a city of less than 200,000 people and 30,000 of those are students and another 30 of another 30,000 of those are staff and administration for the universities. I think there's something like eight major universities in a pretty small area. So, in many ways, Providence is unique in that it's kind of a a city campus, if you will. So, a lot of it is kind of this academic bubble that doesn't really exist in other cities or even in the rest of Providence. This is the nice part of Providence. If you go to the north part of the city, that's that's where you're going to start seeing like broken down houses, boarded up places, shootings happen there very frequently. Don't get me wrong, they happen down here, too, but just not as often.

[00:06:58]So, here we are. And just notice something once again. I'm in I'm in the downtown of Providence, okay? I'm buy this beautiful this beautiful state house. Okay, I mean look at this thing. This thing is absolutely gorgeous.

[00:07:14]Look how beautiful the lawn here is in this area. It's actually quite lovely.

[00:07:19]And where is everybody?

[00:07:24]Where is everybody?

[00:07:27]In any other city in Europe or in Japan, a place like this, which is theoretically the people's place, would be full of people playing games.

[00:07:39]This would be like a legit active park.

[00:07:41]There would be people having picnics here. People would be playing games here, enjoying the beautiful weather.

[00:07:48]It's a beautiful day. But not here. It's absolutely totally and utterly deserted.

[00:08:21]Barely another single person here.

[00:08:26]And this is the downtown heart of the city.

[00:08:29]You would think, like I said, a lovely area like this would be full of people having picnics here, playing games, playing frisbes after work. Yeah, we're going to go to the to the capital park and we're going to play some games. Maybe we'll bring a couple brews and and drink them on the lawn.

[00:08:47]But no, it's just it seems like it's just all just for show. It's like it's a a showroom.

[00:08:53]A showroom for who or what? I don't know. But it certainly feels that way.

[00:09:04]A beautiful empty building.

[00:09:07]I mean, and it is beautiful.

[00:09:10]You don't really get a sense of the scale and the beauty of this building.

[00:09:13]It's made of pure white marble.

[00:09:19]Yet it and the surrounding park is completely empty.

[00:09:32]So, I don't know. There you go. Let's check out some other places.

[00:10:01]This is the Providence Place Mall.

[00:10:04]Unlike the other mall that I showed you that was completely dead, this one actually has stuff going on.

[00:10:12]Like I said in that video, that's not all that wasn't all malls, but certainly most malls in America, but I don't know.

[00:10:20]Here's one that's full and busy.

[00:10:25]And here's another park that we're walking into again. Look at this park.

[00:10:31]Completely dead and empty.

[00:10:38]completely dead and empty on an absolute banger of a day at the end of work, at the end of classes. Where is everybody hanging out? Who's this space for? The geese.

[00:10:51]The geese love it.

[00:11:06]you know, just walking around down here like the place feels very corporate, very kind of shallow.

[00:11:17]There's just very little natural, organic, gritty life that give cities in like Europe or Asia the charm.

[00:11:26]Where are the little mom and pops boutiques here?

[00:11:30]the little narrow winding streets where you can discover something new that you didn't know existed before.

[00:11:39]When I visited cities like Barcelona, for example, and I'm not saying every city has to be a Barcelona, but that was a city where even if you lived there for 30 years, there was always something new to discover. Some little alley that you haven't been down, some new little store that you never knew existed.

[00:11:59]And people in those places just like to walk for the sake of walking and exploring.

[00:12:04]It doesn't seem like any of that's going on here.

[00:12:11]While I do see walkers on the streets, I mean, not very many.

[00:12:53]Here's a beautiful waterfront area. And again the question arises where is everybody in Europe or Asia. This would be totally packed. People would be having picnics here. People would there'd be maybe like a little kiosk there where you could grab a beer and sit on those steps and drink a beer and chat. Not here, though.

[00:14:04]And I mean, think about how deserted this street is in the daytime. Would you want to walk through here at night?

[00:14:12]I wouldn't.

[00:14:37]I'm in the downtown of a major American city. Where is everybody?

[00:14:42]Hello. Hello.

[00:14:45]It's deserted.

[00:15:00]>> Maybe it gets better.

[00:15:17]I don't know. You would think that in a beautiful day like this, it's now about like 5:40ish, people are getting out of work, students are finishing up their classes, that there just be a little bit more life going on, that people would be eager to be out in the streets and that the city would, you know, come alive. But apparently not.

[00:15:49]Well, the buildings look pretty. No denying that. Certainly better than the suburban hell that uh most Americans live in.

[00:16:01]But for the privilege of living down here in these empty streets, you're going to be paying an arm and a leg in rent.

[00:16:30]Where are the people just sitting around? Where are the groups of people chatting?

[00:16:36]I'm in the downtown of a city. I'm in the center of Providence.

[00:16:41]Where are the cafes? Where are people just sitting out and about enjoying life, enjoying the city?

[00:16:55]I don't think you're going to find them here.

[00:17:02]Heat.

[00:17:15]Heat.

[00:17:40]Who's the one for?

[00:17:48]So, not only have I not seen really any people in the streets, are there no cafes, no groups of just people hanging out enjoying the day, but no grocery stores, no convenience stores. I don't see anything like that around here. I'm in the downtown.

[00:18:08]I'm in the center city and it's really just a more compact version of the suburbs really.

[00:18:18]Are there more people? Are there more buildings closer together? Yeah, absolutely. But is there a real authentic street life vibe here? I don't think so.

[00:18:40]Wait.

[00:18:47]Five minutes later.

[00:18:51]>> Takes like 5 minutes to cross the street here. I've been waiting at this light for like 5 minutes.

[00:19:16]Another thing that I haven't really noticed here are playgrounds.

[00:19:22]I haven't seen a single playground yet.

[00:19:25]Other cities around the world are full of playgrounds because they welcome their their young citizens, their young future citizens. Not here. I haven't seen any children. I haven't seen any mothers with baby carriages, any playgrounds. Any young kids walking around here?

[00:20:01]I'm not walking on the college hill. So everything from here on out is campuses.

[00:20:07]So, most people that you see here are paying like well over $100,000 a year just to live here and go to school here, not including rent. That's just tuition, by the way. So, this is not this area is not uh representative of of the greater America, the greater landscape, uh the greater, you know, what cities are like really, right? This is we're on camp. We're on a We're on a We're on We're on the campus now.

[00:20:42]All right.

[00:20:45]I'm just going to jaywalk. I don't want to wait 10 minutes at every light. Let's hope I don't get hit.

[00:21:09]There are some students they have the idea but here you only get this in like a college campus but in every other city you know you would get this on like you know at every major park at waterfronts but here it's only students who do this who like have picnics on lawns and stuff like that so if you're not a student, you're out of luck. But if you are a student, you might like it for a while, for those four years where you're paying like a hundred grand a year to uh sort of experience true urbanism.

[00:22:09]So here we are. If if you too can afford to come to one of the best and most prestigious art schools in the country, Rhode Island School of Design, you too can experience some some urbanism and people picnicking on lawns and some pedestrians on campus. So there you go.

[00:22:39]There you go. So, so all you got to do is get accepted to America's most prestigious universities and have $400,000.

[00:22:48]Then for 4 years at least, you too can experience, you know, some semblance of urbanism of what it's like in other cities around the world.

[00:23:16]This here is the Risy Museum. This is actually a really cool museum. If you get a chance, I highly advise you check it out if you're ever in the neighborhood.

[00:23:28]>> Yeah. I mean, it looks quaint and lovely. No denying that.

[00:23:33]All you need is a cool quarter mill and to get accepted in one of the best schools in the country.

[00:24:02]Still looks pretty empty and uh desolate if you ask me. On a nice day like this after classes in the downtown of a major city, where is everybody? I ask again.

[00:24:30]No, it's going.

[00:25:16]Cool car.

[00:25:39]There you go. When the guy saw me, instead of just waving, he's throwing up gang signs and stuff. So, there you go.

[00:25:48]You have that.

[00:25:59]Hi, miss. Are you a student here? Do you mind if I maybe I'm not?

[00:26:02]>> No. Um, I was wondering if maybe you talk to me a little bit about Providence, about life here and stuff.

[00:26:06]>> Um, unfortunately, I got a blessed to catch a couple minutes. I mean, if you want to walk.

[00:26:10]>> All right. Yeah, sure thing.

[00:26:11]>> All right.

[00:26:12]>> Um, are are you a student here in uh in Providence?

[00:26:15]>> No, I mean I'm I'm from Providence. So, I mean, I grew up in Warwick, but >> Oh, nice.

[00:26:21]>> Yeah. So, >> what part of uh Providence do you live?

[00:26:23]>> Um, I live on the east side, just up this way.

[00:26:26]>> Oh, okay. That's uh So, I mean, like I'm doing kind of like investigating what it's like to live in like American cities and suburban spaces. Like, what do you think about like Providence in terms of a walkable and safe city that you would just want to hang out in and like walk by foot and explore? Like, what do you think about that? Um, so I've been a resident in Providence proper for about seven years now.

[00:26:50]>> Yeah.

[00:26:50]>> And as somebody who doesn't have a car, I'd say it's pretty good in terms of like its walkability and stuff like that. Like I think it's easy to get around without if you don't have a car.

[00:27:04]At least compared to like most major cities that aren't like New York, >> right, >> or something like that. Yeah, it's uh it's not too it's not too bad. Um the problem particularly on the east side over on North Main Street is uh there are some drivers who aren't um as accommodating for um pedestrians. Uh a lot of um uh fatal accidents over there, but for the most part, I'd say it's pretty safe to like walk by.

[00:27:36]>> What about like at night? Would you like take a stroll like through Providence at night by yourself? You'd feel comfortable doing that?

[00:27:41]>> Yeah, I've done that plenty of times. I I guess it depends on which part. I mean, like I'm probably not going to walk around the southside as much just cuz, you know, there's not as much over there, but like walking around downtown or something like that. I mean, it's pretty >> But it's like, you know, I've been in a lot of European cities and people just kind of nonchalantly like >> explore by foot. you can meet people and friends like you'll run into like a rave under a bridge or something like that.

[00:28:09]Does that does that kind of happen?

[00:28:10]Those those things kind of happen here.

[00:28:12]>> Um I kind of um probably not to the degree that it would happen in somewhere like Europe just because they have a better uh transportation infrastructure than we have here. So like people don't have to drive as much as we do here. But I mean you you can walk around Providence and find like cool stuff. I mean, I remember a few years ago I was walking around the uh hurricane barrier on the other side of town and um there was like a whole party going on over there.

[00:28:40]>> Oh wow.

[00:28:41]>> Yeah. Like there just >> because like I'm I'm I'm a bit surprised because it's a beautiful day, right?

[00:28:46]>> It's like after work after classes and yet the streets still kind of seem kind of empty. It's like you wouldn't really see this in like other major cities, you know, like >> Yeah.

[00:28:55]>> people like that guy going crazy on the streets.

[00:28:58]>> Yeah, that makes you know I guess that makes sense. the people are a little more car dependent than you would expect around here, especially when it's uh easier to get around without a car. So, um yeah, I'm uh I'm also a bit frustrated about that. I wish more people would uh walk around the town and just kind of just uh you know, enjoy the life and make it bit feel a little bit more alive right now.

[00:29:23]>> Kind of like an adult playground, like an extension of your living room.

[00:29:27]>> Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Exactly.

[00:29:29]>> Awesome. Well, thanks for your time.

[00:29:30]What's your name?

[00:29:30]>> Uh Vicki.

[00:29:31]>> Vicki. Thanks, Vicki.

[00:29:32]>> Good to meet you.

[00:29:33]>> Have a nice day.

[00:29:33]>> Thanks. You too.

[00:29:34]>> There you go.

[00:29:51]There you go. An interesting perspective from another person. Let's see if we can maybe talk to some other people about what they think of uh life in downtown Providence.

[00:30:26]Well, here I am, folks, walking around in downtown Providence and like the center of eight of like eight major universities, an area that should really by all accounts be brimming with organic life be brimming with people hanging out, coffee shops up the yin-yang, um playgrounds, families, mothers with their kids, with their children in the parks, cute little bookstores everywhere. here.

[00:30:58]This There isn't none of that. You've just got a You've got a huge corporate mall back there.

[00:31:05]You've got an empty showcase. You got a bunch of empty showcase parks, and that parks is in quotes.

[00:31:14]And uh really just a bunch of people like walking to and from their destinations.

[00:31:20]No one seems to just be chilling, hanging out, exploring.

[00:31:27]Everybody's just going from someplace to someplace. There's a couple benches that are empty. Does anyone ever really sit on these benches? I doubt it.

[00:31:38]But yeah.

[00:32:07]Hi. Are you guys students here?

[00:32:08]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:32:09]>> I was wondering if you'd talk to me for a few minutes on my uh video about uh questions about Providence and the campus. And >> sure, why not?

[00:32:19]Uh, I was wondering, so sorry I'm out of breath a bit. I've been walking up this hill.

[00:32:23]>> Oh, yeah. This hill is so >> Yeah. Um, so you guys are students here.

[00:32:27]Are you from the US? Are you from Providence?

[00:32:30]>> Uh, I'm like like an international student.

[00:32:33]>> Okay. Where are you guys from?

[00:32:34]>> I'm from Taiwan.

[00:32:35]>> Taiwan. Nice. And yourself?

[00:32:37]>> Uh, from Ningbo, China, but I moved to Boston when I was like 13.

[00:32:41]>> Oh, wow. Okay. So, what do you in general do you think of like Providence compared to other cities you may have been to like international or in the US?

[00:32:48]>> I miss Boston.

[00:32:50]>> Why is that?

[00:32:50]>> It's it's just like it's just more fun.

[00:32:53]There's more stuff to do. It's more diverse.

[00:32:56]>> What about you?

[00:32:57]>> For me, my first impression like it's pretty safe.

[00:33:00]>> Pretty safe. Even though there was like the like a shooting uh like a couple of months ago.

[00:33:04]>> Yeah.

[00:33:05]>> Right around here.

[00:33:06]>> Before Before that, it's like >> Providence is really safe. But then >> in terms of like you said things to do like walkability does Providence does does would you feel safe walking around alone at night here?

[00:33:23]>> Um personally yes but I feel like it's mostly a no for other people. I just have like a really low like >> low danger threshold.

[00:33:31]>> Yeah.

[00:33:32]>> What about you?

[00:33:33]>> For me it's like a no. It's just I don't like walking alone. I have my friends with me. What about the city where you're from in China? Would you walk there alone?

[00:33:42]>> Uh, no.

[00:33:43]>> No.

[00:33:44]>> I just don't like walking alone at night. It's just keeping myself safe.

[00:33:49]>> Makes sense. Um, what I found kind of interesting, right? So, it's like what what is it, like 6:00 p.m., right?

[00:33:56]>> It's a beautiful day.

[00:33:57]>> People are done with work, right?

[00:33:59]Classes are done.

[00:34:01]>> Like, where is everybody? Like, I've been >> in the work room. This is final season.

[00:34:04]>> I see.

[00:34:05]>> It's final week for us. So everybody is like right after class go back to their dorm and start working.

[00:34:10]>> I see. But like even in the downtown like not on campus, right? It's like you would think you would see the parks full like bars full of people enjoying like happy hour walkers families. I haven't seen any playgrounds for kids around here. Um it just seems like very corporate. Do you guys get that feeling?

[00:34:30]>> A little bit. I don't know. I I don't really go downtown that often, but I guess like Providence is just like a quiet I just like a quieter city. I don't know.

[00:34:40]>> Yeah, I feel like I feel the same.

[00:34:41]>> Really?

[00:34:42]>> Would you you think you want to live in Providence after you're done?

[00:34:45]>> Uh, no.

[00:34:46]>> No. Why? Why not?

[00:34:48]>> Like I just I guess there's like slow cities, but Providence just like feels a little different. It's like low energy.

[00:34:58]>> Low energy. Yeah, I feel that. Feels like a little low energy city. Like everyone is just kind of like >> Right. Right. And what about you? You going to stay after you're done?

[00:35:08]>> No, I'm going to go back home.

[00:35:10]>> I'm going to go back to China.

[00:35:11]>> Yeah. I just want to spend time with my family and stuff.

[00:35:14]>> Very cool. All right. Well, thanks for talking to me. Enjoy your day. Good luck on the finals.

[00:35:18]>> Thank you.

[00:35:22]>> What are you interviewing for?

[00:35:24]>> Sorry.

[00:35:25]>> What are you interviewing for? I'm just kind of talking to people who like live around here about what they think of Providence in terms of like is it do they think it's like a safe city? Do they enjoy walking? Like would they walk at night like alone? Like what do you think of Providence?

[00:35:39]>> I love Providence. I mean I've lived here for probably like 18 years. Not in Providence but local to Providence. She goes to Risie. So >> hi.

[00:35:49]>> But it's my girlfriend.

[00:35:50]>> Nice.

[00:35:50]>> But I love Providence personally. I think it has decent night life. I think it's a safe city. It's very walkable. Do you think it's like a pretty safe city?

[00:35:57]Would you walk like alone at night? Like like cross across pro? Hell. Did you say hell? No.

[00:36:02]>> Wait. Me personally, not without him at least.

[00:36:05]>> What about you? Alone?

[00:36:06]>> I would I would alone. Yeah, it depends on the area most of the time, but like certain places I mean I've had something happen to me on Theer Street. She was there. I like >> What happened to you?

[00:36:14]>> So, all right. This like this is like I I'll sum I'll summarize it, but we went to like a a boba tea place and I got a boba tea and then uh like a homeless guy kind of came up to me when we were at the place next door getting food and he asked me if I would get him something to eat and I was like you know I was like you can get one thing. He was kind of like begging and I was like I kind of caved in. I was like you can pick one thing and then he was like I said yeah anything from the menu and he's like no you got to follow me to my car. And I'm like >> yeah that's shady as hell.

[00:36:42]>> Like dude I'm like hell no. I'm like, "You can either get something here or like get out of here." And you know what he does? He grabs the drink and throws it right at my face and it goes everywhere.

[00:36:52]>> That's crazy. Yeah, there's a lot of like mentally ill folks just kind of among the homeless, unfortunately, and roaming around.

[00:36:58]>> Yeah.

[00:36:59]>> So, that's one of the downsides, I guess. But Providence does seem relatively safe to me.

[00:37:03]>> Not for women.

[00:37:04]>> I mean, she's >> Did you say Did you say not for women?

[00:37:07]>> I I don't know. I've been out with some friends before and like people are just really chatty, I feel like. But other than that, it's >> people like me, I'm chatty.

[00:37:17]>> No, people make like rude remarks.

[00:37:20]>> Yeah.

[00:37:20]>> Yeah.

[00:37:21]>> Well, like one thing I noticed that was interesting because I've spent a lot of time in Europe and in Asia, like I travel pretty frequently >> and like >> on like anywhere else on a day this beautiful, like after work, which it is now, like people are everywhere. They're hanging out. They're just like chilling.

[00:37:35]They're not going anywhere. They're just enjoying exploring and just chilling with friends. And I don't seem to see that like here or most American cities that I've been to. Have you guys noticed that? And what do you think about that?

[00:37:47]>> Yeah.

[00:37:48]>> The thing is if you go to like New York or something, you're definitely going to see that. I feel like >> I personally think that it's like All right. Well, yeah. Like I I've been to Europe too and traveled a bit and I think that people people tend to just get outside more and like spend more time like I think there's more to do though outside like or not even more to do but the people are more like social.

[00:38:10]They have like all the they do all the restaurants sitting outside.

[00:38:14]>> You know what it is? It's because those old European cities are centrally designed. Like cities nowadays are designed by the blocks. So, but back like older cities that have culture like in Europe and Asia and They're like designed in concentric circles.

[00:38:28]>> But New York was city was founded in like the 1600s.

[00:38:33]>> Providence is pretty old, too.

[00:38:34]>> Providence is like this like the 1600s, too.

[00:38:36]>> It's the people. It's the culture. It's the people. Yeah.

[00:38:40]>> Do you think we can ever change that or is that just kind of what it's like here and we just have to love it or leave it or whatever?

[00:38:46]>> It starts with us, you know. We'll we'll get outside today, we'll do something. I think I think if everyone does something then, you know, there you go. But >> I don't know. I don't know why people are inside on a day like this. I mean, are you guys done with school?

[00:39:00]>> Almost.

[00:39:01]>> So, I mean, like students maybe still have some work to do left. I'm done. So, I'm going around doing whatever I can.

[00:39:06]But >> but like you also >> beach we're we're near the beaches, you know, maybe people get out of the city, go to the beach.

[00:39:12]>> Well, you also mentioned New York, right? And you say you've been to New York, but New York is not really known as like an affordable city, right? I think like in Europe, what makes those cities come alive is that not only can your like manager at Microsoft afford to live there, but your barista can afford to live there too or your struggling artist.

[00:39:32]>> Right. Right. Well, maybe exceptions.

[00:39:34]Yeah. But relatively, yeah, you're right.

[00:39:37]>> So I mean, maybe that has something to do with it. Maybe Yeah, I I could see that. But I think also like especially this area, Providence, that that is where all the people that do have money live like backed by uh I don't know if you know like Moses Brown, but Brown in general. Yeah. Like that's where kind of like the wealthier people live.

[00:39:57]>> They're not giving those houses away.

[00:39:58]>> No, you can't you can't get That's why like if you walk around that area, it's completely safe. I mean, they are sometimes there's some people walking around that maybe like want to start problems. I mean, I've been there with a friend before. Like, we went out and got drinks and then some guy went up to my friend's girlfriend. My friend was next to his girlfriend and like a group of guys, they went up to her and they're like, "Oh, get with a real man. Like, ditch this loser." Impressed him. I'm like, who like who has so much free time and is like that's so >> Yeah. that makes you just want to like kind of like stay inside and just like watch Netflix or whatever, right?

[00:40:33]>> Yeah. I mean, I'm not going to let it kill my party like at the end of the day, but like you don't want to like walking around the street, you shouldn't have to feel like something like that's going to happen, >> right?

[00:40:42]>> Be able to enjoy your city, >> right? So, >> Right.

[00:40:44]>> Well, hey, thanks for talking with me, you guys.

[00:40:46]>> Yeah. What's your name?

[00:40:46]>> I'm David. What's yours?

[00:40:47]>> Jack.

[00:40:48]>> Jack. It's nice to meet you.

[00:40:49]>> I'm >> Nice to meet you guys. Good luck on the finals.

[00:40:52]>> YouTube.

[00:41:21]In any other city, this place behind me would be full of people.

[00:41:29]People sitting at the water. People drinking a beer or drinking a wine.

[00:41:35]Chatting with their friends, eating a snack, just enjoying the water, enjoying the view, people watching.

[00:41:45]Not here though.

[00:41:47]Completely deserted.

[00:41:50]Classes are done. Work is done.

[00:41:55]There's nobody home, folks.

[00:42:02]Kind of sad if you ask me.

[00:42:27]I guess behind me is the closest thing you'll get to a square in the city. And unfortunately, most American cities, it's really just a bus stop. There's no like restaurants or anything anywhere like surrounding the square that would actually make you want to come here for any other reason other than catching a bus.

[00:42:47]Oh well.

[00:43:04]Wow. Is this an actual playground that I see?

[00:43:09]Let's go check it out.

[00:43:30]Okay. Well, it's full of a bunch of like 20-year-old looking looking dudes.

[00:43:36]I don't know if you want to let your kids play in a playground that a bunch of like 20 year olds are like hanging out in. I sure wouldn't.

[00:43:56]Oh. Oh.

[00:44:13]kind of a cool fountain.

[00:44:21]Empty and deserted, but the cars are happy.

[00:44:32]>> 12 years from middle school until until now. Now it's going down.

[00:44:41]>> Well, folks, that was Providence, Rhode Island, the downtown of a major American city.

[00:44:51]So, I'm back home now, sitting in the parking lot of a gas station near um where I'm staying at the moment. Got a cup of M&M's and a Coke Zero for a total of $7 for a can of soda and a small pack of M&M's. Yes, things aren't cheap in America. Um but there you have it. So, you know, for those who for those who said, you know, you got to go to the downtown, you got to go to a center city, uh, that's where the action is. And in some sense, they're right.

[00:45:26]Right. I mean, downtown Providence is certainly a lot busier. There's certainly people walking around. Um, there are certainly more buildings and things happening, but overall still relatively dead. I mean, you saw all of those parks for the most part. No one was there. You're literally like the only person walking in a vast park. Most of those streets that I walked down were for the most part empty. I mean, a big part of American cities are just not very pleasant to walk in. You know, um, in most of those areas, I wouldn't feel safe walking around after dark. Um certainly I think most women wouldn't feel safe walking around after dark. You heard some of the people that I spoke to um that one guy who said you know him and his friend were walking with their girlfriends and you know even even with their with their boyfriends they got accosted by strangers uh in the street.

[00:46:31]um and how you know the women wouldn't really feel comfortable walking alone at night in many places in the city and also a lot of the city is you know kind of in a bubble. You know a lot of what I showed you was um you know on campuses. Providence is really considered one of the most walkable cities in the country and part of that is because it's got like eight university campuses downtown. Um, and a lot of the people that live there and work there are students or faculty and staff at the universities.

[00:47:09]And you know, that's kind of a bubble that's not representative really of where most people live, which is actually here in the suburbs.

[00:47:17]Um, but yeah, um, mostly dead. Um, I saw no real like families walking around. I saw no grocery stores. I saw no convenience stores. Um, I saw just that one playground that had like 20-year-old kid, 20-year-old kids. Um, uh, hanging out there. Certainly not a place that you'd want to be after dark.

[00:47:45]And, you know, it's still a relatively high crime area. You know, mass shootings have happened there quite recently.

[00:47:54]um people get mugged, people get robbed there um at night and sometimes even during the daytime. So, it's not particularly even all that safe of a of a place. So, there you have it. I just wanted to show you that um what a downtown city looked like. And I also went there specifically at the time that I did go there um to show you, you know, hey, look, it's a beautiful day. It's right around the time that people are getting out of work, that students are finishing up classes. Other cities around the world at this time would be booming um and just absolutely vibrating with life, with energy. Um as people are just hanging out in the cities, all those empty parks would be filled with people who are just having picnics there. um you know, having a drink, hanging out with their friends, skateboarding, families, people with young children, and you just really see none of that in American cities. Like I said, you really get two options. Option one is clean, but more or less dead streets like Providence, downtown Providence. The other option is you essentially have streets full of homeless people. Um people that are high on uh fentinyl, methamphetamines with mental illness, very sketchy areas.

[00:49:20]And uh yeah, I'm not uh I'm not done yet. I'm going to show you still a couple of other places, a couple of other cities. Um I'm not leaving for Asia for a couple of weeks. And uh there Yeah, there you go, folks. So, thanks for watching. If you like the video, um, please consider subscribing, give me a follow, leave a comment, and I'll see you in the next one. Take care.