Bland Quote by Jonathan Raban
“When New Yorkers tell one about the dangers of their city, the muggings, the dinner parties to which no one turns up for fear of being attacked on the way, the traffic snarl-ups, the bland indifference of the city cops, they are unmistakably bragging.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The New York Trilogy by Jonathan Raban, 1991
New Yorkers exaggerate city dangers as a form of pride, turning fear into a boastful narrative about their resilience.
In simple terms: They brag about city risks to show toughness.
Key Takeaway
Embrace city challenges as strengths.
Themes
pride
urban life
resilience
Mood
defiant
reflective
Type
cultural
observational
When to use this quote
- daily commute
- social gatherings
- public safety discussions
Key Concepts
social identity
cultural narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- How does bragging affect perception of safety?
- What does this reveal about urban identity?
A Different Perspective
Bragging may downplay genuine safety concerns.
![“If no one speaks out for [young readers], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the most bland books available. Instead of finding the information they need at the library, instead of finding novels that illuminate life, they will find only those…” quote by Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/924/judy-blume-2002_age_if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-i_51912.jpg)
![“My new city [Seattle] and its hinterland felt deceptively homely. Their similar latitude gave them the angular light and lingering evenings I was used to. Their damp marine weather, blowing in from the southwest, came in the right direction. When the mountains are hidden under a low sky, one might…” quote by Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8e6/jonathan-raban-11981_britain_my-new-city-seattle-and-its-hinterland-f_363879.jpg)
![“The [travel] writer, looking back at the journey from a distance of a year or two (or three), is a different character from the hapless character who undertook the trip: wise after the event, with the leisure to tease out meanings from the experience that the distracted traveler never had, and…” quote by Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e55/jonathan-raban-11981_alter-ego_the-travel-writer-looking-back-at-the-jo_461527.jpg)
![“No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb [Earth] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic beasts.” quote by Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d65/olaf-stapledon-9950_angel_no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-anoth_12107.jpg)
