I have endeavored to write intelligent, provocative, entertaining stories and take photos that illuminate life in New York City. I spend mornings slaving over my text and working in Photoshop tweaking images. My stories get decent readership and, here and there, occasionally cited. Some of my photos have been featured online or in print. A few have been purchased. At one level, the appreciation from readers is rewarding and fulfilling. However, the website has certainly not “gone viral,” and often, I am disappointed that more readers do not find it and share my enthusiasms.
But one particular day, I needed to vent my frustration regarding a website I had learned of. I turned to my graphic artist, who had been supportive of New York Daily Photo from its inception, helping with graphics and giving me suggestions to attract more readers.
The website was called Cute Overload. Before even visiting it, merely based on its name, I sensed that it was a clever idea and likely would be a roaring success. And it has been, now sporting 1.6 million visitors per month. And the content is provided by others. Images of cute things – puppies, kittens, children – dominate the site, and readers by the millions apparently have an insatiable appetite for such things and just cannot get enough of it.
I discussed my discovery with my graphic artist and that no matter the quality of my site, there was no way I would attract even a fraction of the visitors that a site like Cute Overload would. And she summarized my dilemma well. Apart from sex, she said, people loved to see three things – babies, flowers, and kittens. The triumvirate of ultimate human appeal became a private joke around our office. She was right, of course. The masses want the benign, the adorable, the cuddly. They want the untainted, the innocent. And what is more innocent or untainted than babies, flowers or kittens?
A somewhat lesser benefactor of one of the trinity is Alan Neil Moriarity, a street performer whom I met at night on 6th Avenue in the Village. Neil is very approachable and chatty. I spoke to him for quite some time and recorded some of our conversation and his playing. See the video below.
Neil has numerous young cats which travel with him. One or two of the pride make home on his head and shoulders while he plays harmonica and chats passersby. In all honestly, those that stop appear to be more interested in fawning over his cats than listening to music.
Having had numerous cats, I complemented Neil. Cats are not typically enamored to accompany an owner outdoors, much less sit on one’s head without trying to jump off and hide in the shadows. But these cats seemed extraordinarily attached to him, unusually calm, comfortable, and content. Neil says they really like to listen to him play music by the Doors. He told me that his cats have been life savers for him. I suggested that he needed more exposure and that in the future he might want to take his act to Washington Square Park, rather than work late night in dreary weather on a commercial strip. He seemed receptive to the idea. Perhaps he will find greater success if he works in at a better time and place, where he will learn the power and allure of Babies, Flowers and Kittens 🙂
More cats: The Engine Room (Part 1 and Part 2), That Last Ball, Urban Mitts, Kitty
More cuteness: Just Like Them, Buy Magnesium, Supercute!, The Last Taboo, Bubbles, Heart Warming
Sure hope he makes enough money to keep his kitties, and himself, fed and sheltered. I am more and more amazed, the older I get, at the kinship between people and our animal families. To care for someone, to take care of them generously, and to receive their love, is the gift of being alive.
I am not sure how much he actually makes. He is very social and spends quite some time in conversations with passersby.
Brian, a few years ago I found you, and I must say I spend 2 complete days on your site and I read every post.
Yes, flowers babies and kitten are nice, but I will always pick your work over them anytime. thank you for the amazing work and insite you show, I live in British columbia (Canada) and sadly you are the closest I will ever get to the most fasinating place called NYC. Thank you
Bonnie – wow, that’s an impressive feat. Thanks so much for the compliments regarding my work. That is what makes all of the writing and photography worthwhile.
thanks brian.. love to read your words
By now I’m sure you’ve read that it’s a proven fact that looking at photos of baby animals, kittens in particular, increases our concentration. Exam scores went up after subjects looked at baby animal’s photos.
(And hugging our pets lowers our blood pressure.)
Maybe you should get a cat.
Oh Brian I do hope you won’t change a thing on your site. Just how it is is the very thing that drew me in the first place. I have an obsession with New York City and you were the first site I started following. Yes I do follow other NYC blogs which are more photo oriented and I am awfully fond of the owners, but it’s the narrative (you slave over) which I crave about the city I am so obsessed about and am determined to visit one day. I enjoy your stories and soak up the written word. If you did not have a photo (but that would make me a bit sad) I would still check in to your site and read what you have to say.
More often than not when I visit your site for the current days post, I will scoot around and try to find a couple I haven’t read before or I’ll reread a favourite.
Anyway happy Autumn over there.
Recently moved to New York and loving your site- thanks for all the work you do to keep it going.
This post needs more babies and flowers. Ha ha! Hope you’re all well at Dubé. I was happily surprised to read this story. Thanks!
Naomi,
The secret is now out. You – Naomi – were the graphic artist mentioned but not named and the one who theorized about the iconic things that so many people love – babies, kittens and flowers. If we are looking at cute things specifically, puppies can easily be added to the list.