Listen to Hamilton
In an era of worldwide communications and an ever-expanding tide of globalization, cities need a means to recognize individual difference, uniqueness of location and population, and a sense of shared conversation. When all cities have McDonalds, the Gap, and Home Depot, it becomes more urgent to enable the citizens of such cities to recognize their own collective individuality. Eavesdropping and the subsequent public presentation of this material is a tangible way to counteract the effects of this inevitable creeping globalization and alienation. What ordinary conversation reveals is the specificity of a place and the people and the issues that make up a particular location.
By reproducing the exact language that one hears in the restaurants and bars, and on the street and at public events, one creates a profile of the city. This mundane language is specific to a certain population.
The second step in this project is to return the bits of conversation to the public from which it was obtained.
Eavesdropping is related to surveillance, but with a more subjective and personal slant. For example, it reflects the nature of my movement through the city on a given day. Unlike surveillance, eavesdropping necessitates direct human presence and intimacy. The resulting material comes from a variety of ages, crosses economic lines, and gives almost no visual information about the speaker. It is a different way of knowing.
This is a way to build a sense of community, for individuals within a defined geographical location to hear each other, and to recognize themselves as part of this conversation. It is often easier for someone from ‘away’ to make visible these intangible links. I am interested in the degree to which each city has its own issues, tone and approach to conversation. Having lived in Hamilton in the early 80’s, I know that certain approaches to life are unique to Hamilton, due to historical framework, location, economic developments, and climate, among other factors.
Part of the strength of the often-incomplete fragments that are overheard is the necessity for filling in the gaps. This allows for the potential for further conversation.
Some of the actual overheard comments –
We are very conservative people – it is a disaster if we refer people to the wrong place.
I have to get home by 6:30. The wife said.
If you don’t work, you don’t get worked over. But welfare, it doesn’t pay enough anymore.
– It was a murder case and then the guy died. He was on bail.
– Do you mean a murderer was on bail?
We’ve been here since about 2. We have just about drunk ourselves sober.
Just let me see the good replays and cut out the rest of the crap.
The province could stop the expressway tomorrow – just withdraw the funding.
My one stock market investment was bad. They went to 20. I lost 5 grand.
I’m going to go to the OH for a month. It’s better than sleeping outside, and there’s lots of women there.
All this medical jargon, I don’t know what is going on. I just watch it for the romance.
The lady’s nice and her financial security is more important than 300 a week.
You take a nice diamond ring to a pawnshop, you don’t get the same ring back. They’ve got your original diamond.
I thought my husband was gay when I first met him.
My mom went to the top specialist in Toronto, and he was ruthless with her. It was awful.
We go through. He was drunker than heck. We ran the bathwater and threw him in.
They’re all incest. My mom’s sister’s cousin married my other cousin.
Last night I saw an incredible surgery. Her hair got completely ripped off and they put it back on – no scars.
Every single thing you’ve done, they will know about. You go somewhere on Sunday morning – they will know.
We’re just here commiserating on the plight of defense council.
I picked it up for $1,400. Had it appraised in Burlington at 7 1/2 grand.
I ask him ‘aren’t you afraid of their boyfriends.’ He says ‘Not at my age.’
I never worked that much this year. I got about a 1000 hours. Some guys got more.
The only thing they won’t touch is if you go on disability. I’m going to file for disability.
– He’s a very sweet man.
– Sweet is not the word. Grumpy is more like it.
There’s talk of getting out of these coldwater generators. But it’s our bread and butter.
I thought men were bad. Women are worse. She has two knives, and will use them.