Dear Falconer,
Thanks for your transmission. Of the many we've recieved yours was quite instructive because it keyed us on as to how people were percieving NYW. Time and time again this charge of "eltism" gets shot at us and then we spend the rest of the day scratching our head in total amazement. (We've gone bald by now!) I think because of the terrain we cover people are making the assumption that we are guilty of the usual sins, the 80's sins, associated with these things: velvet ropes, snooty expressions,rank attitude and a sense of "We're Cool And You're Not."
The thing is we are so much a product of a generation that grew up with these things and take them for granted. Going a "hip" club does not makes us feel like we're suddenly important, its just a place to go to meet people you know. The point Nightculture makes for instance, is that there are SO MANY hip hang-outs all competing for a limited market, elitism is a non-profit enterprise!
The ideal of cool these days is based on being casual about the proceedings, being open-minded and calm.You can see it in the way kids dress now. The ideal is to take it all with a grain of salt (as opposed to cocaine).Real power is the power to relax and be matter-of-fact.
The tone NYW employs is meant to be IRONIC. Irony, true is not a great American tradition but its a big strategy on the part of the 90's generation, the twenty-somethings who have had to found their New Culture in the midst of a pretty trying recession.Therefore when we say "Spend all your money on clothes" that is an absolute piss-take.
It was never our intent to exclude anyone or anything from the "space" NYW represents. I think you yourself discerned this when you spotted "the playfulness and wit evident throughout". If there is anything we do hate, if there is anything that galls us it is, the incessant Cult Of Nostalgia. A new generation is beginning to stretch its wings and all we see in the corporate media is the same parade of the past. If there is an agressive agenda at NYW, it is to promote and iconize The New. Whatever that may be!
As NYW develops you will see it reflecting the rich contradictions and tangled ironies INHERENT to NYC.You'll see the NYC of the Upper East Side socialite and you'll see the NYC of the Harlem b-boy and you'll see the NYC of the East Village Raver. All these view exist on the same plane of relevance for us. This is why we came to the net: because it was a truly open frontier with no pre-written rules of conduct. Thanks though,for bookmarking us babe. We're gonna give you some hardcore good times. Just bring a sense of humor amd we're set. Go well.

Wayne
Editor/NYW