The Map of Quiet Places

Ethan started his online map after moving to a crowded city. It marked small gardens, empty courtyards and benches where he could read without much noise. He shared it with a few friends, who added places of their own.

One summer, a travel website linked to the map. Within weeks, thousands of people had opened it. Ethan was delighted until he returned to a tiny courtyard he had described as "almost always empty".

A queue had formed outside. Visitors were taking photographs on the only bench. A resident asked Ethan whether he knew who had put their shared courtyard on the internet.

He admitted that he had. The resident did not ask him to stop exploring the city. She asked whether he had considered that some quiet spaces were quiet because people treated them as part of a home.

Ethan removed the courtyard and several similar locations. For public places, he added opening hours, access information and reminders about noise. He also stopped ranking them from best to worst.

The changes brought complaints from followers who preferred the original map. Ethan understood their disappointment. He had enjoyed feeling that he was giving everyone a secret.

His next entry described a large public park with plenty of benches. It was not a secret at all. That, he was beginning to think, could be an advantage.