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My response to crowds is variable depending on the situation and generally falls into one of the below categories.
When in the city, I like the feeling of being lost in the crowd. To me it seems like drifting peacefully in an agitated river; a kind of paradox in which I feel quite detached of the outer ebbs and flows of the cacophonous surrounding turbidity. The train that I travel on to the city is generally not too overly crowded (very unlike the Tokyo one) and I enjoy traveling on this. The crowds at these times are kind of like looking at stars at night; it makes me realize there is a vast ocean, of which I am one single entity. This can help put any problems or worries in a different perspective for me.
Other times, when in a crowd that is focused on sharing a common experience, such as watching a street performer or attending a concert, then I have a unified feeling. This seems like a common thread that is woven between myself and those surrounding me. Although others may perceive the same situation differently, the reality remains that I perceive it as a type of fused state in which a crowd may laugh, be happy or just stare in unison with vacant attentiveness...as one crowd.
On the other hand, I can sometimes get annoyed and become impatient by people that thoughtlessly or constantly stop in front of me when I am walking, by people bumping me, being immovably blocked and also when waiting in lines when they do not seem to be moving. At these times I feel a strong sense of wanting to break free of restriction.
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