Why the rose tinted view of city life?

2010-05-29 13:53:03

#1

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

I always wondered why people find living in a city to be some awesome sort of life experience while they think suburbs are lifeless hell holes. Seen it on bf2s with people fawning over NYC or some other large city and dreaming about living there and all.

I mean, the last time I was in NYC it was smelly, dirty, and overrun with people. Surely was not as glamorous are people make it out to be. In cities there is always huge amounts of crime, high taxes, too much noise, and a host of other problems. Compared to suburbs which usually have very low crime, low taxes, and a bunch of other benefits.

So why do people glamorize the city life when living in the suburbs is usually better?

2010-05-29 13:55:52

#2

Yellowman03: Once Again, We Meet at Last; +108|6520|Texas

It's where important people and places are. There alot of different things to do in the city. Suburbia is boring as hell.

2010-05-29 13:56:25

#3

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
I always wondered why people find living in a city to be some awesome sort of life experience while they think suburbs are lifeless hell holes. Seen it on bf2s with people fawning over NYC or some other large city and dreaming about living there and all.

I mean, the last time I was in NYC it was smelly, dirty, and overrun with people. Surely was not as glamorous are people make it out to be. In cities there is always huge amounts of crime, high taxes, too much noise, and a host of other problems. Compared to suburbs which usually have very low crime, low taxes, and a bunch of other benefits.

So why do people glamorize the city life when living in the suburbs is usually better?

If this is directed at me and my recent post... I live in the suburbs. I'm on the eastern edge of Queens right on the border with Nassau County. Sure, the houses are packed pretty close together but it's quiet here and I like it.

I would never want to live in Manhattan or western Queens. Apartment buildings are just not my cup of tea.

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 13:56:30

#4

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

I think it's pretty hard to claim one is 'better' than the other. It depends entirely what you want. If you want to raise kids, a big house in the suburbs is better than an apartment in the city. But if you're in your 20's and want quick access to clubs and restaurants, you'd much rather live in the city. I happen to fall into the second category.

2010-05-29 13:57:04

#5

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

Yellowman03 wrote:
It's where important people and places are. There alot of different things to do in the city. Suburbia is boring as hell.

Most suburbs are within driving distance of big cities. I think it says something about city life when most of the wealthy rather live in a suburbs and commute to work in the city.

2010-05-29 13:59:32

#6

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
Yellowman03 wrote:
It's where important people and places are. There alot of different things to do in the city. Suburbia is boring as hell.
Most suburbs are within driving distance of big cities. I think it says something about city life when most of the wealthy rather live in a suburbs and commute to work in the city.

I dunno what city you're thinking of but Manhattan has more millionaires living there than you'll find in the surrounding area. To people that recognize that time is money, the hour long commute to and from the city is a complete waste of time. Much easier to hop on a subway or call a cab and get to work that way. Then, when the weekend comes and all the tourists flock into the city, you escape to your house out in the Hamptons

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 14:05:08

#7

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

In any case, whilst hell hole is probably a little strong, suburbs are lifeless and boring. That's the very nature of them, they're just a bunch of houses for people to live in an commute to the city. By their very nature they're boring.

2010-05-29 14:10:29

#8

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
Yellowman03 wrote:
It's where important people and places are. There alot of different things to do in the city. Suburbia is boring as hell.
Most suburbs are within driving distance of big cities. I think it says something about city life when most of the wealthy rather live in a suburbs and commute to work in the city.
I dunno what city you're thinking of but Manhattan has more millionaires living there than you'll find in the surrounding area. To people that recognize that time is money, the hour long commute to and from the city is a complete waste of time. Much easier to hop on a subway or call a cab and get to work that way. Then, when the weekend comes and all the tourists flock into the city, you escape to your house out in the Hamptons

According to WSJ, most millionaires live in Los Angeles County.
Isn't LA county home to huge sprawls of million dollar suburban homes and an increasingly decaying city?

2010-05-29 14:12:42

#9

Mekstizzle: WALKER; +3,611|6906|London, England

It usually goes like this with cities. Suburbs on the edges. Inner city areas. Proper city areas. Inner city areas usually do suck, the boundary between the commercial/popular areas and the suburbs. Proper city areas would be an awesome place to live though. They're usually the cleanest, richest parts of town

2010-05-29 14:13:02

#10

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

That would be because LA is a shithole. Manhattan isn't.

2010-05-29 14:13:47

#11

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:

Most suburbs are within driving distance of big cities. I think it says something about city life when most of the wealthy rather live in a suburbs and commute to work in the city.
I dunno what city you're thinking of but Manhattan has more millionaires living there than you'll find in the surrounding area. To people that recognize that time is money, the hour long commute to and from the city is a complete waste of time. Much easier to hop on a subway or call a cab and get to work that way. Then, when the weekend comes and all the tourists flock into the city, you escape to your house out in the Hamptons
According to WSJ, most millionaires live in Los Angeles County.
Isn't LA county home to huge sprawls of million dollar suburban homes and an increasingly decaying city?

Apples and oranges.

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 14:14:05

#12

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

ghettoperson wrote:
That would be because LA is a shithole. Manhattan isn't.

Have you ever been to Manhattan?

Last edited by Macbeth (2010-05-29 14:14:25)

2010-05-29 14:15:48

#13

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Mekstizzle wrote:
It usually goes like this with cities. Suburbs on the edges. Inner city areas. Proper city areas. Inner city areas usually do suck, the boundary between the commercial/popular areas and the suburbs. Proper city areas would be an awesome place to live though. They're usually the cleanest, richest parts of town

NYC has pretty much gentrified out the inner city and turned it into multi-million dollar condominiums. The core is now full of rich people, the next layer out is where the poor have been pushed to and then on the other side of the poor you have the middle class suburbs. Most cities are poor, middle, rich in this regard whereas we are rich, poor, middle (well, not really because it's not so very cut and dry. We've compartmentalized our poor neighborhoods and essentially walled them off from the rest of the city ).

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-05-29 14:16:48)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 14:16:40

#14

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

Yeah, spent about two weeks between there and upstate New York.

2010-05-29 14:18:35

#15

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
I dunno what city you're thinking of but Manhattan has more millionaires living there than you'll find in the surrounding area. To people that recognize that time is money, the hour long commute to and from the city is a complete waste of time. Much easier to hop on a subway or call a cab and get to work that way. Then, when the weekend comes and all the tourists flock into the city, you escape to your house out in the Hamptons
According to WSJ, most millionaires live in Los Angeles County.
Isn't LA county home to huge sprawls of million dollar suburban homes and an increasingly decaying city?
Apples and oranges.

Next up is Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago and has 171,118 millionaire households. Then comes Orange County with 116,157; Maricopa, Arizona, with 113,414; and fifth-ranked San Diego County, with 102,138.

Those are the highest areas with millionaires. Chicago is a hell hole. OC is suburban. Maricopa is suburban.

2010-05-29 14:20:52

#16

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
According to WSJ, most millionaires live in Los Angeles County.
Isn't LA county home to huge sprawls of million dollar suburban homes and an increasingly decaying city?
Apples and oranges.
Next up is Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago and has 171,118 millionaire households. Then comes Orange County with 116,157; Maricopa, Arizona, with 113,414; and fifth-ranked San Diego County, with 102,138.
Those are the highest areas with millionaires. Chicago is a hell hole. OC is suburban. Maricopa is suburban.

I fail to see what your point is? Besides, you live in New Jersey suburbs so you might as well live in a big city. You're state has the highest population density in the country, by a lot. Suburban life still sucks there or we wouldn't have the Clerks movies

Btw, you do understand that Los Angeles county itself is larger than all of NYC and much of the surrounding area, right? Manhattan is it's own county and it's about 20 square miles and houses about 1.5M people. Compare that to LA with it's 7M people in the county or Cook County which contains 40% of the population of Illinois.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-05-29 14:25:03)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 14:28:08

#17

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
Apples and oranges.
Next up is Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago and has 171,118 millionaire households. Then comes Orange County with 116,157; Maricopa, Arizona, with 113,414; and fifth-ranked San Diego County, with 102,138.
Those are the highest areas with millionaires. Chicago is a hell hole. OC is suburban. Maricopa is suburban.
I fail to see what your point is? Besides, you live in New Jersey suburbs so you might as well live in a big city. You're state has the highest population density in the country, by a lot. Suburban life still sucks there or we wouldn't have the Clerks movies

NJ does not have as high a population density as NYC. Sure our state is filled with suburbs but as far as density goes we have nothing on the city. I live in Bayonne, a few minute drive to NYC sure. But from my experience of Manhattan, Bayonne is much cleaner, safer, and less dense. Furthermore our other suburbs like Engelwood, are much safer and cleaner than NYC and still have a shitload of bars and clubs.

I don't see why people put NYC on a pedestal when the place is an over populated hell.

2010-05-29 14:29:48

#18

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

Ok, well you hang out in New Jersey and the rest of us will go hang out in cities with fun people. Problem solved.

2010-05-29 14:31:01

#19

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

ghettoperson wrote:
Ok, well you hang out in New Jersey and the rest of us will go hang out in cities with fun people. Problem solved.

Alright fuck off out of the thread then Kthx

2010-05-29 14:32:01

#20

13/f/taiwan: Member; +940|5984

I love NYC and will probably never move out. Great public transportation system is good and tons of job opportunities with decent pay.

2010-05-29 14:35:34

#21

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5643|London, England

Macbeth wrote:
JohnG@lt wrote:
Macbeth wrote:

Those are the highest areas with millionaires. Chicago is a hell hole. OC is suburban. Maricopa is suburban.
I fail to see what your point is? Besides, you live in New Jersey suburbs so you might as well live in a big city. You're state has the highest population density in the country, by a lot. Suburban life still sucks there or we wouldn't have the Clerks movies
NJ does not have as high a population density as NYC. Sure our state is filled with suburbs but as far as density goes we have nothing on the city. I live in Bayonne, a few minute drive to NYC sure. But from my experience of Manhattan, Bayonne is much cleaner, safer, and less dense. Furthermore our other suburbs like Engelwood, are much safer and cleaner than NYC and still have a shitload of bars and clubs.

I don't see why people put NYC on a pedestal when the place is an over populated hell.

I've never experienced any crime in NYC and I've probably spent countless hours more than you have there Bayonne is a steaming pile of shit as it's just Staten Island light.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-05-29 14:36:19)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2010-05-29 14:41:17

#22

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6934

Macbeth wrote:
ghettoperson wrote:
Ok, well you hang out in New Jersey and the rest of us will go hang out in cities with fun people. Problem solved.
Alright fuck off out of the thread then Kthx

I apologise, but your ridiculous premises for threads are just too attractive to avoid.

2010-05-29 14:42:38

#23

BALTINS: ಠ_ಠ; +37|6771|Latvia

People always want what they're not used to. If I spend a long time in the city I enjoy driving out to the countryside just for change. As for living the in the city, everything is there, as ghetto said.

And I'd love to to visit NYC

2010-05-29 14:43:24

#24

Macbeth: Banned; +2,444|5871

ghettoperson wrote:
Macbeth wrote:
ghettoperson wrote:
Ok, well you hang out in New Jersey and the rest of us will go hang out in cities with fun people. Problem solved.
Alright fuck off out of the thread then Kthx
I apologise, but your ridiculous premises for threads are just too attractive to avoid.

Kill yourself.

2010-05-29 14:44:29

#25

13/f/taiwan: Member; +940|5984

One thing I wanted to address is why some people have this false perception that NYC is spewing with crime. In the 18+ years living here, I have never been mugged/shot/run over/beat etc. Only saw one guy get beat on the subway. That's about the worst.

Last edited by 13/f/taiwan (2010-05-29 14:45:45)

BF2S Forums Why the rose tinted view of city life?

Macbeth wrote:

Yellowman03 wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Yellowman03 wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Yellowman03 wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

Macbeth wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

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