I agree, I love going back to the cities. It's some of the best food/culture your going to get and the media definitely glorifies a lot of the issues because it's always about the ratings, which unfortunately many can't distinguish that and automatically assume a black mark on the people/culture.
That being said I wouldn't want to move my family close to any large city at current times and that's a personal preference and I am sure many feel the same way.
Personally, I'm more of a mid-major city guy. Grew up around Portland. Love visiting Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Charlotte. Those places are more my speed than the "alpha world cities" in terms of size and pace of life. For example, love to visit NYC, but I could never stick it out there bc the enormity of the place just kind of messes with my head. But for some of the same reasons mentioned in this thread, I'd never want to raise my family too far from a major city. The different types of people, access to varied food, culture, etc, that stuff is important in its own way to my own sense of values. To me, its a living embodiment of "e plurbus unum" when a bunch of people of different classes, backgrounds, experiences, etc, put in the work to get along and compromise on different interests for the general good....all because they prefer to do all that work than not live in that place.
Like you said, its a preference thing. To each their own, and there is no right answer that serves everyone. Part of the great thing about living in a free society, its infinite diversity in infinate combinations (TM Star Trek) when you think of all the the different ways people live their lives.
The way people allow themselves to be deliberately divided by fear when 90% of us are all in the same boat is one of the sadder things I've watched in my lifetime. It's a grifter's dream. Though I suspect it's always been this way to a large degree. But the megaphone has exponentially increased in size in the modern age. I dunno... I sound like some faux-deep hipster. I just wanted to say you hit it on the head.
Agreed on every note. I also cant tell if its a uniquely stupid moment in our history or if its always been this way in various forms. The 60s, for example, was violent, divisive, and plenty of people thought we were being led to the path of destruction. But yeah, the internet has amplified it 100 fold, and made it so that the grift game is easier than ever.
But like you said, its a grifters dream. The same people who try to draw lines between "real Americans" and "the coastal elites" are taking limos back to manhattan penthouses or palatial mansions, and summering at the hamptons. All of it paid for by the cash and attention of people who dont have much of either to spare, but for whom grievance and anger have become a defining characteristic. Fifty years ago I feel like all that mental energy was devoted to gardening, or bowling leagues, or 4H or something. I feel like that void has left people desperate for belonging and tribalism they dont feel anymore. Is it any wonder the enemies of the west dont attack us directly, but just pose as facebook-bound culture warriors and let us do the fighting with ourselves?
Edit: I'm way f***ing off topic, lol, apologies.
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