City People vs. Rural People (condo, find a job, wedding)

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by mermaid_golfer

City: The culture and Theater available and wonderful variety of restaurants was wonderful. Easy to get around with having to own your own vehicle. I found it hard though to unwind after a long day because of the hectic pace.

Right. It's more of a place to visit and maybe to work.You don't have to live there,unless you really gotta have a 'cultural fix' in the middle of the night or something

[fp1978]

Originally Posted by tande1n5

whereas many rural folks are downright intimidated by the city.

I wouldn't say that. True, some probably are, but most that I know just don't like dealing with the congestion and fast pace of the city. They are not intimidated.

[fp1978]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow73

Right...but the generalizations you were making actually have nothing to do with people. They have to do with the dynamic of population. You could be the smartest, most innovative tack in the world and if you live out in the country, no one would ever know about it. But if you live in an urban environment there's much more likelihood of your ideas being picked up on by others. You were extending a quality of the environment to the individual.

You make a good point but that isn't always the case. You could also look at it as being in the city makes you and/or your ideas much more likely to be lost in the shuffle. Drowned out by the noise, so to speak. Whereas being in a more rural area you would have a greater chance of standing out and being recognized for your ideas or accomplishments.
Just a thought.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by fp1978

You make a good point but that isn't always the case. You could also look at it as being in the city makes you and/or your ideas much more likely to be lost in the shuffle. Drowned out by the noise, so to speak. Whereas being in a more rural area you would have a greater chance of standing out and being recognized for your ideas or accomplishments.
Just a thought.

The small fish in a big pond. Yeah I see that and I'm sure it happens. However, by a purely statistical analysis, the more people, the more likelihood of mass movements. You see it in all types of systems from air molecules to herds of animals: anytime the density is low you have greater propensity for low interaction whereas in dense systems the probability of a single small cause effecting great change goes up dramatically. In human populations I would expect this tendency to be dampened but nonetheless present.

[KT13]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

there's a trend with many of the extremely rich to head for rural/remote areas, and to avoid cities...

While still keeping their "pied-a-terre" property in the city

Now here is another thought, let's look at people who have the means to afford more than one home (they don't have to decide what to choose). What are the trends you see? What about all the rural rich who keep their little "pied-a-terre" apartments in the posh walkable areas of the cities? What about those hard-core urbanites that have their vacation homes in rural settings?

I think the line here is not as clear-cut. What people talk about on this thread are pretty much the stereotypes and the listed exceptions to the rules. Reality is much more complicated. I personally think that both urban and rural lifestyle has its advantages. As a 'city-loving' person I am not going to underestimate all the good things that the rural lifestyle would offer. The advantages of both lifestyles are clear: urban environment provides high density, more opportunities, more variety of things to do (occupationally and also in terms of entertainment), more diversity, and a feeling that an entire city is your 'backyard'. Rural environment's main advantage is freedom and independence, ability to grow your own food and survive on your own if you have to, maybe this would provide more sense of 'security' from all the armageddon types of scenarios. There is also a higher sense of property and pride of ownership associated with the rural living, it's almost as if your backyard (which happens to be quite large) is also your own country where you are a king

Here is another extra perspective of differences in people's mentality: a sense of privacy, community and involvement. People seeking urban environments sometimes are looking for anonymity and personal privacy, it's easier to get lost in a sea of people than it is in a small town. Your neighbors are less likely to be into your business and it's a lot easier to keep your distance if you want it to be so. Of course you can be involved in your community and lives of your neighbors just as well in the city, but if you don't, it's easier not to than in a rural setting. Rural living (especially small town living) can provide much higher sense of community and all the good and bad things associated with it. No matter how much land you have and how far you maybe removed from your neighbors you are still more connected. Well, there are less of you out there and we are in our majority social creatures that need to stay in touch with one another.

In the city the craving to see people around you is easily satisfied by everyday living, there are people everywhere and you can feel like you are not alone at the same time not having to get close to everyone you see. In a rural setting your neighbors and fellow small town folks are the rather tighter circle of people you will have to see if you want any human communication. Because this circle is so much smaller than in a bustling city you tend to get closer and will develop different relationships with your neighbors sometimes just because you can't help it. People who seek close-knit communities will prefer rural setting and those who are on a journey to find themselves and their surroundings and/or those who prefer to have 'anonymity' and privacy without isolation will find themselves thriving in the city.

Closely knit community living and big city living are also fundamentally different in what your occupation and choices in life will mean to you. Whatever you do for living in a big city you'll be one of many many and in a small town you maybe perhaps the only one! This puts different pressure on choosing employment/skills/specialty and will put different emphasis on what people around are thinking about you. You can be a 'one of many' doctors in the city, but only one doctor in a 20 mile radius in a rural setting. Different feeling, right? Or you can be a local 'famous' drunk in a small town everyone will point fingers at or one of many 'anonymous' drunks in the city nobody would pay attention too (even if you are passed out under a tree). City is more forgiven overall to the choices people make and it provides greater flexibility to change and try different things. There is also less shame you'll experience if you fail. That is why most young people looking to find themselves are preferring higher density environments.

Now the suburbs.... That's a topic for the entire new thread (Suburban living: the best of both worlds or the worst of both worlds?). Suburban living is now more prevalent and wide spread than a choice between urban and rural, you'd have to tell your professor who assigned you a paper to look into that one, just to keep up with the times

[sterlinggirl]

In the country, you have time to think over problems and find the best solution. The fast pace of city life leaves a lot less time for pondering.

The 'independent' nature of many people in the country means that they are stubborn enough to figure out a problem, where most people in the city give up if throwing money at it doesn't work.

[mead]

Somewhere upstate I would guess. Maybe over in Rockland or up by Poughkeepsie. I'll have to ask next time somebody starts talking about hunting.

Originally Posted by Vivian309

Where do they get the deer to hunt for... ?

[j33]

Originally Posted by sterlinggirl

The 'independent' nature of many people in the country means that they are stubborn enough to figure out a problem, where most people in the city give up if throwing money at it doesn't work.

You seriously believe that? Give me a break.

I come from a long line of urbanites, we are quite capable of solving problems thankyouverymuch. My grandfather from the Bronx was probably the most resourceful person I knew. You simply cannot make a generalization like that and be serious.

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by j33

You seriously believe that? Give me a break.

I come from a long line of urbanites, we are quite capable of solving problems thankyouverymuch. My grandfather from the Bronx was probably the most resourceful person I knew. You simply cannot make a generalization like that and be serious.

I'm absolutely serious. The 'do it for me' culture of the city along with the rush of life just makes it easier to call a repairman. Kids never see their dad fixing things, and they never learn as a result.

[arctichomesteader]

Some cities have rules that don't even allow people to fix their own stuff, you have to be a licensed plumber/electrician/etc. to do the work...