Can anyone name one real benefit of big cities?

Simple question here. Can anyone name a real benefit of a city having a huge population?

Take convenience out of this equation, is there any reason to stack on top of each other?

More crime, pollution, noise, more corruption, worse racial tensions, more psychological issues, more entitlement, higher taxes... Are all traits of large cities.

Not to mention natural and man made disasters are worse and impact more lives, organized crime and gangs appear, etc..

Why is this worth it? So we can have 10 different stores and places to eat within a block? Are we really such a consumerist nation that the only thing that matters is consumption?

Forget clean air, I have a McDonald's a block down the road.
Safe neighborhood? Pft, Walmart is only a half mile away!

I really wonder if we are meant to spread out. We often deny our animalistic roots - including territory but I think real problems would be fixed if everyone spread out.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Keeps all the city folk out of the countryside.

People that like to live in cities tend to be looking for more opportunities, more culture, more excitement, more variety in life etc. It is not for everybody but, it certainty has its merits.

Maybe a positive for businesses being in a central CBD location? But in the Internet age we aren't going on field trips anymore to research other companies products/services.

The Hall experiment with mice showed that mice become much more aggressive when they are competing for resources - food etc. The same is shown in big cities with people - there's some horrific cctv footage of toddlers getting pinned under cars in China and people go about their daily business not stopping to help. When I was visiting London, there were hundreds of pedestrians walking around and I saw a lady get knocked to the ground by a man walking the other way - he never stopped nor gave her a second glance. It was bizarre I helped her back on her feet and was astounded with the number of people who walked on by.

There are an increasing number of people who don't know their neighbours anymore. It's like we're living closer than ever but there's this breakdown in the social fabric.

a reply to: deadlyhope

The amount of information exchanged. The level of cultural development possible.

Breeding.

a reply to: deadlyhope

It concentrates the scum and idiots in selected areas, so that rural areas are nicer places to live.
I guess it is a benefit to those that don't live in the city.

Unlike my little town where I come from no one knows me so I can be who I want, do what I want be with whom I want without the gossip. Everyone knows everything about you. Last bad experience my crazy ex I had to move cities so I can't be found

On the other hand big cities are lound and noisy I prefer solitude

Theres a lot to do - concerts, sporting events, plays, that kind of bs.

Suburbs is where its at, best of both worlds.

a reply to: deadlyhope

Most of the slaves are all in one convenient place.

Maybe we like being targets for nuclear weapons.

originally posted by: deadlyhope
Forget clean air, I have a McDonald's a block down the road.
Safe neighborhood? Pft, Walmart is only a half mile away!

Living the good life.

All you need now is a giant, souless home center and you are all set.

I used to live in London and loved the anonimity of it. I remember getting back to London after a weekend at my parents in the countryside and it was like arriving in an exciting new country. No one knows you or cares what you look like or are wearing. No one even acknowledges you. Which is fine by me. Getting on the tube and seeing all the good looking women made a big difference to being in the country. Once in London you can do what you want. If you had the money you could get the tube to Heathrow and jet off anywhere in the world. Even though you won't the option and possibility is there. I kind of liked that freedom

originally posted by: Junkheap
Maybe we like being targets for nuclear weapons.

I live in between 2 USAF bases in the middle of the Oxfordshire countryside. Prime nuke targets for any Russian offensive

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
I used to live in London and loved the anonimity of it. I remember getting back to London after a weekend at my parents in the countryside and it was like arriving in an exciting new country. No one knows you or cares what you look like or are wearing. No one even acknowledges you. Which is fine by me. Getting on the tube and seeing all the good looking women made a big difference to being in the country. Once in London you can do what you want. If you had the money you could get the tube to Heathrow and jet off anywhere in the world. Even though you won't the option and possibility is there. I kind of liked that freedom

So in a nutshell...you look weird and have a crap fashion sense, but in town nobody cares, cos most people are pretty freaky themselves anyway. That, and the ready availability of skirt (weird and unfasionable as they might be) and transit links you don't use, but is there just in case you eventually might want to?

Give my the beautiful countryside every single day of the week and you can keep your weirdo, scruffbag, uncaring, tarty-bird cities matey.

So in a nutshell...you look weird and have a crap fashion sense, but in town nobody cares, cos most people are pretty freaky themselves anyway. That, and the ready availability of skirt (weird and unfasionable as they might be) and transit links you don't use, but is there just in case you eventually might want to?

a reply to: MysterX

Pretty much, but there are no women at all in the countryside or they're married off at the local barn dance

a reply to: woodwardjnr



There's always the sheep?

a reply to: deadlyhope

Variety and choices. Lots of varriety and choices of everything. Income opportunity. Lack of meth labs.

a reply to: MrSpad

People that like to live in cities tend to be looking for more opportunities, more culture, more excitement, more variety in life etc.

That's where they are wrong. Is Starbucks and Netflix and chill culture? Young white women are truly living the life of Riley.

I live in a small town where I have fauna at my footsteps and a star studded sky where I can see meteors that leave a beautiful emerald green streak in the sky. The problem with metropolitan areas is that they attract all the doctors and medical specialists for that same reason- 'oh look at all the pretty lights and and bars with their dackeries! and coffee stops and places to shop!' Big Cities are heartless places.

The most positive thing is better work opportunities. It's about the only thing that would draw me back.

I lived in a small town. I moved to the city to go to school. I stayed because there was work here. In the town I lived in my choices were get on the waiting list to work at the town pulp mill, get on the waiting list to work for the ferries or find a rewarding career at the local grocery store, gas station etc.

I dislike the city for every reason you said. But I like being able to have a decent job so I stay. At least for now.