7 ms·

That's a good question... I have often wondered if many of our environmental/political problems would be solved if we helped everyone move to major cities. But

That's a good question... I have often wondered if many of our environmental/political problems would be solved if we helped everyone move to major cities. But the city environment undeniably makes many people less happy. Studies have shown a link between urban living and mental illness. So it might be nice to maintain options for humans who thrive in a more rural environment.

caseyohara 8y ago
> the city environment undeniably makes many people less happy. Studies have shown a link between urban living and mental illness. Do you have a link for these claims? Genuinely curious, I've always wondered about this.
- ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
  This is from the National Institute of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5374256/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5374256/ I'm not an expert at knowing what studies are good... so someone will probably comment about why this study is problematic, and that's ok. "Studies have shown that the risk for serious mental illness is generally higher in cities compared to rural areas. Epidemiological studies have associated growing up and living in cities with a considerably higher risk for schizophrenia. However, correlation is not causation and living in poverty can both contribute to and result from impairments associated with poor mental health. Social isolation and discrimination as well as poverty in the neighborhood contribute to the mental health burden while little is known about specific interactions between such factors and the built environment."
  - caseyohara 8y ago
    Thank you, that is interesting.
- HeyLaughingBoy 8y ago
  Sure, living in a city drives me crazy.
dbcurtis 8y ago
How would you expect moving everyone to cities to solve our political problems? When you say that, this is what I hear: "People who have different economic interests from me are not worth an ounce of my empathy, and this would finally shut them up." Sorry to be harsh, but it needs to be said -- that is how rural residents hear you. Our political problems stem from each group having little empathy for other groups. Empathy == deep understanding without judgement. The thing that put an erratic man-child in the Whitehouse is half the population having utter disdain instead of empathy for the other half, resulting in a highly predictable reaction.
- ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
  There is a difference between wondering is something would have an effect, and avocation for that idea. In my second paragraph I talked about a valid reason we should go out of our way to preserve small towns. I'm sorry if my comment gave the impression that I am some type of Nazi who wants to eliminate everyone living in a small town. I have deep empathy for people living in areas where there economic futures and opportunities are consistently getting worse. We can either find a way a fix that, so that it is possible to continue to live in rural areas AND have employment opportunities.... OR everyone will end up living in cities regardless. Much of our political differences come from one group being on an upward financial trajectory and the other group being on a downward trajectory. If our outlooks for the future were aligned of course we would have less differences in regards to political policies on taxation, immigration, the environment or issues like government spending on scientific research.

caseyohara 8y ago

> the city environment undeniably makes many people less happy. Studies have shown a link between urban living and mental illness. Do you have a link for these claims? Genuinely curious, I've always wondered about this.

ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
This is from the National Institute of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5374256/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5374256/ I'm not an expert at knowing what studies are good... so someone will probably comment about why this study is problematic, and that's ok. "Studies have shown that the risk for serious mental illness is generally higher in cities compared to rural areas. Epidemiological studies have associated growing up and living in cities with a considerably higher risk for schizophrenia. However, correlation is not causation and living in poverty can both contribute to and result from impairments associated with poor mental health. Social isolation and discrimination as well as poverty in the neighborhood contribute to the mental health burden while little is known about specific interactions between such factors and the built environment."
- caseyohara 8y ago
  Thank you, that is interesting.
HeyLaughingBoy 8y ago
Sure, living in a city drives me crazy.

dbcurtis 8y ago

How would you expect moving everyone to cities to solve our political problems? When you say that, this is what I hear: "People who have different economic interests from me are not worth an ounce of my empathy, and this would finally shut them up." Sorry to be harsh, but it needs to be said -- that is how rural residents hear you. Our political problems stem from each group having little empathy for other groups. Empathy == deep understanding without judgement. The thing that put an erratic man-child in the Whitehouse is half the population having utter disdain instead of empathy for the other half, resulting in a highly predictable reaction.

ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
There is a difference between wondering is something would have an effect, and avocation for that idea. In my second paragraph I talked about a valid reason we should go out of our way to preserve small towns. I'm sorry if my comment gave the impression that I am some type of Nazi who wants to eliminate everyone living in a small town. I have deep empathy for people living in areas where there economic futures and opportunities are consistently getting worse. We can either find a way a fix that, so that it is possible to continue to live in rural areas AND have employment opportunities.... OR everyone will end up living in cities regardless. Much of our political differences come from one group being on an upward financial trajectory and the other group being on a downward trajectory. If our outlooks for the future were aligned of course we would have less differences in regards to political policies on taxation, immigration, the environment or issues like government spending on scientific research.