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This comment makes no sense. Folks who love urban density... love urban density. Why would reading a comment from someone who feels differently be important to

This comment makes no sense. Folks who love urban density... love urban density. Why would reading a comment from someone who feels differently be important to us? I totally respect the parent comments opinion, but their lived experience differs from mine entirely. > Quality of life cooped up in a dense urban setting, especially with a family, is awful. This is unbelievably subjective, and you simply cannot state this as if it's a fact. I have lived in rural, suburban, and dense urban settings, and my quality of life was by far, by far, the highest in the city. Almost every aspect of my life was improved when I moved to a dense urban center. Urban centers are not simply desirable because of jobs! Many of us simply prefer the lifestyle they afford!

colechristensen 4y ago
The people on HN want to push their preferences on everyone and change cities to appeal to their usually single-ish, 20s-ish lifestyle of appreciating a 600 sq ft apartment
- diob 4y ago
  I think it's more that folks wish we would build upwards more.
- DragonStrength 4y ago
  Do they? When I was that age, I read all the time in tech-friendly press about how much I wanted those things, but I assure you I never did. It's always seemed like a narrative pushed by people who have just assumed the next generation will line up to spend even more money for less. I suspect if 25-35 year olds could reasonably afford 3 bedrooms in the Bay Area we wouldn't be having this issue at all, ignoring density of this area. But don't make the mistake of conflating 700 sqft apts w/urban centers. On today's remote wages, an engineer can afford the kind of modest home in a walkable urban area in many parts of the US, but affording that on even NY and Bay Area Big Tech wages is looking out of grasp for that next generation. It certainly looks a lot riskier.
- wolverine876 4y ago
  Could you provide some examples of that? Most of what I see is trying to impose the trend of the moment, that cities are bad.
- tomtheelder 4y ago
  Do they? Do you have examples? I really don't think that's something that actually happens on here. Frequently you get people pointing out that highly dense areas require different approaches to planning and transportation, but that's hardly pushing some lifestyle on anyone who isn't interested in it.
fatnoah 4y ago
>I have lived in rural, suburban, and dense urban settings, and my quality of life was by far, by far, the highest in the city. Almost every aspect of my life was improved when I moved to a dense urban center. Same here, and the other families that lived in the dense urban center with us would agree. In fact, when we were thinking of moving from suburb back to city, we literally stopped families at parks in the city and asked them. Literally every one of the 10+ families we asked told us we should absolutely move! Yes, we didn't have a driveway or big yard, but we did have a nearby park which became our yard, and most of our adventures didn't require a car, anyway. We'd simply walk out the door and go to one of the parks, restaurants, museums, etc. within a short walk. We'd bike or take the subway for longer distances. Without a yard or house to take care of, I had both weekend days available. I could go on and on. My family and I found the energy of the city invigorating and I'm totally cool with the fact that others may not, or that going out and about all the time is not their idea of awesome.

colechristensen 4y ago

The people on HN want to push their preferences on everyone and change cities to appeal to their usually single-ish, 20s-ish lifestyle of appreciating a 600 sq ft apartment

diob 4y ago
I think it's more that folks wish we would build upwards more.
DragonStrength 4y ago
Do they? When I was that age, I read all the time in tech-friendly press about how much I wanted those things, but I assure you I never did. It's always seemed like a narrative pushed by people who have just assumed the next generation will line up to spend even more money for less. I suspect if 25-35 year olds could reasonably afford 3 bedrooms in the Bay Area we wouldn't be having this issue at all, ignoring density of this area. But don't make the mistake of conflating 700 sqft apts w/urban centers. On today's remote wages, an engineer can afford the kind of modest home in a walkable urban area in many parts of the US, but affording that on even NY and Bay Area Big Tech wages is looking out of grasp for that next generation. It certainly looks a lot riskier.
wolverine876 4y ago
Could you provide some examples of that? Most of what I see is trying to impose the trend of the moment, that cities are bad.
tomtheelder 4y ago
Do they? Do you have examples? I really don't think that's something that actually happens on here. Frequently you get people pointing out that highly dense areas require different approaches to planning and transportation, but that's hardly pushing some lifestyle on anyone who isn't interested in it.

fatnoah 4y ago

>I have lived in rural, suburban, and dense urban settings, and my quality of life was by far, by far, the highest in the city. Almost every aspect of my life was improved when I moved to a dense urban center. Same here, and the other families that lived in the dense urban center with us would agree. In fact, when we were thinking of moving from suburb back to city, we literally stopped families at parks in the city and asked them. Literally every one of the 10+ families we asked told us we should absolutely move! Yes, we didn't have a driveway or big yard, but we did have a nearby park which became our yard, and most of our adventures didn't require a car, anyway. We'd simply walk out the door and go to one of the parks, restaurants, museums, etc. within a short walk. We'd bike or take the subway for longer distances. Without a yard or house to take care of, I had both weekend days available. I could go on and on. My family and I found the energy of the city invigorating and I'm totally cool with the fact that others may not, or that going out and about all the time is not their idea of awesome.