4 ms·

I think it is a hard question to answer. In a very real sense, most people do not even recognize there is an actual option to move. Yes, there are all sorts of

I think it is a hard question to answer. In a very real sense, most people do not even recognize there is an actual option to move. Yes, there are all sorts of costs associated with the moving and there is stress to be incurred as a result, but I think most people do not even entertain the idea of living anywhere else compared to where they are for numerous reasons including familial ties. And then there is the 'why should I leave' aspect of it? Maybe if I stick it out, it will get better ( especially if I own that piece of land ). In short, I would like to be able to say that it is economically prohibitive to do so, but, I dunno, I moved from the old country to US. And separately the moment I heard a first shot in my neighborhood in Chicago ( and police came to my door asking if I saw anything ), I was out of there in a couple of months in the suburbs. I think people feel safer being where they have always been ( as unsafe it may be to an audience from a statistical point of view ). It is the environment they know. For all they know, anywhere else may be even worse.

prottog 4y ago
> I think people feel safer being where they have always been ( as unsafe it may be to an audience from a statistical point of view ). As they say: better the devil you know.
ryukafalz 4y ago
> for numerous reasons including familial ties This is a big one. I don't live in the Portland area, but anytime I've considered moving any large distance away from where I am I've always rejected it because my family/friends are all in this area. As much as I might like it a lot somewhere else, I'm not willing to uproot my social ties for it. As I see it the alternative is to stay and advocate to make things better, and while that's grueling I think it's worth it.
- mikrl 4y ago
  Not attacking you, but I’m not sure if this is privilege or not. I’ve uprooted for greener pastures twice in my life, and it has paid off both times. If I didn’t, I’d be impoverished and possibly hooked on (the scary) drugs. If fluffy social aspects outweigh your immediate economic concerns, it stands that you are privileged enough to make the choice to stay still. On the other hand, uprooting requires a certain resilience and fortitude that not everyone has. People who can torch their old life to chase something better are privileged in a way too, are they not?
  - andonisus 4y ago
    It seems that the word “privilege” is doing all the heavy lifting here, but it sounds to me like it is a stand in for “having the ability to make anything but the default choice” (to remain in one’s location, in this case).
  - kodah 4y ago
    This is kind of an odd take. I'm from a small town, leaving is looked at as the privilege because opportunity is short. Additionally, people who come from families where wealth or security is not common often need to support their families directly or indirectly. That kept me in my home state for a couple years. I likely won't be around to see some of my immediate family pass away, which is an aspect that sucks about geo-centralization of industries like tech that don't need geo-centralization. All that to say I think you have the privilege statement backwards.

prottog 4y ago

> I think people feel safer being where they have always been ( as unsafe it may be to an audience from a statistical point of view ). As they say: better the devil you know.

ryukafalz 4y ago

> for numerous reasons including familial ties This is a big one. I don't live in the Portland area, but anytime I've considered moving any large distance away from where I am I've always rejected it because my family/friends are all in this area. As much as I might like it a lot somewhere else, I'm not willing to uproot my social ties for it. As I see it the alternative is to stay and advocate to make things better, and while that's grueling I think it's worth it.

mikrl 4y ago
Not attacking you, but I’m not sure if this is privilege or not. I’ve uprooted for greener pastures twice in my life, and it has paid off both times. If I didn’t, I’d be impoverished and possibly hooked on (the scary) drugs. If fluffy social aspects outweigh your immediate economic concerns, it stands that you are privileged enough to make the choice to stay still. On the other hand, uprooting requires a certain resilience and fortitude that not everyone has. People who can torch their old life to chase something better are privileged in a way too, are they not?
- andonisus 4y ago
  It seems that the word “privilege” is doing all the heavy lifting here, but it sounds to me like it is a stand in for “having the ability to make anything but the default choice” (to remain in one’s location, in this case).
- kodah 4y ago
  This is kind of an odd take. I'm from a small town, leaving is looked at as the privilege because opportunity is short. Additionally, people who come from families where wealth or security is not common often need to support their families directly or indirectly. That kept me in my home state for a couple years. I likely won't be around to see some of my immediate family pass away, which is an aspect that sucks about geo-centralization of industries like tech that don't need geo-centralization. All that to say I think you have the privilege statement backwards.