He was simply using those as examples of the manipulations used to keep people living in high rent places where no sane person would live if they were not manip

He was simply using those as examples of the manipulations used to keep people living in high rent places where no sane person would live if they were not manipulated to do so. And I do not believe that he was saying it was the truth. Instead, I believe he was proposing it as an provocative answer to the question of why anybody would live in San Francisco, etc. when there are many nice places to live that cost less. Did you discard his provocation completely what do you use in its place? Good weather? Good theaters?