The Positives and Negatives of Urban Life

[nyarla]

 As a kid who grown up in a small coast town and always sought refuge and isolation in nature I have a big fondness towards that life, and moving into a gigantic city was quite a change in lifestyle. Metropolitan life may look almost unnecessarily hostile sometimes and no matter the grandiosity of the architecture one cannot deny the ugliness that comes with excess of waste and pollution.

I usually try to avoid the more frequented parts of town, I feel awkward in large groups and crossing crowds necessitated a level of coordination and awareness that is beyond me. So I usually take detours through parks, and I need to say even nature feels fake and stagnant in a big city, even large parks (that foreigners for some reason mistake for forests) appear to be bothered by being in a city, like the trees wished they could move out.

On the other side, metropolitan life offers an unbelievable freedom and liberation, most people aren't that much interested in you and don't care what you do as long as it does not affect than immediately. You can see the oddest people walking without being disturbed, something that would never happen in my good old town. Even though the amount of people around me have increased drastically, the amount of unwarranted violence towards me have greatly diminished, of course I'm mugged at least once a month but I never carry too much money and criminals are much more interest in taking your stuff than in actually harming you. Most of the time.

And being bored ain't even an option, the amount of things to be done is incredible. Events that would be the main focus in my home town are barely even noticed here, and access to all mater of pleasures and entertainment comes as easy as access to water.

I can't decide if urban life is the opposite of what humans need, or if a city is humanity natural habitat.

[on the rocks]

I went through a similar change about 20 years ago. Though I was able to spend a few years in a smaller, college city before moving on to something with actual skyscrapers.   Still it was quite the adjustment going from a rural upbringing to a cosmopolitan life.  It helps to be a drinker, because that's one obvious thing the city's got over the country: fun bars.  Rural bars are simply less fun.  Oh once a month there's a cover band belting out their versions of Skynyrd and Van Halen, but for the most part, it's just a bunch of old dudes sucking cheap beer while the jukebox plays nothing but country music.

Like you, I really liked the fact that I could be a nobody in the city and not have to recognize every other person on the street.  I don't love small talk and absolutely hate the banal, small town gossip that dominates every other conversation.  It's too small of a world, so they try and make little things seem like they matter when they don't.  I also like that there's more shit to do.  Every weekend all summer long, there's something going on in some neighborhood somewhere in the city.  Plus, you actually interact with diverse peoples and that's really useful in keeping one's mind open.

But also like you, I gotta haves me some nature.  Fortunately I'm not too far from plenty of options so it doesn't take me long to be away from the traffic and noise.  It's not like I live in Manhattan. I like the balance.

Unlike Nyarla however, I've never been mugged.  Lucky me.  I've had shit stolen from me, but it was all stealthy and sneaky.  None of this brandish a weapon and demand cash thing he describes.  Which is actually pretty good considering how many times I was staggering home from the bar late at night in my 20's.  (Christ, that one Halloween, I barely remember the walk home...) Maybe I'm just imposing enough to make a poor target.  (Or maybe it was my wizard costume! )

[nyarla]

 My Lord, I never said anything about brandishing a weapon... Are the one mugging me? Please stop.

[on the rocks]

Oh well I heard 'mugging' and assumed there was a weapon involved.  That's pretty much the only way it's done around here.  Unless one is snatching old lady's purses.

[Unleashed Loser]

A segment from the Louis CK stand-up special Sincerely.

It's nice to be in Washington DC. I was born here. I like it here. Because I like any city. I like cities.

I don't like cities that are too advanced though. I was in Zurich and they have so much shit. They're like "Here's bicycle. You want bicycle? It is yours. Just have it. It is nice.". They have garbages with eight fucking holes of different shapes. It's like an IQ test for a monkey. I don't know what the fuck... One hole has a picture of a cup, and the next one has a picture of a cup that's a little different. I'm standing there with a dead baby. I don't know where I'm supposed to drop it. What am I supposed to do? It doesn't fit in the newspapers slot, but otherwise I don't know.

I like cities. I don't like little places. When I go to Europe, I go to the big cities. Everybody tells you "Don't go to Madrid. Go to Madrid for just a day. Then take the train to Cheecheekakakakarcjgmrthuiveytjbryjbyuknl. It's a beautiful little old village and you're gonna love it.". Fuck you. You don't know me. I'm not going to love a village in Europe. With a bell that goes pang and a dog that walks around alone. I don't like cute little places.

I don't like little towns in America either. With little shops. "Oh, look at that little shop! Let's go in that little shop." Nah, let's get a divorce. Isn't that a better idea? You go in there. I'll just walk away. Just tell the kids I was a pilot that got shot down.

I don't like little shops. I'm uncomfortable in a little shop. You go in, it's like cling cling cling, and now it's just you and her. You're surrounded by her dream. And you can't just go "Eew." and leave. She saw you. You have to go all the way in now and look at all the little crafts she made. "You made this? Really? You made this instead of killing yourself?"