De-urbanisation - is it time to go back to the country?

[Dresderstan]

No we dont need to destroy forests and other natural areas to build cookie cutter housing and strip malls.

Would you rather we destroy forests and other natural areas to build overcrowded apartment buildings and shitty cities with high taxation, crime and pollution like your precious "innocent" city?

[USS Monitor]

Moving to smaller communities does not reduce pollution, just spreads it out more.

Also, if this is practical, and you enjoy it, just do it. You don't need anyone's permission.

And other people will do what they want to do.

[Hatterleigh]

Thats not true. Kids should grow up cultured not in some sheltered boring suburb.

Seriously dude have you ever actually been to the suburbs? It’s not fucking boring. And it’s not full of only one race either

Depends on the suburb...

[Hatterleigh]

Moving to smaller communities does not reduce pollution, just spreads it out more.

Also, if this is practical, and you enjoy it, just do it. You don't need anyone's permission.

And other people will do what they want to do.

People don't want to live in cities. What people want is money, which you can find in cities. People didn't ever historically or nowadays go to cities because they just liked the city aesthetic, they went to the city to get a job. Cities have always been dirty, crime filled, and cramped and they aren't a suitable environment for a species of apes.

[Holy Tedalonia]

No we dont need to destroy forests and other natural areas to build cookie cutter housing and strip malls.

Uhh.... you do realized cities are by far the least helpful in this regard. Rural keeps nature around, suburbs bend it to our will, but cities, they purge the land of the filth, called nature.

[Thermodolia]

Odds are good that you couldn't get one if you wanted to or would spend more than you should to get one. Such is city life.

^This. I don't think city people understand how much purchasing power there is in the country for land and property.

I do. But then again Atlanta Metro is so spread out that it you have to understand the purchasing power. For example I’m still in the metro area and yet I’m a good 30 miles from downtown Atlanta

[Neu Leonstein]

Gay or trans isn't as big of a deal here as it used to be. A couple kids in my graduating class were trans and were supported by the community and parents. Also you didn't really answer his criticism.

Not to downplay actual discrimination, but that wasn't even my point. You can be perfectly accepted as gay in a small town, but if you're the only one in 30 mile radius, then something is obviously missing. My point is that most social pursuits require a critical mass of people to participate to be viable. If the density of people is lower, the number of pursuits that reach critical mass is smaller.

[Thermodolia]

For everyone trashing rural areas I'd like you to remember rural doesn't mean middle of nowhere.

I've lived in a rural area my hole life and i have the same benefits as everyone in a city.

I have a major city a 25-30 minute drive from my house, my high school is a 20 minute drive away, 99% of the people you meet are friendly, I have fire police and EMS services, no to light traffic, good state colleges nearby, good education (Graduation rates have been rising for years) and I'm in the redest part of south Georgia.

We just need to go back to a more friendly and simple time, like the 50's.

Valdosta?

[Neu Leonstein]

I'm literally not responding to another one of your posts until you go address the legitimate criticisms I've made of consumerist culture and hypercapitalism.

I mean, there's the metaphorical door, no one's stopping you. But normally a "legitimate criticism" requires more substance than just stating the premise repeatedly.

[Holy Tedalonia]

For everyone trashing rural areas I'd like you to remember rural doesn't mean middle of nowhere.

I've lived in a rural area my hole life and i have the same benefits as everyone in a city.

I have a major city a 25-30 minute drive from my house, my high school is a 20 minute drive away, 99% of the people you meet are friendly, I have fire police and EMS services, no to light traffic, good state colleges nearby, good education (Graduation rates have been rising for years) and I'm in the redest part of south Georgia.

We just need to go back to a more friendly and simple time, like the 50's.

Valdosta?

Everything in that post sounded pretty suburbs to me. Hardly rural. I've seen real rural and what its like.

You havent seen what I have seen. To hear about a storage house completely made out of doors isnt the same as seeing one.

[Thermodolia]

Valdosta?

Everything in that post sounded pretty suburbs to me. Hardly rural. I've seen real rural and what its like.

You havent seen what I have seen. To hear about a storage house completely made out of doors isnt the same as seeing one.

I’ve driven through some pretty rural towns dude. It’s not like I don’t know they exist. What they where describing sounds a lot like Valdosta, Georgia.

Which is more of a college town than a city with suburban sprawl

[Ubekibekibekibekistanstan]

No we dont need to destroy forests and other natural areas to build cookie cutter housing and strip malls.

Uhh.... you do realized cities are by far the least helpful in this regard. Rural keeps nature around, suburbs bend it to our will, but cities, they purge the land of the filth, called nature.

Some cities are better than others, tbh. Not every city is going to be like NY, which comes across as kind of anti-nature in most areas despite having some obvious park space.
cities & parks

[Holy Tedalonia]

Uhh.... you do realized cities are by far the least helpful in this regard. Rural keeps nature around, suburbs bend it to our will, but cities, they purge the land of the filth, called nature.

Some cities are better than others, tbh. Not every city is going to be like NY, which comes across as kind of anti-nature in most areas despite having some obvious park space.
cities & parks

Yeah, I've been to minneapolis and st paul myself, and I also been to San Antonio. All these cities have decent nature like appeal to them. While San Antonio fails to have much trees, they have really nice river walks, and the Minnesota cities arent bad either. Its just never going to be able to compete against the suburbs in quantity of greenery.

[Christian Confederation]

Everything in that post sounded pretty suburbs to me. Hardly rural. I've seen real rural and what its like.

You havent seen what I have seen. To hear about a storage house completely made out of doors isnt the same as seeing one.

I’ve driven through some pretty rural towns dude. It’s not like I don’t know they exist. What they where describing sounds a lot like Valdosta, Georgia.

Which is more of a college town than a city with suburban sprawl

No outside of hahira just over the cook line, but that general area cook loundes area.

[Kowani]

Oh, look, it’s the transcendentalists.

[Vossem]

I think living in a satellite community of a larger city would be a good move for me when I'm ready to settle down and have kids, as long as its well connected to the more urbanized areas, and there are enough services and shops in said community. I think there's something to be gained from having access to green areas, as well as cultural institutions like museums found primarily in more built up areas. A good example would be Zeist as a satellite of Utrecht.

[Orostan]

Since the Industrial Revolution there has been a massive demographic shift of citizens leaving rural areas to pursue opportunities and lives in the cities and as a result cities have grown, sprawling in urban conglomerates of concrete, steel, humanity, pollution, lights, industry, crime and commerce. Equally the rural agrarian community has shrunk and all but disappeared, towns have closed and rural populations have aged as the younger demographic sought the excitement and vibrancy that cities could offer.

But it is now 2019, technology is such that I can live in a small town of 3000 and jump on a train to get the center of the nearest commercial/industrial complex in an hour. I can sit on my couch and collaborate with colleagues around the world. I can sell on demand products from a facebook page and purchase supplies while I'm hiking through the mountains. If I ever do need to do a face-to-face, transport networks are such that I can do an overnight trip, secure a contract and be back home by lunchtime.

So is it time to de-urbanise? living in smaller rural communities with small organised commercial/manufacturing hubs where needed.
Spreading the dense populations of cities out further through rural landscape would reduce stress, pollution and crime. A return to more rural communities with the added bonus of modern green technology is something I enjoy now

but how about you? is there anything that cities provide that can't be enjoyed while living in an organised thriving rural community?

Fuck no. Investment in public transport, specifically rail transport, and the densification of cities needs to happen. Suburbs should’ve never been built and should be depopulated in favor of denser cities. Cars should be relegated to last-mile transport and made auxiliary to rail transport, which should be given priority as they are objectively the best mode of transport.

t. going into urban planning

[Northwest Slobovia]

People don't want to live in cities. What people want is money, which you can find in cities. People didn't ever historically or nowadays go to cities because they just liked the city aesthetic, they went to the city to get a job. Cities have always been dirty, crime filled, and cramped and they aren't a suitable environment for a species of apes.

I find your lack of facts disturbing.

[Sagarmatha]

Look at all these urbanites begging to be enslaved by the whims of the government. Good grief.

[Christian Confederation]

Oh, look, it’s the transcendentalists.

No more traditionalist, like the Amish but I enjoy and use technology.

[Thermodolia]

I’ve driven through some pretty rural towns dude. It’s not like I don’t know they exist. What they where describing sounds a lot like Valdosta, Georgia.

Which is more of a college town than a city with suburban sprawl

No outside of hahira just over the cook line, but that general area cook loundes area.

You’re still just outside of Valdosta though.

I’m in Gwinnett County in the Northern part of the state

[San Lumen]

I'm literally not responding to another one of your posts until you go address the legitimate criticisms I've made of consumerist culture and hypercapitalism.

What do you mean by consumerist culture and hypercapitalism?

There is less opportunity in small towns and rural communities. What do you want to decentralize business and have Ralph Lauren for example have branch offices in every region of every state? Thats simply not practical.

Plus there is also economics of retail. Its not going to be profitable for Torneau to open a store in a small town in Missouri.

[Novus America]

^This. I don't think city people understand how much purchasing power there is in the country for land and property.

I do. But then again Atlanta Metro is so spread out that it you have to understand the purchasing power. For example I’m still in the metro area and yet I’m a good 30 miles from downtown Atlanta

Atlanta really needs commuter rail.
And it was literally built as a railroad junction and still is one for freight rail.
So it is perfectly suited for it.

[San Lumen]

Yes. City life is bad for the human psyche. Perhaps we can get rid of some of that technology as well.

and what are you going to to do move all those people to rural areas and cut down majestic forests and pave over wetlands?

[San Lumen]

No we dont need to destroy forests and other natural areas to build cookie cutter housing and strip malls.

That’s suburban/urban not rural. Have you actually ever been to a rural town before?

Yes my aunt and uncle live in one in upstate New York