Born and raised in the city, I often wonder how different my life would be had I been raised in the country. Imagine having to choose to reside in one place for the rest of your life. Which would you opt for? Some people would argue that the hyperactive lifestyle that a big city has to offer has more benefits. However, others would contend that the calm and peaceful environment of the countryside is much more rewarding. Several people move from the city to a farm to get away from the hustle and bustle. Likewise, farmers have traded in their tractors and animals to live a fast paced city life. Of course, not all large cities are the same nor are all of the places in the country identical. Realizing this, ten years ago, I decided to hang up the city life in Indiana to pursue a more laid back approach to life in rural Tennessee. Certainly, both city life and life in the country have their benefits, but they also have distinguishable differences.
Working environments, for instance, vary among people who live in the cities and those in the country. Large cities are exploding with state-of-the-art skyscrapers, high-rise office buildings and banks that block the light of day, creating an oppressive aura of concrete and shadows, yet, jobs for the city man or woman are plentiful. However, city dwellers generally have a commute to downtown areas, sometimes a long, arduous and congested jaunt. Albeit, jobs are more plentiful in a city setting, but the fast paced working environment, traffic and the dim, grassless atmosphere in the city can cause great displeasure. Some would dispute, though, that it would be easier to get another job because the market is higher. Although I agree the job market is greater in the city, li...
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...uiescent atmosphere, the crime rate in the country is lower. As a matter of fact, unlike homeowners in the country, a city man would never consider locking the doors as optional.
So whether it is the crazy, energized, stress-filled life of living in the city you prefer or the laid-back, relaxed way of life the country has to offer, both have their advantages. The choice is dependent on what is important to each individual. I have many fond memories of living in the city during the first part of my life; however, it is the move to the countryside that has more of an impact on my life. Industrial employment opportunities were greater in the city and extracurricular activities were in abundance, nonetheless, I prefer to treasure the slower paced life in the country, the kindness of friends and neighbors I have here, and the down-home flavor of rural living.
In the passage “The Heartland and the Rural Youth Exodus”, the authors Carr and Kefalas both describe the different changes that happen to the youth. They depict the issues that arise when the youth leaves in search of bigger things that are outside of the small towns. Throughout the article, the issues of change in small towns is addressed and emphasized as a catastrophe for the future of these towns. The talk about the youth and towns fading away is not the only thing one thinks about when reading this article. The youth are not the only people being affected; the older generation parents of the youth are having to face the biggest change because they have the option of leaving or staying. This change can
Small towns, quaint and charming, ideally picturesque for a small family to grow up in with a white picket fence paired up with the mother, father and the 2.5 children. What happens when that serene local town, exuberantly bustling with business, progressively loses the aspects that kept it alive? The youth, boisterous and effervescent, grew up surrounded by the local businesses, schools and practices, but as the years wear on, living in that small town years down the road slowly grew to be less appealing. In The Heartland and the Rural Youth Exodus by Patrick J. Carr and Maria Kefalas equally argue that “small towns play an unwitting part in their own decline (Carr and Kefalas 33) when they forget to remember the “untapped resource of the
While early 20th century America was an era of great economic advancement and material wealth, the prevalent growth in industry had a profound impact on small, rural communities. An expanding upper class did not signify prosperity for all. Those who were unable to rise in society were left behind, forced to live under harsh environmental conditions as factories polluted rural towns. As detailed by Nick while accompanying Tom to the city one
Transportation appears to be a consistent barrier to obtaining and securing full time employment within the city and outside of the city limits. Richmond households have access to limited bus service routes and 18% of residents report that they do not own private transportation such as a vehicle (Poverty Commission, 2013). In order to secure a good paying job, one must be able to get to work. Not having reliable and adequate transportation is a major barrier that prevents many city residents from being self sufficient. Employment that is secured must be organized according to bus schedules that often do not mesh well with work hours. Employers will often choose to hire employees that do not have these barriers. Access to employers that are willing to pay a living wage seems to be limited for city of Richmond residents as this barrier appears to secure their spot in public housing. Contrary to...
Following the end of the Second World War and the return of the troops from abroad, many of the young men got jobs in corporate America, married and started to have children. They found themselves tired of the noise, grime, and danger they saw as defining aspects of urban living, but still wanting to enjoy the convenience and culture. The new families began to move to the suburbs in a mass exodus from urban centers. There, they could send their children to good schools, surround themselves with other parents, involved themselves in the children’s upraising, but also feel safe letting them play alone. However, none of these were the defining factors of the suburbs. Suburbia does not call to mind images of education, or playgrounds, or cocktail
The world is increasingly dominated by movement of people, images and information. People now examine the nature of mobility in the era of globalisation and what this means for our sense of place. You do not need a degree in economics to see that wages are too low and rents too high”(127). Barbara has a car so that she can drive to her workplace and save the time from waiting for public transportation, and she can also go to different cities whenever she is free.
When I was 13, my family bought a farm in Monkey's Elbow, Kentucky. I had been use to the fast pace of the city I had lived in , Frankfort. I had thought transitioning from a city to more of a rural area wouldn’t have a big affect on me, but it did, a major one. In the late summer of 2012 my family bought the farm i now live on located along highway 146. The trips between our houses were unbearable. Lasting around three hours each from the farm to Frankfort several times a day.
Who hasn’t seen the critical examples of overpopulation that are always depicted with large cities, tall buildings and many people? It is a common thought that cities are the cause of air pollution and are in no way thought of to be sustainable or as having a smaller footprint than those residing in rural zones. Yet, this chapter shows that the criticisms have no bearing when it comes to cities and rather, cities are better in terms of stronger economies, those who live in cities have smaller families, and the more the city is developed the lower the level of poverty (unlike rural areas which shows to have a higher level of poverty). The misconception that cities are actually overusing resources and contributing to environmental degradation is not the case. The chapter cites that this is not so, it is rather “industries and commercial and industrial enterprises (or corporations) and middle and upper income groups with high consumption lifestyles.” (56) These wealthier people who want to live more luxuriously, often live on acres of land with multiple cars, thus do not often reside in the city. The chapter continues to list the positive roles of cities, for example, “lower costs per household and per enterprise for the provision of piped, treated water supplies…collection and disposal of human wastes.” (56) Another positive is the efficient use from recycled waste, also a smaller demand for land relative to the population in cities. The fourth advantage is listed as more efficient heating techniques, and fifthly, a greater use of public transportation. The rich culture found in cities is also cited in the chapter. It concludes with the need for “good governance,” whereby the goals are met and cost is not past onto others, without it the cities are left to be sources of pollution, sickness, and waste
The Suburbanization of the United States. New York. Oxford University Press, 1985. Lemann, Nicholas. The.. The Promised Land.
In believing that “today’s cities play a different economic role than they did in the past,” Kotkin argues that “At best, Jacobs’s compelling portrait from 1961 is something of an anachronism,” meaning that her lessons are out of place in the current era (Kotkin). Kotkin pulls in details from researcher Gary Evans saying, “Families in urban apartments today… generally have far weaker networks of neighbors than their suburban counterpart, a generally more stressful home life, and significantly less ‘social support’” (Kotkin). Kotkin further implies that Jacobs is outdated when quoting her mentioning how suburbs are not a good place to bring up children (Kotkin). Today the general consensus is that cities are not a safe place to raise a family and that the city is just as stepping stone towards career advancement that will eventually lead a person to a domesticated suburbia lifestyle (Kotkin). “Jacobs… instinctively hated where families were in fact headed: the suburbs” claiming that “neighborhoods like her own... [were] ideal places where locals watched out for each other” (Kotkin). Many families flee cities in hopes of finding a safer community for their children. “[I]n 2011 children 5-14 constitute about seven percent in core districts… [which is] roughly half the level
Living and growing up in a small town is better than doing so in a big city.
Susan S. Fainstein, Scott Campbell. 2003. Readings in Urban Theory. Second Edition. Oxford, UK: Blackwell.
One major issue affecting many people trying to make the decision on where to live is their quality of life in either extreme. Health, education, transportation are three major concerns that many consider. In a city, pollution surrounds you wherever you step whether on the streets of a busy financial district or on the lawn of a large park. Pollution could possibly cause health problems later in life. In the country, pollution is scarce. Fresh air, rolling green hills, a few pieces of litter here and there but pretty much everything is clean, and wow! No smog, you can see the stars! In the country, childhood education, kindergarten through twelfth grade, is significantly better than in a large city; smaller class sizes and larger budgets create excellent learning environments. In cities, public schools are often plagued with very large classes packed into small spaces. Teachers with low pay, and little or no dedication are thrown into classrooms to teach, resulting in poor education. Transportation is very accessible in city environments. Public transportation, by way of subways, busses and ferries, are cheap and easy ways of getting around a metropolis, whether going out to work, school, or for a night on the town. In the country, everyone needs to have access to his or her own vehicle. A commute to work or school is about an average of forty-five minutes!
There are numerous differences between living in a small town or a big city. Small towns and big cities each have their unique advantages and disadvantages. Where a person grows up plays an integral part in shaping their personality. And, sometimes a person’s personality can have a great impact on their preference of where to live. Preferring a small town or big city is a very individual matter. Different people have different reasons for favoring one over the other. Personally, and admitting that my views are shaped by my personal experiences, I believe the advantages of growing up in a small town – as long as that small town is in reasonably close proximity to a decent sized city.
One of the significant differences I noticed is the social opportunities that are not feasible in the countryside towns. Many people prefer big city life because of the opportunities they see in the cities. People living in cities find jobs easily because of the corporations and industries. Cities have more competition which sometimes leads to a low cost of living. The other factors that contribute to the low cost of living in the cities are easy transportation, generic job availabilities, and other benefits provided by the government. Because of the low transportation facilities, and less job availabilities, country people experience high cost ...