What's happening to large cities

[gregj410]

But it doesn’t produce civilization, including culture, technology and health care.

Don’t forget idiots

[Neil]

"At every turn your your mouth opens and dumb shit just comes pouring out"

I realize I don't have the virtues of wisdom and intelligence like your favorite sources of information, Rush Limbaugh and Breitbart .

[gregj410]

"At every turn your your mouth opens and dumb shit just comes pouring out"

I realize I don't have the virtues of wisdom and intelligence like your favorite sources of information, Rush Limbaugh and Breitbart .

Rush and Breibart didn’t teach me how to get the quote in the quote box

[Neil]

"Rush and Breibart didn’t teach me how to get the quote in the quote box"

Aren't you the genius? Perhaps you can also spell CAT if we spot you the C and the T? But if they taught you how to be misogynist, racist, xenophobic and mean spirited, I'm sure they would consider that a more important accomplishment since nobody does it better than they.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

But it doesn’t produce civilization, including culture, technology and health care.

Well, I'm not altogether sure about all of that........depends on what limits are self-imposed on one's definition of culture and technology....

Don’t forget idiots

Idiots are everywhere and inescapable due to unchecked breeding.

[Neil]

"depends on what limits are self-imposed on one's definition of culture and technology...."

Culture=literature, art, music, theatre, opera, etc. along with museums, historical societies, etc.

Technology=indoor plumbing, clean water, clean air, building stuff, communications, MRIs, laparoscopic equipment, toy trains, etc.

These are things that developed and are nurtured by urban development. Even early Mesopotamia had cities . Thousands of years ago. It's a pity that in this country, some rural Americans are happy to accept the gifts that urbanism has created but are terrified of cities, and need to demonize cities and their inhabitants to make themselves feel better. Talk about intolerance and small mindedness.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

"depends on what limits are self-imposed on one's definition of culture and technology...."

Culture=literature, art, music, theatre, opera, etc. along with museums, historical societies, etc.

Technology=indoor plumbing, clean water, clean air, building stuff, communications, MRIs, laparoscopic equipment, toy trains, etc.

Literature........oh, probably not Pulitzer or Nobel prize stuff, but people outside of cities do write books (I have a few 1st edition local historical books that I probably cannot replace) and quite a few have libraries.

Ok, music & art. Plenty of examples of music originating in rural settings (Bill Monroe who most attribute as the creator of Bluegrass) as well as art (think quilts, for an example or pottery (Bell pottery, maybe).....or wood working and furniture.....like maybe Schimmel eagles......or trampware.....or the chairs and rockers that were hand made down the road that are now in the Met). Some of that music and art oddly enough ends up transplanted into those museums in cities. As for museums; not limited to just being in cities. There's one right down the road from my place in PA 6 miles in a town that you'd miss except you might slow down to obey the flashing yellow light. There was another about the same distance up the road - different county. You'd not miss that town since if you did not slow down, you'd be off in the road into the creek. Both museums are maintained by the local historical societies in a rural setting where people are outnumbered by cows. Strangely enough all that music and art never stopped and continues on. Music and art do not require an urban environment.

Indoor plumbing........my grandfather built our indoor plumbing systems as did his father before him......... Building stuff.......like the home I have in PA built by hand by my grandfather along with all the out buildings made from locust post? The same home that my father rebuilt with the Amish, and then I rebuilt again with the Amish.

[rogruth]

Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?

[chuck]

Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?

It's not a possibility, it's a certainty. An urban area can't make it without raw materials like food and energy. The rural communities won't do well without the finished materials urban areas produce or the markets the urban area's provide to sell/trade their goods. Neither will truly prosper without the other unless you want to consider subsistence survival as "prospering". To look down on one group or the other is the epitome of ignorance/stupidity.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?

Of course....one only has to open their senses and mind to the possibilities and history of each.

[rogruth]

Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?

Of course....one only has to open their senses and mind to the possibilities and history of each.

Yes and the reason I was asking a question with an obvious answer.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?

Of course....one only has to open their senses and mind to the possibilities and history of each.

Yes and the reason I was asking a question with an obvious answer.

Yes, you nailed it neatly. Obvious , but perhaps not to those with closed minds.

[robert.]

It’s possible you need to limit how many rats you have in the cage. America’s cities are crumbling. From the foundation to the roof.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It’s possible you need to limit how many rats you have in the cage.

We do that. We don't do that with people,

[Neil]

"Is there a possibility that both urban and rural areas just might be important in their contributions to society and civilization?"

Of course, no argument there.

I just became weary of the persistent attempt by some to portray cities as somehow awful and a negative influence on the nation.

The vast majority of citizens live in cities, but their votes count much less than those who are contemptuous of cities and all they contribute to our society . The last time the minority attempted to dictate to the majority was 1861, and we know well that went . It's not an accident that in the last quarter century only one Republican president received a plurality of the popular vote. And that's not a good thing.