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[Northeastmonk]

I live in the country now. Used to live in the more wealthier part of town. There's some major differences. Out there people drive around all the time. Out here we become suspicious when we see the same car drive by more than once.

I think the people who live downtown wish the art/entertainment scene was bigger than it actually is. Because I think I live in one of those cities where you could find any type of rural or outskirt part of town within the city.

Personally, very small towns. Even though they are quite reserved and respect one another. Scare me. I feel like life (as cruel as it can get) will forget me much faster living in a town with a population the size of maybe 900-2k.

 

[djtiesto]

Safe, quiet, more space, better schools, cheaper. Plus I much prefer driving to taking public transportation. I especially emphasize the "cheaper" part, since the nearest big city to me is one of the most expensive places to live on the planet. An hour drive into the city isn't a big deal for me, and there are still great amounts of food/shopping/beaches/recreational activities even out on the island.

 

[Deleted member 12837]

Other than that, please just point me to the post that proved that access to culture and diversity is even remotely close to that of cities like NYC. It's just not.

This was on the first page:

What? I live in the suburbs 15 minutes out of Boston. I'm a 4 min. walk to the train if I wanted to get in the city like I just did two weeks ago.

You don't have to live in a city to take advantage of what a city offers. Living in a suburb outside of a major city gives you convenient access to any museums, theaters, etc (the narrow set of things you're defining "culture" by) that you'd ever want to go visit. You're going to have to take the metro, a bus or some other form of public transportation to get to some of those things from your apartment in the city, so how is that different than taking a train into the city from your house in the suburbs?

In a suburb you can still walk or bike to groceries, movies, shopping, restaurants, playgrounds, basketball courts, rec centers, soccer fields...everything you mentioned in the first post. It's all just as easy to get to whether you're a child or an adult, and no car is required.

And that isn't even touching any of the advantages of the suburbs that the city can't provide at all. There are many of those that require living in the suburbs, while there are few things the city offers that require you to live in the city. You can pretty much cover all of them just by living close enough to one to make it easy to visit.

You'll probably just ignore these points though, almost all of which have been made already in the thread.

 

[CornBurrito]

Hard to make that argument these days when our culture is becoming digitized and emitted through waves of information.

And with the population growth of the past 100 years, it's hard not to be 30 minutes from a city and its benefits.

Somehow absorbing culture through the internet doesn't count... because reasons

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance?
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc?
Big venue for big stars?
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African.
Good work of street art?
Store that's sells high fashion?
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world?
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language?
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar?
A University/College?
Library?
Michelin Star Restaurant?

20-30 minutes. For most of these.

As for the others, like a Senegalese restaurant I doubt every city has one of those. Is this a "cities are da best" thread or a "NYC is the best" thread? Or are other cities not real cities?

 

[Gustav]

Somehow absorbing culture through the internet doesn't count... because reasons

Because you can't get corn burritos through the Internet.

 

[Paper Sparrow]

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance? Not near.
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc? Have.
Big venue for big stars? Not near.
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African. Not near.
Good work of street art? Have.
Store that's sells high fashion? Never looked, so don't know.
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world? Have.
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language? Have, might be because of the college.
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar? Have, though not BIG, I suppose
A University/College? Have.
Library? Have. I haven't lived anywhere that doesn't have one.
Michelin Star Restaurant? Not near.


What's the most well known band from your suburb?
Comedian?
Artist?
Fashion Designer?
Photographer?
I don't know these things, because I honestly don't care.

Etc.

I guess I have culture.

 

[The Lamp]

It's like a horror version of life. No access to shops, people, activities, bars, restaurants, hobbies, sports, etc. unless you have a car.

So?

This is particularly bad for kids.

How?

I remember getting my allowance and heading over to the deli for sweets or a comic, or whatever.. It was easy. I could walk to 2 soccer fields, one basketball court, a track and field court and 3 playgrounds. Also, parks and woods.

There are lots of suburbs where you can do this.

Suburbs are quiet, lifeless and just plain creepy. Nothing around, just infinite boredom. It's like you've already given up on life.

Please, NeoGAF, explain the appeal!

Sounds like the only thing you're thinking of are shitty suburbs.

It's simply not practical for everyone to live inside the city. Cities are expensive, gross, I have no statistics on this but I would assume they are less-safe for children, crowded, and not all the jobs are in the city.

Suburbs can be quiet, relaxed, a wonderful place to raise kids.

 

[highrider]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqr9n3vhk9s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Washington Grove
My hometown. Very interesting and peaceful place to grow up. Full of artists of all kinds. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Hope to buy a home there when I retire.

 

[CornBurrito]

Also you are shifting the goal posts from "suburbs are awful and have no culture" to "suburbs don't have as much cultural and exciting things to do as cities."

Where nobody was necessarily arguing the latter. You're essentially fighting a strawman at this point.

And yes, suburbs don't necessarily have a foreign film theater or a fancy African restaurant. Maybe the city they are near doesn't have them. Not everyone needs to do those activities to live a fulfilling life. If you do great, but stop trying to make everyone else feel bad for not being like you and not having to drown themselves in new activities every single night in order to get their next rush.

 

[thcsquad]

I grew up in the suburbs and walking to the downtown area took about 20 minutes max and it was alright. Riding my bike to a friend's house on the other side of town took about 10 minutes, could have been worse. It was also nice having a driveway to play basketball in, and a backyard. But to each his own I guess.

Most suburbs aren't like this anymore. Downtowns themselves have been replaced by strip malls, and there's no place to bike.

I didn't mind growing up there, but I didn't know what cities were like, so I just assumed everybody was dependent on cars or the anemic bus service we had. It confuses me that people think of the suburbs as freer and more independent, when you're dependent on a car and all of the bull that goes along with it.

Suburban life is the worst of both worlds. All the convenience and real human interaction of the country, and all of the natural intimacy of the city. It's not that everybody should just move to Manhattan; small cities can be great, but they have to be built for humans and not for cars, and that just doesn't happen anymore.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

It's more than racial diversity, it's social and economic diversity. You'll never meet the son of a hotdog cart owner in the suburbs. You're getting people with similar status, income and yes, race, compared to big cities like LA and NYC.

Not where I grew up. There was a ton of diversity racial-wise, as well as income-wise (low-income, middle-class, business owners, blue collar manufacturing types, etc). And this was in the 80s/90s at the time. Not all suburbs are alike.

 

[cametall]

Seems like a lot of people have some warped sense of what it's like to live in suburbs.

There's county and city transportation everywhere (buses and shuttles, city shuttles are free), almost every kind of store you need is within reasonable walking distance.

The clubs and bars downtown are packed with people who can't afford to live there so... yeah... warped view here.

 

[CitizenCope]

Yeah I hate my suburban life and home. Not sure if the picture picks up the gas grill, charcoal grill, fire pit, hot tub, built in Bocce court and stocked out door bar. My friends and I hate playing poker on that table too. Two doors down I hear kids having a horrible time and getting no culture in their in ground pool.
Is this picture too giant? I suck at the internet.

 

[The Lamp]

I'll take a calm suburb over living in somewhere like Manhattan any day of the week (especially since I lived in Brooklyn for a little while). Sometimes some people prefer not living in the same vicinity as 8 million other people and want some gatdam peace, quiet, SPACE, and disposable income and don't need to go to the museum or a super fancy restaurant every weekend to have fulfillment in life because they would rather go hiking/camping with their kids or enjoy a barbecue in their sizable backyard with their family instead of pandering to snobby city elites that think that people who don't live in a concrete jungle aren't living their life properly.

 

[Burt]

OP sounds like one of those people who's never left New York City because they've been told their whole life that it's the best place in the world and there's no reason to go anywhere else. Not saying he/she is, but it's the first thing that came to my mind.

As for the topic at hand... Schools? A yard? Noise and light pollution? Crime? Cost of living? Housing? Traffic? Of course, if you've just GOTTA walk down to the deli every day, I guess it's worth forgoing all of that. Not like there's anywhere in the country outside of cities that's within walking distance of a sandwich shop.

I didnt realize driving 15 minutes into the city was the end of the world, thanks for the heads up. Congrats on the troll thread though.

 

[Deleted member 12837]

Ok I'll bite

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance? Walking/biking distance
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc? Walking/biking distance
Big venue for big stars? Depends on how big. Either walking distance or a 20-30 minute bus ride
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African. Walking/biking distance
Good work of street art? Not sure what you would consider a "good work" of street art, but I live outside of a small city, so walking/biking distance
Store that's sells high fashion? I have no idea what you would consider "high fashion" so I can't really answer. But I could order it online, regardless.
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world? I can order this online, but there's a tea store in the mall that fits the bill, so biking-distance
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language? Walking/biking distance
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar? lol SXSW isn't really a "street fair/Fest". If you mean something like SXSW, we actually have tech-related stuff similar to that here a few times a year, and it's within walking/biking distance
A University/College? Walking/biking distance
Library? Walking/biking distance
Michelin Star Restaurant? 10-15 minute bus or car ride (a James Beard runner-up, so I assume it's a Michelin Star restaurant. Can't be bothered to look it up.)

What's the most well known band from your suburb? Ben Folds or Porter Robinson
Comedian?
Artist?
Fashion Designer?
Photographer?

I'm not going to answer the other 4 because I'm not going to bother to dig that information up online. The musicians I know because I'm interested in that sort of thing.

Etc.

The whole university thing really hurts your argument. Having access to one in my area made it easy to answer a lot of the above with very short travel times.

 

[CornBurrito]

Suburban life is the worst of both worlds. All the convenience and real human interaction of the country, and all of the natural intimacy of the city. It's not that everybody should just move to Manhattan; small cities can be great, but they have to be built for humans and not for cars, and that just doesn't happen anymore.

It is 2013. A car doesn't need to be a huge expense or inconvenience.

 

[freenudemacusers]

there are also giant music festivals that take place in the middle of ass nowhere, too.

 

[fredrancour]

Michelin-star restaurant is kind of a crappy way to describe "expensive fancy restaurant" because they only rate specific cities.


Yes this is nit-picky as hell but a friend recently became obsessed with restaurants way beyond his income level so I've learned a lot here on accident.

 

[Kalnos]

You can live in a suburb IN a city you know. Like, the neighborhood I grew up in is definitely a suburb but I could still easily walk to a couple of parks, bars, restaurants, book stores, etc in like 10 minutes (or less on a bike).

 

[sestrugen]

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance? do you go to a museum every day? every weekend? Serious question. 4-5 museums are available to me
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc? I don't go to concerts
Big venue for big stars? I don't follow big stars
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African. Why would I eat there? (Basically the same argument you are making "Why would you live there?"(
Good work of street art? I don't know what you are referring to here
Store that's sells high fashion? I can't afford expensive clothes
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world? I don't drink tea
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language? My local cineplex does this from time to time and there other ways you can get this type of media
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar? I'm not sure, I wouldn't go regardless of availability
A University/College? A couple of universities are 10-15 minutes away
Library? A couple nearby
Michelin Star Restaurant? I can't afford expensive food


Etc.

I think you are missing the point. Someone mentioned about your definition of culture and said that you were probably referring to proximity to the nearest hipster hot spot and I think they are correct.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

I'd like to live in the suburns when I get old.

 

[LordCanti]

It's always been my dream to live in a small apartment in a crime-ridden part of the city (or crime-ridden adjacent) for the price I'd pay for 2000+ square feet in the burbs.

 

[IceCold]

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance?
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc?
Big venue for big stars?
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African.
Good work of street art?
Store that's sells high fashion?
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world?
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language?
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar?
A University/College?
Library?
Michelin Star Restaurant?


What's the most well known band from your suburb?
Comedian?
Artist?
Fashion Designer?
Photographer?

Etc.

This post is hilarious. lmao.

 

[Pedrito]

It's always been my dream to live in a small apartment in a crime riddled part of the city (or crime riddled adjacent) for the price I'd pay for 2000+ square feet in the burbs.

Well think about the huge variety of teas you'd be able to sample!

 

[SillyEskimo]

Yeah I hate my suburban life and home. Not sure if the picture picks up the gas grill, charcoal grill, fire pit, hot tub, built in Bocce court and stocked out door bar. My friends and I hate playing poker on that table too. Two doors down I hear kids having a horrible time and getting no culture in their in ground pool.
Is this picture too giant? I suck at the internet.

I laughed too hard at this. Those poor unfortunate kids. The parents should be locked up for raising such uncultured swine.

 

[4th Chamber]

OP is a joke. Surely a troll or at worst a dumbass.

 

[Kite]

As a kid growing up in the suburbs I had this amazing invention called a "bike" that could get me almost everywhere I needed to go.

 

[CTE]

Lets make it easy: how far are you from the following things?

Museum that is not your local museum of natural science, that featured a major current artist or piece of significance?
Small to mid sized venue for concerts, standups etc?
Big venue for big stars?
The next Senegalese restaurant? If you can't find one, find another that's African.
Good work of street art?
Store that's sells high fashion?
Store that is specialized in selling Tea from all other the world?
Your next cinema that regularly plays foreign movies, preferably in original language?
A big street fair/Fest similar to SXSW or similar?
A University/College?
Library?
Michelin Star Restaurant?


What's the most well known band from your suburb?
Comedian?
Artist?
Fashion Designer?
Photographer?

Etc.

Oh shit. You're on a roll.

 

[CornBurrito]

As a kid growing up in the suburbs I had this amazing invention called a "bike" that could get me almost everywhere I needed to go.

Yes but could you bike to the nearest Senegalese restaurant or see some "high art" by the famous artist "The Artist formerly known as Le Pretentious Douche'"?

If not I am so sorry, but your life must have been awful. I shed a tear.

 

[freenudemacusers]

Michelin-star restaurant is kind of a crappy way to describe "expensive fancy restaurant" because they only rate specific cities.

As I mentioned earlier:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yountville,_California#Fine_dining

 

[Divvy]

This thread embarrasses me as a city dweller

 

[LordCanti]

I laughed too hard at this. Those poor unfortunate kids. The parents should be locked up for raising such uncultured swine.

Things are awful out here. We just moved into a new house and the neighbors had the nerve to bring us over a freshly baked loaf of banana-nut bread as a housewarming gift, as if this were the freaking nineteen fifties. When we were done eating it, we were forced to go out the back of our gate, past our pool, and fish in the neighborhood lake. Later, we'll set up a grill on our patio and cook various plebeian meats and vegetables. This is hell; Please send help.

 

[Moff]

many people choose to live in suburbs
many people in this thread have explained to you why
which was the apparent intention of this thread
but instead of accepting the answers you try to make them look wrong and turn this in some kind of city vs. suburb thread?
we can talk about that, sure, both have their up and down sides, but accept that many people will prefer the ups of the suburbs

 

[Loofy]

Its like this.

Suburbs

City

 

[BolognaSoup]

As a kid growing up in the suburbs I had this amazing invention called a "bike" that could get me almost everywhere I needed to go.

Lol exactly. The OP is such a massive eye roller. I had awesome deep woods behind my house to go exploring in with my friends like a strip of Calvin and Hobbes or we could play street hockey in the court or ride our bikes to the small old town area 10 minutes away to go the comic store, get some ice cream, go to the library, whatever. It was awesome. I currently love living a 30 minutes drive from the city in a house that would cost twice as much in the city itself with significantly more land and a great view of farmland and a nature preserve right behind my house. I need to go pull the mower out of my 3 car garage and mow the lawn - something I truly enjoy doing.

There are pluses and minuses to both environments. Is it so hard to understand that some people have their own tastes?

 

[Angry Fork]

You can get your own indoor pool if you have a backyard and just chill there all day without noise or eyes everywhere around you. That's basically the only likeable thing imo. For me it sort of represents the ultimate final stage of mediocrity.

But I'm someone who would spend their life traveling to many countries year in year out if I had the money. I don't like the idea of having a house/car/kids and lots of different financial responsibilities. I like public transportation, I like the fast paced feel of cities, a huge melting pot of different types of people, I like the idea of having so few possessions that I could move from where I live within an hour if I needed to.

If it's really your dream to just be able to have a house in the middle of nowhere and chill at home and not do much except have barbecues and go to little league games that's fine I just don't know how anyone can remain fulfilled by that.

 

[victreeb3l]

living in new york i cant ever imagine living anywhere beside a big city. hell i get frustrated going to parts of queens where the only public transportation available are busses.

i dont think ill ever move to the suburbs until im in my 90s when i wont ever venture outside of my house

 

[PaperFlame]

Or you would have been mugged, assaulted daily leading to a tail spin of broken relationships and drug abuse until you OD at 23....

I'll take the chance.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

lol someone doesn't live in metro atlanta

Nope, there are buses here but it usually comes down to lol, black people. Atlanta's setup is shitty otherwise. Not really conducive to getting around without a car.

 

[tkscz]

Well there are these things called buses

Around my city those barely go to the burbs. I'll stick to living in the city thank you.

Suburbs, especially gated communities, are just creepy, and tend to feel lifeless.

 

[SirButterstick]

Suburbs: never leave your home-made prison to see that city that's 20 minutes away. You know it's true.

 

[CitizenCope]

many people choose to live in suburbs
many people in this thread have explained to you why
which was the apparent intention of this thread
but instead of accepting the answers you try to make them look wrong and turn this in some kind of city vs. suburb thread?
we can talk about that, sure, both have their up and down sides, but accept that many people will prefer the ups of the suburbs

Exactly! We all have our preference but the "Why would anybody" in the title comes across bad especially when the OP ignores some good posts.

 

[The Lamp]

You can get your own indoor pool if you have a backyard and just chill there all day without noise or eyes everywhere around you. That's basically the only likeable thing imo. For me it sort of represents the ultimate final stage of mediocrity.

But I'm someone who would spend their life traveling to many countries year in year out if I had the money. I don't like the idea of having a house/car/kids and lots of different financial responsibilities. I like public transportation, I like the fast paced feel of cities, a huge melting pot of different types of people, I like the idea of having so few possessions that I could move from where I live within an hour if I needed to.

If it's really your dream to just be able to have a house in the middle of nowhere and chill at home and not do much except have barbecues and go to little league games that's fine I just don't know how anyone can remain fulfilled by that.

For the same reason some people might not understand how some people can remain fulfilled by basically being an almost homeless city nomad no stability or commitment in their lives lol. Different strokes for different folks man. Doesn't mean they're mediocre or unfulfilled.

 

[Kite]

Yes but could you bike to the nearest Senegalese restaurant or see some "high art" by the famous artist "The Artist formerly known as Le Pretentious Douche'"?

If not I am so sorry, but your life must have been awful. I shed a tear.

Just for shits and giggles I looked that stuff up, my boring suburban-living ass lives 10 miles away from the nearest Senegalese restaurant and 12 miles from the nearest fine arts gallery, not entirely unreasonable distances. And if I ever crave the city life I can spend an astonishing 35 minutes to drive to downtown Houston and smother myself in the hipster hangouts in Montrose and Rice Village area before I start feeling nauseous.

 

[neptunes]

Some people prefer the city, some people prefer the suburbs.

I lived in a suburb my entire life, I would like to live in a city for a few years. In my suburb, most people keep to themselves.

 

[LordCanti]

Suburbs: never leave your home-made prison to see that city that's 20 minutes away. You know it's true.

Any dwelling is as much a prison as you let it be. It doesn't really matter if it's in the urban core or in the suburbs if you don't leave the place.

 

[CornBurrito]

Suburbs: never leave your home-made prison to see that city that's 20 minutes away. You know it's true.

The city is just a prison with different types of entertainment. In the end, aren't we all prisoner's of life mannnnnnn?

Just for shits and giggles I looked that stuff up, my boring suburban-living ass lives 10 miles away from the nearest Senegalese restaurant and 12 miles from the nearest fine arts gallery, not entirely unreasonable distances. And if I ever crave the city life I can spend an astonishing 35 minutes to drive to downtown Houston and smother myself in the hipster hangouts in Montrose and Rice Village area before I start feeling nauseous.

A 35 minute drive? Sounds like you are a slave to your car dude.

*Has to attend fancy restaurants and art events every single weekend to keep up with his shallow and pretentious hipster friends who need to constantly latch on to the latest fads.*

 

[ATF487]

Its like this.

Suburbs


City

OP's ignorance >>> posting a picture of disney doug

 

[Raelson]

Yeah I hate my suburban life and home. Not sure if the picture picks up the gas grill, charcoal grill, fire pit, hot tub, built in Bocce court and stocked out door bar. My friends and I hate playing poker on that table too. Two doors down I hear kids having a horrible time and getting no culture in their in ground pool.
Is this picture too giant? I suck at the internet.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff61/CitCope/iPhone701_zps323119b3.jpg

You are being just as ridiculous as the people who refuse understand why people live in the suburbs. I'm pretty sure there are lots of people who don't measure their quality of life by counting their number of material possessions.

The obsession with owning things that seems to reside in a lot of Americans has always striked me as a bit weird.