Howdy Partners 🤠,
Growing up, my friends and I would take sides in rap beefs.
Recently, I've noticed a different type of beef brewing.
People vs. Cities.
James Altucher recently wrote a piece entitled NYC IS DEAD FOREVER. HERE'S WHY.
It didn’t take long before Jerry Seinfeld slapped him with this retort: So You Think New York Is 'Dead.'
The same type of thing is happening with San Francisco.
Here's the founder of Opendoor on Twitter:
However, I’ve noticed that it’s mostly people over the age of 35 that are attacking cities— NYC, LA, Chicago, and SF are all fair game.
"Why would you want to live in a filthy city?"
"Wouldn't you prefer to work from a cabin in Montana? The air is so much cleaner there."
"San Francisco is so expensive!"
I manage a team of 20-somethings, and a lot of them are moving to cities, including San Francisco.
Despite all of the problems plaguing our cities, they still have a lot to offer young people. They're filled with inspiration and enthusiasm.
The architecture. The street art. The hustle and bustle. The potential and unbridled possibilities.
Cities also teach you that life isn't all rainbows and sunshine. You're forced to look at our most significant problems right in the face: inequality, homelessness, violence.
Sure, you could read about all of these things online or experience them in VR, but it's not the same.
There’s a stark difference in experiencing something first hand.
For example, as humans, we’re wired to seek eye contact to help us discern friend from foe and strengthen our bonds.
But, have you noticed that you rarely look people in the eyes anymore while you're talking to them?
This hit me the other day.
I'm on Zoom all day, yet I never make eye contact with others. We're all looking off-camera when we're speaking to each other.
Looking into someone's eyes when speaking solidifies your connection. What are the long-term implications of not making eye contact? Will we drift further apart?
I don't know the answer to that question. But, I do know that when this social experiment is over, we will recognize that we lost something by moving away from hubs and relying mostly on virtual interactions.
For generations, cities have been a key growth driver, and they’ve inspired young people to create the future.
Moving to Los Angeles and then San Francisco completely changed my life. Maybe, I'm an old-school thinker, but I don't see how you can completely replicate the benefits of living in cities via Zoom.
Cities are out momentarily out of favor. But, my bet is they will be more popular than ever once we defeat COVID and comprehend the limitations of virtual interactions.
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Bardia