Large cities represent a socio-geographical organizational scheme going back to ancient times. But what are they now in many places in the US? Urban spawl. Shitholes, filled with crime, gangs, drugs, trash, dense population, slum neighborhoods, homeless, abandoned buildings, traffic congestion, high prices, high taxes, bad schools, corrupt government, air pollution.
In ancient times, there was an advantage to close proximity of individuals, stores, etc. The original lure of US cities that spurred their growth was the factories that began being located there during the Industrial Age. In the internet age, and in a country that's moved greatly toward a service economy, the proximity is not needed nearly as much. The interaction between individuals is by email or social networks. There are some things that people need to be physically close to, eg, emergency services. But eg online retail is booming, whereas brick-and-mortar stores are fading away (Blockbuster, Borders, etc).
Look at today's US cities, particularly in the rust belt and the illegal alien belt. Lots of northern cities, nightmarish Detroit and Newark being the best (worst?) examples, exist mostly as political entities. That is, they are run by democrat political machines whose sole purpose is to get re-elected, and between elections serve as a distribution point for state and federal welfare services, pork, and patronage. Los Angeles, once a fantastic city, now exists mainly to serve the needs of its huge illegal alien population.
The country would be bettered if most of these places disappeared, and were replaced by new medium size cities and new towns. Some are so bad that I have a mental image of them being evacuated, and then a long line of bulldozers comes in, and performs "euthanasia".
In ancient times, there was an advantage to close proximity of individuals, stores, etc. The original lure of US cities that spurred their growth was the factories that began being located there during the Industrial Age. In the internet age, and in a country that's moved greatly toward a service economy, the proximity is not needed nearly as much. The interaction between individuals is by email or social networks. There are some things that people need to be physically close to, eg, emergency services. But eg online retail is booming, whereas brick-and-mortar stores are fading away (Blockbuster, Borders, etc).
Look at today's US cities, particularly in the rust belt and the illegal alien belt. Lots of northern cities, nightmarish Detroit and Newark being the best (worst?) examples, exist mostly as political entities. That is, they are run by democrat political machines whose sole purpose is to get re-elected, and between elections serve as a distribution point for state and federal welfare services, pork, and patronage. Los Angeles, once a fantastic city, now exists mainly to serve the needs of its huge illegal alien population.
The country would be bettered if most of these places disappeared, and were replaced by new medium size cities and new towns. Some are so bad that I have a mental image of them being evacuated, and then a long line of bulldozers comes in, and performs "euthanasia".
Last edited:
