Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#11

Post by lampe3 » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 6:41 PM UTC

i would never say that living in a city or outside a city would make someone more or less innovative.

You deal with different problems in and outside cities. I think a mix of both is the best you can get to get more Innovative!

When i Study i live in a 2+Million City but when i don't study i life in a village with 50+ people.

You really cant compare them both...

It's like people trying to say which programming language by benchmarks... yes go is faster then ruby in some stuff but does this only makes go better? nobody can say because it is a matter of problems to solve and taste of the human that will write the code.

just my 2 cents

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#12

Post by dominotw » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 6:48 PM UTC

qwerta wrote: post #10

I have City associated mostly with high cost of living and lower life standard. In City I would probably spend 60+ hours/week in office and on commute just to break even. Outside of City a can have big house for my family, spend 3+ hours/day on my hobbies. And even make enough savings for 1 year runway for my startup :-)

What about the environment? What about thousands of people getting killed by our government to acquire energy sources to fuel your house in the burbs?

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#13

Post by davidf18 » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 6:50 PM UTC

It also depends on the type of inhabitants in the city. Pre-war Vienna, Budapest, and Berlin were particularly innovative. Today Berlin is the most innovative city in Germany.

In the US, New York City/Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn near Manhattan are particularly innovative, again because of the type of inhabitants it attracts. San Francisco, SV, LA, Austin, Seattle, are all innovative in different ways.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#14

Post by aristidb » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 6:55 PM UTC

davidf18 wrote: post #13

It also depends on the type of inhabitants in the city. Pre-war Vienna, Budapest, and Berlin were particularly innovative. Today Berlin is the most innovative city in Germany. In the US, New York City/Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn near Manhattan are particularly innovative, again because of the type of inhabitants it attracts. San Francisco, SV, LA, Austin, Seattle, are all innovative in different ways.

Do you have evidence that Berlin is the most innovative city in Germany, or did you just derive this stunning conclusion from your gut feeling?

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#15

Post by kstrauser » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 7:10 PM UTC

"...in certain very specific areas." I grew up near quite rural areas and a certain level of mechanical innovation was expected. You need to use the power take-off on a tractor to run an irrigation pump temporarily until you can buy a new one? Break out the welder. The snow plow broke beyond reasonable repair? Break out the welder.

For further evidence, watch any TV show making fun of rednecks. You'll typically see things like an excavator used to create a waterfall for everyone to swim through, or someone fastening a lawn chair to a beefed-up, self-propelled push lawnmower to make a riding mower.

City life very well might increase innovation in certain fields. I'd posit that country life increases innovation just as much, but in different areas.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#16

Post by ScottBurson » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 7:21 PM UTC

ochekurishvili wrote: post #5

Nope. Solitude is "the #1 habit of highly creative people". http://zenhabits.net/creative-habit/ Big cities are full of noise and distractions.

Excellent collection of quotes. Thanks for the link!

It is possible to find solitude in a city, though. One has to make a point of it, but it can be done.

Also, don't overlook the #2 habit, per this same essay: participation. The mind does need raw material to chew on, and there's plenty of that in the city.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#17

Post by qwerta » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 7:32 PM UTC

dominotw wrote: post #12

qwerta wrote: post #10

I have City associated mostly with high cost of living and lower life standard. In City I would probably spend 60+ hours/week in office and on commute just to break even. Outside of City a can have big house for my family, spend 3+ hours/day on my hobbies. And even make enough savings for 1 year runway for my startup :-)

What about the environment? What about thousands of people getting killed by our government to acquire energy sources to fuel your house in the burbs?

You are barking at wrong person. I live in Ireland and drive 15 years old car. Also I doubt that large cities are powered by sunshine and rainbow.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#18

Post by dominotw » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 7:51 PM UTC

qwerta wrote: post #17

dominotw wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about the environment? What about thousands of people getting killed by our government to acquire energy sources to fuel your house in the burbs?

You are barking at wrong person. I live in Ireland and drive 15 years old car. Also I doubt that large cities are powered by sunshine and rainbow.

I am 'barking' at the person who chooses to live in the burbs. I dont care where you live or what car you drive. Has nothing to do with you.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#19

Post by ianstallings » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 7:56 PM UTC

I'm a country boy at heart, was born in coal-country appalachians. But I live in Brooklyn now and it's great for my love of software. Everyone here is a go-getter and it inspires me. I have met so many others I can work with on side projects, it becomes quite impossible to ignore everyone and it drives you forward. I've seen many idle conversations lead to great things simply through circumstance.

Re: Why Living in a City Makes You More Innovative

#20

Post by dominotw » Sun, Jun 30, 2013, 8:01 PM UTC

dominotw wrote: post #12

qwerta wrote: post #10

I have City associated mostly with high cost of living and lower life standard. In City I would probably spend 60+ hours/week in office and on commute just to break even. Outside of City a can have big house for my family, spend 3+ hours/day on my hobbies. And even make enough savings for 1 year runway for my startup :-)

What about the environment? What about thousands of people getting killed by our government to acquire energy sources to fuel your house in the burbs?

why the downvotes?