Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But, if you could work from anywhere, why wouldn't you want to be in the coolest city in the world? Large cities are like black licorice. The people who like them, really like them, but most of us think they're kind of gross.
It's more like eating meat. You need to get past major mental blocks before getting used to it. Americans start conversations with assumptions like: * We need space because all amenities must be privately owned at home * You should be able to drive everywhere * 30 minutes driving is the same as 30 minutes on transit * Street walking & biking are unsafe hobbies, not modes of transport * The average American city is a…
Yes and no. Much of the world does a better job with their cities than the U.S., and as a result there is a little more demand for that type of development.
But overall, preferences are shockingly similar across cultures.
Anywhere people have the means to afford automobiles, they tend to buy them and increasingly embrace a suburban life style, at least at an aggregate level. If you look at new construction in places like Western Europe or China, a lot of new development is very similar to what you see in the U.S., with a bit of local flavor thrown in.