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Mythical Smallville
Robert — (archived)

I've had a similar variety of experiences: Born in the city, family moved to a small town, moved to a suburb, moved to a small town again; as an adult I've lived about 50-50 in cities versus the country.

I currently live in the city, and I manage to walk a mile or two every day, and my experience is like yours: No problems, no harrassment, friendly demeanor of the other strollers and shoppers. There are a few problems living cheek-by-jowl with lots of people, such as loud stereos and raucous parties, but I don't find city life anywhere near as frightening as stereotypes would have it.

OTOH, aside from the fresh air and more natural landscape, small towns and the country have their problems. In the country, ironically enough, I didn't get out and walk nearly as much as the city, and part of the problem was neighbors with vicious dogs. A couple of attacks, and one time holding off a Rottweiler with a hunting knife, cured me of walking.

The big problems in small towns seem to come from lack of stimulation and opportunity--boredom, in other words. High rates of teen drug use and pregnancy? Of course, if there's nothing else to do, get high and screw. And fight and vandalize.

We've always tended to mythologize small towns and impose a rosy bucolic view on small town life. The mythology's been hyped in recent years by Republicans trying to drive a wedge between city and country culture, to a ridiculous degree: Red state people have all the virtue and all the values and blue state folks have none, and need the iron hand of government social regulation to force them to adopt the saintly red state values.

Bleccccch. Gag me.

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