I’ve spent much of the past several weeks introducing myself to the folks on the edge of the efforts to transform Boston into a sparkling, 24-hour, cosmopolitan city.

Many of these efforts concentrate on expanding late night transit service, allowing businesses like gyms and bars to stay open late, and investing in cultural development. Parallel efforts exist to render restrictive employment covenants unenforceable in Massachusetts (but I won’t discuss that today.)

Any city can be improved. I’m thrilled by the diversity of the community now working together to make Boston an even better place to live. There’s no such thing as too much culture. But Boston is an amazing city because of its kind soul, and that mustn’t get lost in the lights of a 3 AM MBTA train.

One thing, above all, most attracted me to Boston from New York.

Those in the innovation and finance industries here are just much friendlier than in the five boroughs. New York is the most competitive environment I have ever been a part of. That climate can be empowering & motivating for an individual or for an organization. There’s something to be said for waking up in New York City and knowing that anything could happen. But it’s not good for the sum of the parts. Innovation is stifled by fear of defeat, and people who should help each other are instead separated by disdain.

Enter nearly any sector of New York City, from finance, to art, to nightlife, and you will be met with a battery of critical and judgmental eyes. The ultimate currency is not creativity, productivity, or ability. It is access to money. If you’ve got $4400/month for a two-desk office space in Silicon Alley, or $1400 for two bottles of Kettle One on 17th and 10th, frowns turn to smiles and handshakes turn to hugs. If you don’t, then good luck.

Boston is different. My experience with the innovation community here has been marvelous. From C-level executives at billion dollar companies, to lead parters at big VC firms, to the Mayor’s chief of staff, the first words to me have been, “Welcome.” The next have been, “What can I do to help you?” This marvelous, collaborative environment, which doesn’t classify people on the basis of their connections or financing, but instead on that of their ambition and ability, is Boston’s defining advantage over other cities. It must be preserved at all costs.

New York is fun. There is no doubt about that. I have spent many nights in its nightclubs, restaurants, and elsewhere until 4 or 5 AM. The people you meet are from TV and magazines, royal families, fashion runways and radio speakers. The atmosphere can become intoxicating.

My duty is to remind us that lifestyle comes at a cost. The more bottle service nightclubs, bright lights, and never-closing businesses are invited to Boston, the greater the risk of damaging the beautiful openness of this city.

There is no reason Boston shouldn’t have 24/hour gyms. The later the transit system stays open, the better. A diversity of restaurants should be encouraged and enabled to remain open late. One should be able to order a glass of wine on a sidewalk cafe without an accompanying entree.

But we shouldn’t just fling the gates open and turn into New York, or worse, Las Vegas. Boston has a unique character, one which makes it an absolute pleasure to live and work in. We must be aware of the potentially damaging effects of stripping the city of regulation wholesale.