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Why I Prefer Informal Social Interaction Online And In Person Over Forced Friendship
It’s one reason why I think I’m going to love life in Spain
When we discuss differences between urban and suburban living, we often ignore the nuance inherent in how we socially interact with one another — (or not!) — in these places.
People like to say that they have a “love affair” with this or that. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I have had a love affair with cities — and, specifically, an active interest in the differences between urban and suburban living — for the last 25 years.
Long story short, I fell in love with cities in Boston and San Francisco in 1999 and never looked back. Since then I collected a degree in urban studies; started (but decided not to finish) a PhD in urban planning, policy and design; published academic papers in the space, presented at conferences (see page 14); and made much of what I studied and researched a persistent theme in my popular media writing ever since.
The ensuing discussions frequently compare and contrast —
- The best city neighborhoods. Think Greenwich Village in New York, Nob Hill in San Francisco or the European cities we love to — and, often, rightly — romanticize.
