[jajko]

That's a bit condescending on your part to judge other's lives, just because world doesn't revolve around your values doesn't mean others are wrong and their life is shit.

I for example hate places like London with moderate passion, living there I consider very low quality life and certainly prefer touch with real nature, no crowds, little to no air/noise pollution, and society being more... social, to certain point of course.

40 minute commute 2x a week is fine with me, most Londoners have way more (not from there nor GB, what I write applies to all big cities to some extent). For raising kids there is no discussion, cities mostly suck despite all benefits and many kids from there show it very clearly.

[dukeyukey]

I think you're underestimating how much of London is quite pleasant green suburbs. It's not a very dense city, especially when you get out of Zone 1 and a few adjacent places like Tower Hamlets. I grew up in a rural farming town, and there's no way I'd move back.

[jajko]

What I describe could be understood as extreme since I didn't give enough details, what you describe is opposite extreme and I understand your opinion, would probably have the same.

The golden middle path, as usually, works the best for many after certain point in life. To be more concrete - smaller villages surrounded by vineyards and wild forests, 3 min by car from highway, 20 mins from a million-sized conglomeration with tons of work, 25 min from another bigger city, 5 minutes from beautiful crystal clear 100km wide lake. Village with well-equipped kindergarten, primary and secondary school, few shops and restaurants, in middle of wineyards, on foothills of beautiful mountains, looking at the alps few tens of kms away.

Paradise to many. Expensive one of course. London can be great compared to many places (and its ranked very high on greenery lists), but sorry it doesn't even compare unless you are properly die hard city type.

[abenga]

There 's not enough earth for everyone to live the way that you want to.