[untog]

When I think of California, I think of the beautiful outdoors and geography...

Which an office park isn't, either.

Of course the outdoors and mountains are very attractive but they're not a viable workplace. While many of your city complaints are valid, it's not as if the suburbs solves all of them.

"There is no parking available for friends visiting me."

Sure, and if you live in the suburbs there is plenty of parking but nothing to do.

[sosborn]

>Sure, and if you live in the suburbs there is plenty of parking but nothing to do.

It all depends on the person. When I was younger I enjoyed city life, but now that I am older and have kids I prefer hanging out with them at the park near my suburban dwelling.

The city offers certain people plenty to do, and the suburbs offers other people plenty to do. Finding out which one appeals to you and getting there is one of the tricks to enjoying life.

[astrocyte]

100% agreed. That being said, there are larger trends beyond an individual. Dominant ideology exists beyond my experience and your experience. When I was younger, I had a blast in SF. I wanted to be seen. I wanted to be discovered. I wanted to discover. Then you find out the truth and grow beyond it.

Some generations grow up believing they need to be in the city .. Some generations grow up believing the city offers nothing but noise. A more external generation loves the idea of a dense city. A more internal generation sees it as a chaotic detraction. This sets the tone beyond our anecdotes. Right now the tone is : external (city). This larger trend will change. It already has been demonstrated by the huge suburban dwellings that built en masse and the multiple generations who grew up in them w/ no desire for the city. I developed lasting relationships .. What did I do as a kid in the suburbs? LOL, I got an education and enjoyed an innocent and beautiful childhood. College/20's .. I enjoyed the city but never frothed over it (I was part of the suburban generation). There's a new wave that feels that no life exists beyond the city ... It's a cycle.. A trend ..

[astrocyte]

Taking the bay area as an example, living further towards south bay allows me to shoot out to the outdoors much quicker than being in the city. Office park? When I'm at work, I want to be focused on my work .. Not distracted by the noise of a city.

As for the city, when I want to go there and enjoy something in particular, that's what I do. You can list off every music venue, club, restaurant, cultural event, park event in the city .. I've probably been to the majority of them. It's called getting off your bum, and going to where you want to be. I can jump on 280 and can get to many places in the city (40-45 min) a lot faster than my friends who live in it.

Weekend in the city? Jump on BART and go explore. Bike around the city? Jump on BART and bike around the city. Uber/public transportation are there for me just like it is for people in the city.

The thing is : When i want peace and quiet I can get it. When I want to focus in my own space, I can have it....

The noise/chaos is attractive when you're young and have not found your own sound. When you have, the city becomes a lot less attractive. More interestingly, the city doesn't necessarily help you find yourself any faster.

[untog]

The noise/chaos is attractive when you're young and have not found your own sound. When you have, the city becomes a lot less attractive. More interestingly, the city doesn't necessarily help you find yourself any faster.

Absolutes like this don't really help. That may be true for you, but it isn't for all of us.

[dasmoth]

Of course the outdoors and mountains are very attractive but they're not a viable workplace. While many of your city complaints are valid, it's not as if the suburbs solves all of them.

Given all the technology that supports remote working, it's a terrible shame that we still take this for granted.