Many people feel the need to escape the world in which they were raised, to a world where they can find themselves. In most cases, these individuals are headed in one direction, out of a small town or rural life and into an urban environment. The reasons for this exodus are varied. Regardless of whether they had a happy home life or fractured one; whether they needed to escape a repressive community or abusive parent; or just needed to experience more than the area in which they grew up had to offer, these people sought change and were not afraid to strike out on their own to find their identity. I am one of these people.
Some would say that living in an urban area versus living in suburbia, or living in a rural environment, is simply a matter of personal preference. While I would not argue that point, there is much more that lies under the surface explanation for why we choose to live where we live. In the United States, choosing to live in the inner city or downtown is very much a lifestyle preference. My main reason for choosing Portland upon my return to the states was for its excellent public transportation system. Having lived in Montreal, with its phenomenal subway, bus and commuter rail network, I became accustomed to not relying on a vehicle. In Portland, I could continue this way of life and feel good about it knowing that I was also reducing my carbon footprint on the world. In addition, the development of ideas such as “The 20-minute neighborhood”, where building and transit is geared towards citizens living within walking distance of amenities including schools, grocery stores and restaurants, highlights the many advantages of urban living.
Choosing to live in the city instead of the suburbs, which more and more Americans are doing, is very much counter to the American Dream. Since the creation of Levittown, New York, the prototype for post-war suburban living, more than 60 years ago, tens of millions of Americans have considered it their destiny to live the dream and move to the suburbs. It is ingrained in the culture; in fact, other cultural icons, such as the car culture, sprang from the dream of home ownership and suburban living. After all, it is the car that is necessary to take you from your house in the outskirts to your job in the city, not to mention the freedom people feel on the open road. It is all part of the dream.
An unfortunate outgrowth that accompanied the rise of suburban living was “white flight” a demographic term for the trend of middle class whites fleeing the city for suburbs, presumably to get away from people who are different from them. It appears that “white flight” or something eerily similar is alive and well today. One of my co-workers told me, to my astonishment, how she continues to move farther and farther out into the suburbs, despite the high price of gas and traffic nightmares. Interestingly, it is the combination of the end of cheap fossil fuel and the mortgage/foreclosure crisis that is forcing many suburbanites back to the traditional urban environment. The sociological impact of this trend could be profound, as these folks are integrated into city living, some for the first time.
One common reaction to the downtown experience, or even Portland neighborhoods like Hawthorne, that I have heard from suburbanites is “I wish those people would go back to where they came from.” It is when I hear these comments that I am reminded of what I was looking for when I decided to live in or near downtown. I want to be in an environment where my quirkiness is lost in the sea of eccentricity; a place where I can enjoy the “parade of different” on a daily basis. Many who live in the suburbs or the country do not appreciate this aspect of city living, and their attitudes create a defensive posture among urban dwellers. On a personal level, this manifested itself in my reaction to a letter to the editor in the Oregonian in the summer of 2007. A suburban reader submitted a litany of downtown Portland “turnoffs”, including bike lanes, the trolley, light rail and street people. In my response, I refer to the character of downtown life and what mayor-elect Sam Adams promotes as the “creative capital” of our city. Portland’s urban neighborhoods have character, and those of us who live here thrive because of it. I also stated that “I will take street musicians and panhandlers any day over the soulless boulevards of suburbia, with its never-ending string of chain restaurants and stores, all of which you have to drive to because of inadequate transit.” But what bothered me most about the “downtown turnoffs” letter was the dismissive reference to street people; another case of suburbanites seeing them as “those people”, to be shunned and marginalized.
For me and my fellow urbanites, our choice of lifestyle is also grounded in what could be described as existentialism. There are those among us who find the solitude of the country or forest or mountains the right place to find their inner voice. My needs in this area are quite the opposite. How can I discover my true path If I close myself off from humanity? For me, nature is an occasional escape which provides a much needed respite for the weary mind and body. However, I believe there is a reason so many artists of every stripe live in places like New York or Paris. They need to be part of the cacophony of the masses; the tension, vibrancy and serendipitous interaction with the human animal that the city provides.
Also, the close proximity of my urban neighbors, a generally higher level of tolerance for differences and more and easier access to common meeting places, fosters a greater sense of community in the inner city neighborhoods. In Jane Jacobs’ book Dark Age Ahead, she finds the opposite to be true in suburbia. She observes “One can drive today for miles through American suburbs and never glimpse a human being on foot in a public space.” She adds, “This is a visible sign that much of North America has become bereft of communities. For communities to exist, people must encounter one another in person.” In contrast, I have seen neighbors in a Northeast district clubbing together for a community yard sale and marching en masse for a dozen or more blocks to the site. I attended a Trimet hearing and dozens of citizens from areas adjacent to downtown came to voice their concern over the proposed elimination of fareless square. It is my experience that urbanites are more likely to take advantage of their environs to form an active and engaged community.
Growing up in the country was a good experience for me. However, I sensed at a very young age that I needed more than small town and rural life had to offer. I was a city boy lost in the country. I had to break away and look for an environment where I could make the most of my divine potentialities. It is away from the familiar that we discover ourselves and find what is “home.” In my urban domicile, I have found what I need to feed my soul.
References
Jacobs, J. (2005). Dark age ahead. New York: Vintage Books
Trevett, C. (2007, July 2). Downtown delights: livability, character (Letter to the editor). The Oregonian, p. B5
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