Introduction
Historically, big cities were always centers of commerce and economic growth, offering greater security and job opportunities. To this day, leaving the desperation of the countryside for the success of a huge metropolis is a popular trope in culture and media. Although it is common to romanticize the lifestyle of big city dwellers, living in a large urban area comes at a high cost. Metropolitan residents do indeed enjoy a tremendous amount of career and quality of life advantages; however, it is not a secret that living in big cities is often associated with a lack of meaningful interpersonal interactions.
Benefits
On the one hand, big city life offers excellent opportunities for economic growth. According to Loschiavo (2021), “urban concentration enhances productivity, which, in turn, spurs national economic growth” (p. 5). Due to their sheer massiveness, big metropolitan areas provide their inhabitants with a greater number of open vacancies and increased competitive salaries. In addition, dwellers of such cities benefit from easy access to various quality-of-life services, such as different specialty stores, pharmacies, hospitals, restaurants, and entertainment options. Massive city residents enjoy the best medical service and numerous means of mass transportation.
Disadvantages
On the other hand, big city dwellers suffer from a lack of meaningful interpersonal relationships. Loschiavo (2021) claims that “big-city dwellers are exposed to unceasing external contacts with numbers of persons that are nevertheless impersonal and transitory” (p. 10). According to his research, people in larger cities tend to create relationships to meet their needs rather than form meaningful mutual connections. Moreover, a competitive environment in areas of large economic growth contributes to the dissolution of cooperation and thus leads to increased residents’ unhappiness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, life in a big city has advantages and disadvantages. Large urban areas offer better job opportunities and easy access to the best possible medicine, transport, and leisure. However, the competitive and transitory nature of metropolises contributes to the decadence of cooperation and interpersonal relationships. Although big cities offer numerous career-related opportunities, those aspiring to move there must be prepared for lack of satisfaction in their personal life.
Reference
Loschiavo, D. (2021). Big-city life (dis) satisfaction? The effect of urban living on subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 192, 740-764.