Comment by lizknope
12 hours ago
The problem is that many of us have niche interests and no one local to discuss things with or get made fun of for being a nerd.
I loved maps and geography as a child and still do. I've never met anyone in real life that likes it as much as me. But on the internet there are places were I can discuss it and other people share fascinating articles, pictures, etc.
This is why cities are popular for this exact type of person. For centuries. People with niche interests move to a city, which by sheer density, have others with said interest.
Plenty of people have a reason why they can’t do it, but plenty do it and are happier for finding their community IRL.
I grew up in 2 towns in the 20K to 30K population. They were both super racist and not a lot of stuff to do.
I now live in an area with about 2.5 million people and there is far more to do and the people are more educated and open minded. I will never move back to a small town again.
Yeah except cities suck for many reasons. And for really obscure nieches where there may only be a couple hundred enthusiasts worldwide cities are not going to offer you the same forums that the internet did.