Originally Posted by Ustwo

When in Rome.

Originally Posted by Herk

Haha, good stuff. I like it.

I say the village. I could grow my own garden, complete with my own herbs . I could play guitar and die early. I think as long as I had loved ones there, I'd love it. I'd say though, that it makes it even better that the city is right next door. I like to jump into the city, but I prefer to commonly leave it.

Originally Posted by Bees

I've been watching this thread and hoping to see a post like this one appear.
I was really inspired by will ravel's original threadstarter and the brilliant painting he led us to.

Now I have the courage to post the finished version of the poem that I started and posted way up earlier in this thread;

This city is too sterile for me
I won't live with my head in a cloud
I gladly give up creature comforts
to walk in the dirt barefoot and proud

Now happy in my new life
While the effluent of your burn out life drops
into our river I see how thoroughly cleansed to nourish our bountiful crops
Although our vibrant life lies easily in your view
Your sight is too myopic to have any kind of clue

We once worshipped cave shamen's totemic figures fired in clay
Now our women gathering the herbs create the natural way
Surrounded by our loved ones and babes in tow
How we glory in that bonfire's soothing warm glow

Agrarian state of the art
Every person doing their part

Originally Posted by tiger777

A very interesting read that is related to this somewhat although much more broad.

http://www.ed.brocku.ca/~rahul/Misc/unibomber.html

Originally Posted by echo5delta

You know, after some long thought on this, I have to say I really and truly wouldn't care where I live - convenient and modern or not - so long as I was doing something I love and surrounded by good people.

One thing I've learned in life is exactly how much I can survive without, if I really need to. I also adapt pretty well to having lots of modern and convenient things around me.

Either way is fine with me, so long as those first two conditions are met.

Originally Posted by willravel

The following link is to a brilliant painting (warning, the pic is fucking huge):
http://uploadingit.com/files/528718_...nough_2500.jpg

Here we see an amazing contrast between a hyper-futuristic metropolis and a simple agrarian village. While the message of the picture deals with pollution, it begs an entirely different question in my mind:
In which society would you rather live?

I myself am quite torn. While I recognize that the evidently simple way of life is more natural and healthy for humans, I also recognize my love of human development and see all of the great dreams of science fiction that could be. This illustrates a fundamental paradox in humanity which seeks to find balance between looking back and looking forward. I see immense benefits to each way of life and incredible drawbacks.

In the simple society one may not have access to state of the art medicine or "things", but you're surrounded by everyone you know and love. There is a fundamental disconnect with the people that you're surrounded by every day in the metropolis. You may know a few of your neighbors and people from work, but every day you walk by thousands of strangers.

What do you think?