Benefits and disadvantages of urban growth in large cities

Growing up in a Large City

The world is becoming increasingly urbanized, with more than half the world's people already living it cities. By 2030, 60% of the world's people will live in cities, in contrast to 30% in 1950 (World Bank, 2010). With this increased urbanization come a number of benefits to people, but this high degree of urbanization also comes with drawbacks as well. For children growing up in cities in particular there are distinct advantages and disadvantages. Overall, however, growing up in cities is a generally beneficial experience, especially in comparison with growing up in a suburban community.

One of the biggest advantages of growing up in a city is that it prepares one for modern living. With the world becoming increasingly urbanized, it is important for people to become functional in an urban environment. City living has a distinct pace and feel, so it is essential that children become acclimated to this at an early age, given the importance of urban living in the future. In addition to the pace and rhythm of city life, there are other key elements that a child should be exposed to, including multiculturalism, progressive thought and creativity. While none of these things can be said to be exclusively urban, there is little doubt that each is more highly correlated with urban living than with suburban or small town/rural living.

The world is becoming more multicultural. There are a number of factors driving this trend, including advances in transportation and communication, as well as a glut of people in the world combined with economic migration. It is essential for a child growing today to be able to deal with people of all different cultures and religions. Child development specialists highlight the need for children to able to adapt to the differences they notice in others (Franklin, 1999). The high density of urban populations and the role that cities play as a magnet for immigrants means that children will gain a much greater degree of exposure to multiculturalism if they are raised in an urban environment, ultimately making them more prepared for the multicultural world in which we exist.

Cities are also magnet for creative individuals and progressive thought. The latter is influenced by the pace of change and city-dwellers' historic tolerance for those who live outside social norms. The former is driven as well by urban tolerance and the wealth of outlets for creative works -- creatives have more opportunity to make a living at their chosen passion in cities because they have access to other creatives and to customers. Both creativity and progressive thought are core values of the liberalist system, founded on the works of Hobbes, Adam Smith and others, that dominates the political and economic world today. Exposure to these values is essential for a child to not only realize his or her potential but to function effectively in a world built on this value system. The lack of stimulation in suburbia and the lack of outside ideas in rural regions means that those areas are less able to prepare children for a world in which creativity and progressive thought flourishes. Ill-prepared children will ultimately fail to be able to address the challenges that our planet and species will face in the 21st century. These challenges need to be met with creative, progressive thought, and cities are the best place to become exposed to such thought.

There are disadvantages, however, to urban living. The pace is intense, and this results in a number of issues. Pollution can be worse. There are cities where pollution levels are low due to geographic factors (Miami and Vancouver spring to mind) but for the most part, cities are higher in pollution than are rural areas. Cities are also ultimately unsustainable, because they lack capacity for food production. Too much urbanization may ultimately result in city-dwellers lacking essential food items should food at any point become scarce as the result of our rapidly increasing population.

The intensity of urban life also takes a toll on health. Humans are generally not well adapted to the rigors of modern urban living, as only 3% of us lived in cities in 1800. With only a few generations in which to adapt, we have yet to do so fully. One consequence is that the city has a negative impact on our brains, including our memory and our self-control. Cities can, in effect, dull over thinking over the long run (Lehrer, 2009).

Another downside of urban life is the high costs. Cities are expensive and while to some extent wages are higher, this does not hold for all workers. Cities around the world see some of the greatest degrees of wealth inequity. Some of the consequences of this are smaller living spaces (tiny in the most developed cities), decreased privacy, decreased ability to relax, increased incidence of disease and the potential for increased crime as well (Frontier Psychiatrist, 2009). All told, the intensity of city life extends to the negative attributes as well as the positive -- urban living remains a risk-reward, cost-benefit proposition. For some, growing up the city will be a negative experience, characterized by exposure to the more negative elements rather than the positive ones.

Social bonds are often also looser in cities, creating an atmosphere of ennui and disassociation that serves to lower happiness and increase risk levels for people at risk. Life in many urban settings can result in a decreased ability to relate to others, increases in loneliness and dissatisfaction and a decreased ability to retain long-term relationships either romantically or even with family.

Many people have reservations about raising their children in a large city. Yet, the same problems that they feel they will face in the city are prevalent in other areas too. Suburban areas are subject to crime, but do not offer outlets for positive creative energy. They certainly do not encourage social interaction. Rural areas have their merits socially and mentally, but do not prepare our children for a face-paced urban and multicultural world.