Recently, I’ve found myself revisiting a lot of music that I used to love.
And I’ve noticed that a lot of them tend to center around the theme of “home.”
I’ve been very fortunate in the midst of COVID; at the same time, I also recognize that the place I called “home” might not really exist in the same way ever again. And I wonder what “home” really means now in the time of COVID and who gets a stable place to call home.
I’ve also been seeing reports about trends showing that growth in large cities is slowing while small cities are growing much more quickly. One question that’s come up has been how white collar work can happen from a distance, giving more flexibility in where they’re working from, and so they’re considering living outside of cities. However, essential workers who have to physically be in their workspaces even in the pandemic don’t have that luxury.
What’s the potential that this will have for speeding up a gentrification and accelerating displacement, as small local businesses don’t get the help they need while the stock market soars and those with more capital continue to benefit?
But then, where do people go? Is the option of leaving cities for more rural or smaller areas one that’s really appealing to people of all identities? One of the appealing features of cities is their diversity, the fact that it’s easier to find people to fit in with no matter who you are.
While moving to a cheaper area is often presented as an option for reducing cost of living, there are other potential costs to that kind of move.
What does it mean for those inclusive spaces as cities become harder to live in? In an ideal world, it’d be cool if it meant that other places became more inclusive. However, right now, it feels like losing a refuge.