It comes from an article exploring the density of population throughout the world with a variety of interesting visual images. Take a few minutes to scroll through and digest the images in the article. Fascinating!
The vast majority of people on the planet will live out their lives in close proximity to their birthplace, with their perception of "normal" population density shaped largely by their own neighborhood. But some of us have the good fortune to travel the world, or at least to travel beyond our neighborhood. We can develop a preference for wide-open spaces or a tightly packed urban jungle based on actual experience of both.
I spent most of my youth in a "close in" suburb of Chicago, where the yards were fairly small, we could see our neighbors, and we had a real neighborhood. And I've spent the majority of my adult life in a "first ring" suburb of Minneapolis -- again, relatively small lots where we can see our neighbors but have plenty of breathing room. For me, a first-ring suburb provides optimal density and access. We're just a few minutes away from everything that a prosperous downtown has to offer -- theater, music, sports, fine dining. Those same few minutes in a different direction take us to the famous Minneapolis lakes for a brisk or leisurely morning walk. Yes, I'd like to be within easy walking distance from shopping like our kids who live in NYC and Seattle. But I do enjoy the quieter, greener suburban life.
When it comes to travel, I'm all about equal opportunity -- density in many flavors. I love visiting bustling big cities in all parts of the world, from the relatively orderly Paris or London to noisy and crowded Beijing or Buenos Aires. But I also relish the beauty, isolation and quiet of the Norwegian fjords or the blue icebergs of Antarctica. I feel very fortunate that I have the opportunity to live in an area whose density is comfortable for me while at the same time experiencing many different densities during travel adventures.
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