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Comment by zkmon | Hacker News Reader

There were reasons for the contrast with Western world. Safety and risk aversion is a major reason. City living means we don't know what the other person on the road is thinking. This was not the case in small villages or tribal settlements. Everyone knows about every move of the others. The whole community is like a single creature with many arms.

The other reason is, prosperity means more affordability to avoid risk and seek comfort. There is no need to take risk, develop, fight for survival or grow up with friction.

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> City living means we don't know what the other person on the road is thinking.

Usually something like "I hope I'm not late for my job" or "The weather is shit today". Other people aren't that scary.

"I how I'm not late" is a bad mix when operating heavy machinery like a car around places where children are supposed to be able to walk safely.

A lot of people do think that other people are scary.

The UK has got to the point where a lot of people think parents cannot be trusted with their kids (in an IRL discussion multiple people supported the Online Safety Act on the grounds most parents will let their kids watch porn) let along strangers.

To be fair, combine "I hope I'm not late for my job" with a 2.5 ton wheeled death machine, and it's pretty scary even without bad intent.

> City living means we don't know what the other person on the road is thinking. This was not the case in...

I'd explain it this way: City living means that we don't know the other person, and they don't know us. The affects both driver behavior - 99% of people are more careful driving around pedestrians and other drivers who they know - and our perception of driver risks. "Chris who's always lived at 3rd and Cherry" is not some random stranger, to easily stereotype as a threat. Even if we know that Chris is not a good driver. Because humans are biased to judge members of "their" social group by very different standards than non-members.

Actually, when I wrote "road" I was thinking of roads full of pedestrians. Not cars and drivers.

>Everyone knows about every move of the others.

If you read a lot of commentary on urban vs rural living, this is usually the top criticism of living in a small town. I've lived in both, and I much prefer knowing my neighbors.

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