The Prisons That Cities Became.

If there is one thing about moving that keeps people stuck in addition to the transportation, it is the costs. True, people can join communal households and give/sell everything, but that is simply paying for money now vs money later. In the past, there was more of an understanding that people would be moving around because savings were more plausible. However, at this point, leaving a city–let alone leaving a state–is almost a desperate feat.

First, everything costs more. The complacent individuals bleating about inflation are absolutely wrong: false scarcity and cost manipulation are the reason for rising costs. Apartments demand forwarding addresses because they insist on mailing materials instead of emailing information and/or returning electronic payments. Therefore, someone has to be both settled in their old home and their new home to make sure that everything is complete in their old home. All of this costs money, and salaries are not increasing.

Speaking of new homes, deposits and utilities have to be operational. Moreover, things have to get from one place to another. Moving without a vehicle is already difficult enough, but consider moving out of a city. New companies, new systems, and all of they have different rules. If moving to a more rural location, there may not be sufficient online services. Moving out of state? Changing licenses and registrations can be a nightmare.

Most importantly, living in a city is the most expensive, so how does one save to leave? Well, according to the dominant narrative, there is no leaving. People forfeit their choices even as cities are supposed to provide options. Thus, people are supposed to be scrambling for money while arguing with their current and future locations, and have enough money to do everything. It is extremely rational to consider people staying in cities for decades simply by being working class.

In the past, a lot of older people suggested “going where the jobs are.” Despite their uninformed opinion, people have fewer resources than ever to cross city lines, let alone country borders. Only privileged people or those willing to sacrifice health and financial stability for extended periods of time will be able to leave the prisons that cities have become.