Worlds Apart

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate April 2001

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Worlds Apart Many people often wonder about the advantages and disadvantages of having a different life. There will always be people who would like to trade their high-rise condo for a spacious ranch in the country and those who would love to leave their quiet rural homes and live in the densely populated city. Although there is a chasm of difference between urban and rural life, there are many similarities that are never considered while comparing the two.

Rural life is often thought of as less privileged. Many people believe that you have to haul your own water, and work the land. However this is hardly the case. Many people that live in the country have most of the advancements that people in the city have. Water flows freely from the faucet, food can be purchased from a grocery store, and electricity is present in most homes. The differences are not among the ends, but the means.

Water may be from a well and not the city, and the grocery store may be thirty miles away, but the end product is still the same result.

There is also a great deal of cultural differences between urban and rural life. Many things that are more widely accepted in either society may not be in the presence of the other party. Different rituals and practices performed in the country would be disrespected in the city. The way people dress is also very different, although many of the trends are beginning to combine. So-called "street smarts" are also a large issue. There are many different things to watch out for in the country than in the city. The demeanor of most people is different. The activities of the people, while it would seem different have similarities too. People in the country watch just as much T.V. and go to just as many malls and movies as people in the city, while also attending rodeos and other western events.

One of the largest differences in urban and rural life is the possessions that people enjoy. Vehicles, for example, are a large part. Although it is thought that every person in the country drives a pick-up truck, in reality many people living in rural areas enjoy driving sports cars or luxury vehicles. It is often easy to spot a BMW, Mustang, or even a Mercedes driving down a country road. Satellites have become very large in the country just as in the city. People living in the country love to spend there free time sitting in front of the television watching shows and movies just as most Americans do. Appliances such as the microwave, electric stove, and dishwasher are common in the rural houses of today. Of course, you seldom see a tractor or a barn in the city. Nor would you find much of the livestock that is found in the country.

In comparing and contrasting urban and rural life, the conclusion of course stands that they are different. It would be impossible to think otherwise about them. However, the fact still remains that, although they have many differences regarding possessions, pass-times, and privileges, People living in rural areas see just as many movies, use just as many luxuries, and order just as many satellite channels as the average suburbanite.