City Mouse, Country Mouse

To live in the countryside is one thing, to live in a city another. To live in the suburbs is nearly no life at all.

I heard recently that - as near as anyone can tell - half the world's population now lives in cities. In the whole of human history this has never before been the case.

But this is only half the story. What percentage live in the suburbs? Rural populations being in decline, and formerly rural arteries and enclaves emerging as strip suburbs, speclative estates and infill development, what hope remains for genuine community?

Seemingly not a lot. To a large extent it has gradually bankrupted itself clinging to outmoded prejudice and embracing reactionary rhetoric, and so deserves a good shaking up. But not extinction.

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