In the past, I have flirted with the idea of leaving NYC despite the countless good experiences I had in the city. Even then, deep down inside I felt as if it would still take something catastrophic for me to really consider it for good. After all, NYC is one of if not the few cities on the planet that offers a single guy countless options for social life and dating. You can be 35 and still live socially like a college kid would if you have a job and enough income.
For those who keep up with the news, the city passed a mandate that would have you require proof in order to eat indoors or even go to a gym. I am not going to link it but you just have to not be living under a rock as an American to realize what is going on.
I never in my life thought that politics in a city could get so bad and invasive to the point where the negativity now outweighs the good parts about the city. While I will not take a stand on the worldwide illness that has had people working from home and wrecked so many economies, this all seems fishy. The idea that a city government is forcing you to do something to your body or take away your privilege of eating at a restaurant or going to a gym, in my view, is quite asinine.
But I am not upset about that, in fact, I am left to ask what’s next.
Rumors have it that you will have to provide proof to even ride the subway which means that if you want to really get out of the city, you’ll need to have gotten the pinch. What if airlines or airports now require it? All for something which is not yet approved by the administration for food and for drugs.
Some might think I am insensitive to those in a bad physical state due to the illness and such but I get the suspicion that it is something else. I feel like an unpopular mayor with a failing legacy in his final months in leadership and aspirations of making it further in politics is doing this to appeal to one side of the spectrum. In the end, countless small businesses are being hurt and freedoms of individuals are taken away.
Meanwhile, I have noticed that a wave of people out of touch have slowly taken over parts of the culture of this city. Some of it can be blamed on tech companies importing over the nut jobs from places like San Francisco or the more sheltered youth of this city who have barely experienced real-life being more vocal. Go visit the discussion on the NYC subreddit, you’ll learn real quick how militant the pro-vaxx crowd is getting.
I have seriously started to look for newer cities to move to, at least temporarily until we get a change in leadership and get to see how that leadership is like. For the time being, it was nice knowing you NYC.
Was visiting NYC this weekend and felt those who are out of touch were all around. We have the same persona’s here in DC, which means they are everywhere. Please do not give up your fabulous museums, cultures, shopping, and delicious food until you find a similar place!!!
Unfortunately, I think this is all more politics than the well-being of the people. The ones not vaccinated tend to be black and Hispanic communities, now vaccination is practically going to be forced on them. All because politicians want power and to appease the most extreme wings of their party.
Agree with you 100%. I also thought I’d never leave (also a single millennial man), but now I’m thinking about it. My building has turned over 80% of tenants and I’m seeing many arrivals from California. Dating-wise, the pool has shrunk, shifted to the left, and quality has decreased. There aren’t as many normal women as I remember pre-2020. This proof requirement seems designed to drive anyone not with the program out of the city. I wonder how much financial damage it’ll take before anything changes. Right now, the way things are going, I’m guessing it’ll be back to normal in several years at least. If the next mayor doesn’t change course fast, I might leave in a few months.
You better leave fast if you do not want to get the jab because it will be tough to go to another state without proof of vaccination by the way things are going. I am onboard with you about everything else, the culture of NYC seems to have taken somewhat of a downturn.