archive.is link

I found this today going through papers and reports about the cognitive effects of nature themed stimuli. Some of these design patterns aren't within our control, but some of them are very accessible and might be interesting to folks looking to make smaller adjustments in their surroundings for mental health benefits.

archive.is link if you hit a paywall or similar.

Cross posting this because I'm interested in the discussion over here.

One thing I don't understand from rural folks who don't like urban living is the absolute need to tear down urban living. I'm urban, I have a lot of friends who are urban, nobody I know who is urban just goes out and says "Woof rural living, that's a stupid way to live. Everyone who lives that way is stupid and dumb" like how rural "small town" folks speak about us city dwellers.

I mean, I personally hated rural living. I found it limiting, there was nothing to do, it was hard to get around, and I felt like gossip was just abundant. BUT I don't tear down people for choosing that life, urban living isn't for everyone.

I guess I just don't understand why it can't go both ways. Why small town people are always demonizing city folks.

The song here just highlights all of that. They have to treat cities as crime ridden hell holes, rather than just admit they are two different ways to live.

Canonical YouTube link

But change is coming – and on a huge scale. The venerable Paris Métro is about to get its most significant upgrade in decades with the arrival of the Grand Paris Express, a new 200-kilometer (120-mile) system that will add four lines and 68 brand-new stations to the network.

These will mainly be connecting suburban towns without passing through the densely populated city of Paris – adding outer rings to an underground map of Paris that has, until now, been made of 14 lines that only reach out from the center like spokes.