Paul Graham says every city whispers something to you. For New York, it's "make more money". For Cambridge, it's "become smarter".
In it, he mentions that a city's message is incredibly hard to avoid. Even when actively restraining, transcending your environment is an often useless struggle.
I highly recommend reading it.
I was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia.
Perth's message, I think, is "relax".
You see it everywhere.
The city is abundant with resources, has great beaches, not a lot of disruption and has few abnormally successful individuals to drive an ambitious culture.
When my Mum was younger, she used to say Perth is where "old people come to die". It's obvious why.
As I grow into adulthood, I start to feel less and less like I fit in here.
The town is nice for those on the chronological edges, the young and the old, but for those actively looking to make something of their lives, usually in the chronological middle, the town does not make sense.
Personally, as someone involved in tech and looking to do something great, I'm looking at San Francisco.
I write this post for two reasons. As a personal diary and a signal for others as to what's important to me.
Currently, I'm experimenting and finding what will my great work be, and where. Who knows. However what I do know, is that it will not be within Perth.