James Altucher on the exodus from mega-cities and decentralization of opportunity

It's not like every city with 400,000 people are leaving.  Some cities, real estate is insane.  Real estate is going through the roof in some second and third tier cities.  People are buying houses sight unseen for 50% higher than listing price...  It's a scary trend, but the optimistic thing is that, for the first time ever, opportunity is now dispersed throughout the country.  It's decentralized.  It's no longer just in New York City, LA, San Francisco.  You could be a young person and find success anywhere now.  We all got comfortable communicating remotely and a lot of talented and skilled people are leaving the major cities, but particularly New York City, unfortunately.

~ James Altucher, "The Death Knell of the Urban Era," RealVision, 7:55 mark, September 17, 2020

James Altucher on the death of New York City

OK, OK, but NYC always comes back... 

Yes, it does. I lived three blocks from Ground Zero on 9/11. Downtown, where I lived, was destroyed, but it came roaring back within two years. Such sadness and hardship — and then, quickly, that area became the most attractive area in New York. 

And in 2008 and 2009, there was much suffering during the Great Recession, and again much hardship, but things came roaring back. 

But this time it’s different. You’re never supposed to say that, but this time it’s true. 

If you believe this time is no different, that NYC is resilient — I really hope you’re right.

I don’t benefit from saying any of this. I love NYC. I was born there. I’ve lived there forever. I STILL live there. I love everything about NYC. I want 2019 back. 

But this time it’s different. 

One reason: bandwidth.

~ James Altucher, "New York City is dead forever," New York Post, August 17, 2020

Altucher meets Henry Winkler at his comedy club
(before coronavirus)