Why are there cities? Well, when humans first evolved, they were mostly a society of hunter-gatherers, and were highly nomadic in nature. They had to be, because for the longest time, we were just living off what the land gave us, just like any other animal would have too. We were not in control of the land, and when the animals moved, so did people, so that they could have a food source, and avoid other hazards such as the cold, or other inhospitable climates.
When humans first figured out how to farm, the hunter-gatherer became a farmer, and was able to live off the same piece of land for the first time. As food production soared, the amount of people that could live on the land increased, as the food was able to sustain a larger population. As food surpluses were able to be created, it gave people time to do things other than farm, and allowed civilization to flourish.
The more people that a city had, the easier it was to pool resources for defense, art, law, and other activities that make a civilization flourish. The more people you had, the easier it was to specialize, and the easier it was to become a more dominant civilization. Having a centralized area for everyone to live in also made it easier for people to have access to the services they needed. In the old days, it was hard to travel, so people just came together to one spot, and a city was born.
Today, cities exist because a good city life will enhance the areas surrounding the city. Nothing draws more people to an area than the allure of a sweet night life, a lot of people to meet, and the amount of money that a big city can spend to draw big events, sports teams, and other things that add to quality of life. While most people would prefer to not live right in the city, people like to come into the city to work, and to do things that are fun.
While the role of the city is changing today, cities still exist for the mere fact that people want to be close togehter. Obviously you will not farm in a city, or manufacture a lot of things in a city, but the amount of products, shops, restaurants, and other things that a city has cannot be beat. A city is a melting pot for culture, and the more people that are in a city, the more culture that a city can draw from, and market itself as unique.
Cities always will be the marquee places in the world. The large cities are icons of culture, commerce, trade, and just being in a big city makes you feel alive. People want to be in places where they can live, work, play, and recieve vital services as well, and a city is a good place to have that all in one spot. There have always been cities, and always will be cities, and there is nothing like them.
