It's the Deefunk Era

“Milton Glaser, New Yorker and the graphic designer who created the iconic “I <3 New York” logo, told theVillage Voice last year, “[A New Yorker is] usually someone who, for one thing, thinks this is the only place in the world to be. Which is to say, you don’t think of the other options one would have in life.” New Yorkers, especially those who have been there for at least 10 years, the length of time Ed Koch says it takes to be a real New Yorker, aren’t surprised when people flee their city. It happens every day and for every reason: money, depression, marriage, work, boredom, school, et cetera. And yet so many New Yorkers still say to their friends who are leaving, “I just can’t imagine living anywhere else.” That is a lie, of course-they can imagine living somewhere else, and many of them have lived elsewhere. But in New York, like with “alone,” one’s definition of “living” transforms, too, and nobody else is doing it but New Yorkers.” 

- From Gawker story “I Used to Love Her, But I Had to Flee Her“ 

Interesting. I’m going on 13 years in NYC and I agree with most of what is said above. Never surprised when people leave, but also completely surprised anyone would ever leave. It’s a bizarre duality.