For context, he was speaking about living in expensive metropolitan cities, suggesting people move into less expensive places within the US, like the interior states. Ben says enough stupid shit to mock without isolating a quote from context to make it seem like he said/meant something else entirely. Hell, there’s plenty to push back on with this quote and argument even understanding what he actually meant. “Just move somewhere cheaper”. Like that’s a much easier thing to say than do. If you’re unable to afford living where you are, then you’re probably going to struggle to afford the costs of moving. Then there’s the logistics of finding work and housing wherever you move to from another state. If you don’t have money to coast on for temporary housing, gas and food, you either need a company willing to hire you and provide you assistance to move or a personal connection in the area that’ll let you crash on their couch. Your field of work may just not exist in Guthrie, Oklahoma, or wherever. Leaving metro areas may mean changing careers. And those careers may not pay anywhere near as much either. Your costs may go down, but your wages might go with it. Leaving your home city means leaving all of your support structures. Your parents, siblings, friends, peers, etc. Some people may really depend on those. Or maybe sometime depends on you specifically. Maybe your mom isn’t healthy? Maybe you have a sister dealing with addiction? Maybe they need your presence to ensure their care. There are political, legal, and health considerations in changing states. Do you have an active sex life and don’t want to be afraid that you’ll die from an unaborted ectopic pregnancy? Have a trans child? Are you not white? Then you may be more limited in suitable places to live outside of metropolitan city. This sidesteps the actual problem here, the why of it all. Why they can’t afford to live in the city they grew up in. Why is pay so bad? Why is housing so expensive? Why are groceries so expensive? But no, no. We can’t question or address those things. That’s just business baby. Free market capitalism at work. Let it ride, unregulated. Just move your ass out of the way to Hastings, Nebraska or some shit.