I grew up here though this shouldn't matter. You don't need a lifetime of living here to recognize "character of the neighborhood".

If your statement is "I don't want Boston to become Manhattan", I think most wouldn't disagree with that. The downvotes reflects not a desire to turn Boston into Manhattan, but to try to stop Boston from becoming San Francisco***.

I'm seeing more and more people in my life moving out to stupidly far locations out of Boston. I bet you would just say they are just "reaching that phase of life", but that ignores my friend's words that a lot would pick something closer - if they can afford it. The only people in my life who been avoiding that so far are people-living-with-their-parents or techies - and even some of the techies moving out

What good is "preserving the neighborhood" if the people you know and care about can't afford to stay in the neighborhood?

And that's the thing with your argument. Regardless of what your claims, the results mean you're advocating to become SF. A city where the 6-figure income techies only really afford apartments reminiscent to your college years and a constantly-under-siege class of essential workers essentially winning the lottery through one of the affordable housing programs.

***It is notable that latest news that Boston has surpassed SF in rent prices. But what the news haven't cover as much is SF's rent prices has been decreasing lately rather than we finally catch up.