Context is the information necessary to correctly interpret a word or phrase that could otherwise be interpreted in a number of different ways. Without context, the speaker appears to be simply saying that New York is a bad place to live for everybody. When the context is supplied, it's clear that the speaker is only saying that New York is a bad choice for people who prefer small towns. That's why it's unfair to quote someone out of context--to repeat something the person says without enough information to prevent readers or listeners from misunderstanding the true meaning of the quote