Why Does Suburbia Suck?

--Jeff Speck, city planner and author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, joins David to discuss "why suburbia sucks," explaining the elements of suburbia that run counter to how human culture tends to prefer being organized.
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[@rowleyj31]

I spent 6 months living in suburbia in Southern California. Everything was chain box stores, nothing was walkable, traffic everywhere, severe lack of public transportation, and only a few genuinly nice people. With the exception of easy access to off road areas for dirt biking, worst living situtation I have been in, and I was raised on a farm, lived inner city of Seattle, and Portland as well as outer city neighborhoods.

[@jamesabestos2800]

I'm fucking stuck here to rot.

[@darkwoodmovies]

It was really worse than Seattle? That speaks volumes.

[@freedomordeath89]

@@jamesabestos2800 just move to an apartament in a city or in Europe, costs 1/100 of what suburbia costs. Sell your car and house, stop whining.

[@veganfortheflex3877]

@@freedomordeath89 1/100 of suburbia? Bruh i guess youve never been to europe, rent to salary ratios are painful

[@freedomordeath89]

@@veganfortheflex3877 I live in Europe dummy. I'm not english speaking.

[@emisillasilla1941]

It's strange hearing that other people also feel like something is off about suburbs. I remember being a young girl and going to visit my cousins who lived in a suburbia with all the beige houses that looked like clones of each other and yards looking the exact same, and saying that it gave me a weird feeling, and nobody knew what I was talking about. It definitely feels unnatural and the people are cold. That's how I saw it as a forest girl, anyhow, haha.

[@ragejinraver]

That's exactly what I go through people in Suburbia are extremely cold and close-minded people not to mention they segregate themselves . But unfortunately a lot of people especially the Baby Boomers fell for the lie of Leave It to Beaver

[@offbrand2161]

Same

[@gregkosinski2303]

I think the whole Stepford Wives thing is kind of a meme really. To me, most suburbs are off in a myriad of way that have been pointed out a million times- pseudfreeways, not walkable, nowhere to walk to anyway, ugly/shitty houses that are clones of each other, spiral neighborhoods, etc. Tasteless crap for tasteless people.

[@camthesaxman3387]

The only suburbs that look nice to live in are the ones built before WW2, and those are either expensive as hell or located in the hood with gangs and streets full of potholes.

[@markroberts6926]

@@camthesaxman3387 I like the new ones with HOAs and a community pool. Some of the worst cities in the USA were build before WW2 or the car ...Baltimore, Philly, St. Louis, New Orleans, Camden, etc.

[@name4601]

cities like paris, Madrid, and Lisbon are how all cities should be made. It saves land being so close together is good for the environment in many ways, more walkable= less cars and higher density means less land use. it also makes the city look so much beautiful too all the quaint walkable alleyways, the little shops in the windows and the beautiful architecture. this is way better instead of having to get in your car to go get a big mac and then crossing 6 lane highways where every single house and store looks the same and where parking lots are 2x the size as the actual building. it waste space and destroys the environment trough carbon emissions.

Madrid is definitely not the best example of how cities should be made. But I get your point. I live in Madrid, and living in the suburbs I don't need a car, I have it just in case

[@iknowdeweybrudda6564]

Paris smells like piss

[@luissmith576]

@@iknowdeweybrudda6564 every big city does :)

[@PlumbDrumb]

Suburbia is conducive to a suicidal mindset.

[@YapsiePresents]

Like condos.

[@japanesebitter1066]

Wait until you get to the block housing that replaces it

[@imstillw8ing]

I lived in a suburb when my parents divorced. Everything felt.. so generic. My only friend there was my next door neighbor. He was boring af.

[@yungves189]

@Christopher van Van_1230419 yep all the kids in the suburb that I live in act like they’re ghetto when they never had to work a day in their life or get good grades to get an iPhone or PlayStation. I’m originally from LA but I live in a suburb 40 mins to 1 hour away from LA and it’s completely horrible. Ion even know why anyone likes the suburbs.

[@imstillw8ing]

@Zarish Iqbal can't believe I made this comment three years ago. It feels like yesterday

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

I'm being forced to live in the suburbs for two months. It's so horribly depressing, I don't know why anyone would want to live in it by choice.

[@felixthecat2786]

I've been trapped here for three years. It's awful....I've contemplated suicide many times. The one thing that keeps me going is this idea that I will one day leave.

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

Felix The Cat then leave. Living in suburbia is a worse fate than death so move into the city.

[@felixthecat2786]

I've been saving up for years dude...What makes you think I don't want to live there?? I've been stuck in retail for years...yes one can get stuck in retail. In the burbs, your choices consists of office work and retail. There's not much else out there unless you have some kind of specialized skill. Growing up, my father worked in floor installation. Unfortunately he passed these skills onto my older brother rather than me because I'm a girl and apparently we don't do that. I have an accounting certificate and associate's degree, as well as a bachelor's. I've been applying for accounting jobs for years now. No experience or connections is basically a kiss of death in the suburbs. The problem is that there is a surplus of people and a shortage of jobs. You are competing with people all over your county who are willing to do a 90 minute commute. I see these poor fat slobs come into my store. They seem lulled by the idea of building a fairy garden for their back yard, suping up the car or going to see the latest stupid blockbuster. This week it's Spiderman...yeah they made that schlock three times and people still go to see it. What's wrong with them?? Why don't you just go rent the original and watch it with a group of friends? It would be much more social and joy inducing than spending all of your hard earned money for the week on candy, soda, popcorn, and over priced movie tickets for the family. But this is how it's done in the suburbs. 1. Eat out, 2. Go shopping, 3. Go to the movies. There's not much variety for any human being in these places. Then there's the aspect of having to drive to all of these horrible shopping strip malls. The traffic is a nightmare and you're always being run over and cut off by these assholes who are going NOWHERE. Why are they in such a hurry to get nowhere? They aren't in a hurry to get anywhere, they just don't want to be stuck on that one road. Think about this: People spend more money on automobile expenses, then they spend on their own homes. Also, I don't believe they're happy at all. People walk into my store after work with this soulless look on their faces. They seem lost, as if something is empty in their lives. Unfortunately they're unable to articulate exactly what that is. Sadly, I know what that is, but I won't say it out loud. I'll let them believe that buying a pepsi for 2 whole bucks is going to bring a second of joy into their lives. You only have one life....why on earth would you want to spend it in one place? That's what the suburbs thrive on. People buy a house, but it's for life, your WHOLE life. You're stuck paying off that nightmare mortgage for your entire life. Do you even like the neighbors or know who they are? Most people buy houses based solely on the school district and how pretty it looks. It only gets worse when you have the kids. These little terrors have no respect for their parents, no respect for any human being. It doesn't help that parents don't know how to be parents and say things like "no," "Stop doing that," and "Quiet down." God forbid we should tell them what to do...we're only adult human beings. I was stocking freight today and some little terror ran into the toy aisle and just started bouncing balls....like throwing them against the wall. What was grandma doing? Shoving my uboat of freight out of her way and generally getting in my way so she could look at garden gnomes. Because whatever grandma wanted was obviously way more important than anything I was doing at my actual job. Didn't even say "excuse me," or "sorry, but can I get by?" (like a normal human being should do!) Also little terror in the toy aisle is so special and important than grandma can't possibly discipline her and tell her to stop throwing balls at the customers. These were white, middle class people...as white middle class as it gets. It's amazing the kinds of entitled shitheads the suburbs shill out. The very concept of the suburbs breeds entitlement and disrespect for everyone's personal space. We become absorbed into our little castles and think that we can just do whatever we want. It doesn't matter if it's three in the morning and my dog is out barking all night long excessively. It doesn't matter if it's 6 am on a Saturday and I'm mowing the lawn disturbing everyone's sleep. I can blast my base on my radio so loud that it shakes peoples' walls. I can cut everyone off on the highway and nearly cause a car accident everyday because I want to get home quicker. People are just so goddamn disrespectful. There's so much more I could say about living here. I grew up in both the city and the suburbs and I know what I'm talking about when I say this place is a fucking nightmare. The people in it however, don't realize they're living in a nightmare. It's like they're in a slow motion train wreck, but since they're in the train they don't know it's crashing. It looks pretty and seems peaceful, but it's a nightmare. What you have to look forward to at the end of your life is a few years to enjoy your newly paid off mortgage and yard work you're too weak to do anymore. Maybe your kids will call you on Christmas...

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

Felix The Cat you could always take night classes or online classes and get some sort of education. What city do you live in?

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

Artruis Joew I live in the city again, it's a billion times better.

[@starkiller18]

I grew up in the suburbs and hated it. The biggest reason i hated it was i am visually impaired and can't drive so once i was old enough to work it was nearly impossible to find a job because the closest places to work where nearly a 20 minute drive away and not being able to drive it would have taken me more than an hour to get there each day in the heat and cold.

[@ari7610]

i guess it depends what city/state the suburb is in. i cant drive either bc im visualy impaired but i live in a california suburb and there are plenty of job opportunities within walking/biking distance from my apartment. what city did you move to?

[@orangeziggy599]

You are right.

[@MrGlove191]

An hour? Cry me a river.

[@devinsheridan9856]

Collectivist Misanthrope an hour of walking through knee deep snow in the winter because they don't put sidewalks everywhere sucks.

[@RevolutionaryThinking]

I lived in the suburbs below driving age and even when I was driving age I didn't have a car. It's basically a hostage situation at that point. No way in and out of anywhere without a car.

[@leighfoulkes7297]

Suburbs creep me out. You drive down one in the middle of the day and it feels like all the house are abandoned (even on the weekdays). Specially the new houses, they insanely big and it's like, how many people actually living in those things. You've no were to walk in nature, no place to shop, no playgrounds for kids, massive amounts of empty space (unless your a hoarder) and it feels like your on an deserted island with hastily cannibalistic tribes of crazy neighbors on apposing islands.

[@colin9786]

Lol people just need to stop having so many kids. Pretty soon everything that isn't farmland will be suburbia. Nobody talks about this but in 2050 there will be almost 10 billion people cuz 3x as many people are born than die. I wish people could acknowledge this and have 2 kids tops, just replace yourself or you have no right to complain about anything.

[@Mrcontrolfreak21]

@@colin9786 you don’t want to end up of like Japan and South Korea. Having more kids than adults is a good thing lol

[@Tom-xy9gb]

I live in the suburbs rn and I really hate living here. It’s really isolated and antisocial. Really separates people from interacting. So boring and nothing to do. Can’t walk somewhere interesting because it’s so wide spread and un-walkable. Can’t do nothing interesting without a car.

[@maya07_11]

but I mean there is not even a sidewalk? wow

[@Tom-xy9gb]

@@maya07_11 A lot of suburban areas dont even have side walks. You have to walk on grass or on the road.

[@mrdad-zl9zl]

@@maya07_11 you would be surprised how many suburban areas don't have sidewalks. They don't see why anyone would want or need to walk down the street

[@maya07_11]

@@mrdad-zl9zl and how do you move?

[@BalticoYT]

@@mrdad-zl9zl What's stopping you from walking on the edge of the street?

[@hissorchid]

If you grew up in the suburbs and always felt like your life or early life was empty or missing something you should listen to the album The Suburbs

[@nippytheclown8973]

The suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth.

[@matthewh2549]

-Rush

[@ragejinraver]

I was trapped in the suburbs I will never forget how the depressing it was . Living there stoled my youth

[@nulolove]

This is probably the best quote describing why so many of us hate the suburbs

[@sombapo1993]

@@ragejinraver 🤣🤣🤣

[@WarriorOfWriters]

I moved out of the suburbs of my city last year, and I never looked back. I count my lucky stars though. I managed to find a decent affordable flat in the down town of my city and the guy I rent with is awesome (apart from his tendency to fuck my friends). I can walk everywhere and there's a free bus that stops outside my apartment block every 15 minutes.

[@Awestar]

I’ve seen an American suburb before. No offense to those but it was the most depressing place I’ve ever been to in my entire life. Every single house was sealed shut with the AC’s blasting. I saw like 2 people outside and I was out there for about 1 and a half hour. I really don’t understand why there American suburbs are so deathly

[@red2theelectricboogaloo961]

cuz they're so fuckin spread out man

[@VelMa-opinion]

The key to the answer is that "sub" in the word "suburb". The suburb has the downsides of city and country without the upsides. Consider that in the suburbs services are far, but your neighbours are still so close that the neighbourhood associations control the appearance of your house and yard. They often dictate the house colours, how often and what pattern you mow your lawn, what you plant on your yard.

[@VelMa-opinion]

And the suburbs are full of nimbys!

[@VelMa-opinion]

The planning model he talks about also makes any sane mass transit system very difficult if not impossible. Might it be possible that car and oil companies have something to do with that model? I've lived in the city all my life but for about five years. I quickly grew to hate the endless hours sitting in the car. Now I haven't had a car in 15 years, and I will never get one as long as it's up to me.

[@EmpressOfCatsup]

If you live in the city, there are lots of different human-made places to visit. If you live in the middle of nowhere, there is lots of nature to visit. Suburbia has none of the good aspects of either. It is complete garbage.

[@brandonsimmons1108]

living in the suburbs has a lot of advantages the schools are typically better than inner city schools, it's typically safer in the suburbs, while they are less dedicated parks schools typically have a playground which is effectively the same thing as a park for kids. the suburbs isn't for everyone but in my opinion it is the perfect place to raise a family. and if there is a well-organized community there's lots of family-oriented events to do and don't get me wrong though the commute and needing to drive most places can be an inconvenience.

[@LucasFernandez-fk8se]

VeganVorarephile but suburbia is a 2000-5000 sq ft house that is nice on the inside and outside you don't really need to leave too much that's what video games are for

[@williamricharrd]

I live in the suburbs since i was born, im starting to hate it! Its so boring and what you are saying is totally true there is nothing. Just houses everywhere

[@marcopolo3001]

America invented the idea of suburbs, Australia followed suit in in the post war era. But quickly learnt it was a dead end. It might have felt wholesome and picturesque at the time, but now it is being converted. But now cities like Sydney have learnt from their mistakes and are now injecting huge investment in setting up regional centers that are nodes around the city around metro lines, that will promote density and grow vertically to create vibrant communities that will create jobs and good urban culture. The future is urban revitalization.

[@felixthecat2786]

It really doesn't. If I want to be in the country, I'll go to the country. If I want life, I go to the city. If I want to become a fat, lazy, consumer, I'll go waste my life in middle aged mom-land suburbia.

[@Mephistahpheles]

I moved to a small town which was "compact, diverse and walkable". Problem is, since I moved in, they paved several acres of farm land, turned it into a commuter community, and gave financial incentives for business's to move out of the old down town into the new box-store strip on the highway....now, nothing is walk able (even the new neighbourhood). Traffic is MUCH worse, accessibility is worse (even for the new homes), and there's a social divide as well (rich commuters vs. local farmers). Total disaster, imo, but made some engineers & politicians rich. The biggest irony is the farmer's market in the parking lot of the WalMart where there used to be a farm.

[@cheryljeffali8251]

Mephistahpheles it sound like Waller Co. the county next to Harris county. This is happening all over. The outlying small towns are protesting against the high speed commuter trains. I'm a homesteader that lives on the edge of the of the fastest growing city in Tx. "Katy" ....we have 11 acres raise our own livestock and grow some of our own food. This is happening because people like us want to maintain a city job yet live in the country. The problem is it eventually becomes suburbs. And I don't find much I like about the suburban lifestyle. I am fascinated with people who just took the plunge and QUIT their jobs to move off grid or way into the country. Hard to do if you dont have money saved or have extended family that relies on you.

[@Bhq870]

Cheryl Jeffali The people who are protesting this train are so counterproductive to millions of Texan’s needs. I-45 is one of the most travelled highways in the nation and also one of the most dangerous. The people in these small communities have no idea how a project like this would improve millions of Texans lives.

[@j.t1682]

Allure of big fancy houses in suburbs are soon replaced by frustration, loneliness and despair. I used to live in southern California suburb and drive 12k miles a year. A year after I moved there I had to talk to a shrink for depression and isolation. Now I lived in a major cosmopolitan city in Asia and I hardly need a car. My depression went away immediately and my social life improved 10 folds. Never going back to suburbs again. It is a death trap.

[@danhamakua9757]

What is and has ruined our suburbs and cities is shitty post war residential and commercial architecture and bad street planning..Most architects and city planners should face a judge for ruining so much of this country's landscape with their bad taste and failed design concepts.

[@matthewh2549]

Can you provide an example of the worst kind of what you were talking about?

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

Historically, the existing layout of rural road networks doesn't change much when an area becomes suburban. Local governments can not really afford the costs of land acquisition for many new roads, they just add lanes and "streamline" traffic of existing ones, and new neighborhoods just get connected to whichever ones are closest, often leaving no direct connection to other adjacent roads, neighborhoods, or business areas. The placement of streets within new neighborhoods has always been up to the developing landowners in order to make lots sellable, but the fashions have changed. Government has very little to do with how they get laid out, except for enforcing zoning laws and highway standards. This is actually a GOOD thing. The problems go back to those rural roads. In the time before cars, new development was limited by the distance people were able to travel. When convenient connections didn't exist, landowners had to build them. Grid patterns with through streets were in fashion. After cars became available, it enabled much further travel in a short amount of time, with a relatively small amount of roads serving new development spread over a large area. Nobody wants to live near these roads, nor do they want traffic in their neighborhood, so they trade off with the minor inconvenience of a neighborhood with very few entrances to main roads. But transportation planners have also increased the amount of traffic that main roads can handle at the expense of access to them. When they add lanes, they also usually take away direct access rights to adjacent property (which would slow down traffic). It is very hard and expensive to go through the bureaucracy of connecting to a road with access restrictions. It pretty much becomes a permanent barrier to changes in land use density, pushes development to less congested areas, makes alternative transportation less practical, and creates a lot of wasted space. Another problem is zoning laws like minimum lot sizes, minimum parking requirements, and building setbacks that restrict potential land use density.

[@LucasFernandez-fk8se]

actually 99% of the nice buildings in this country were built after world war 2 building before then were supper shitty looking typically and they were poorly planed back then

[@dayolddoughnuts4031]

Comments like this are just bitter people who are just jealous of suburbia in general.

[@dayolddoughnuts4031]

@@malaquiasalfaro81 sounds like you lived in the Bakersfield Ca region when you say almonds. But then again Crime is very low in suburbia. True suburbia is where people own their homes and are not full of rentals. And when I am talking suburbia, I am talking about being free and detached from your neighbors, having a private backyard, being able to have trees to trim and grass to mow. That is what almost every family truly wants. You can deny it all you want but that is reality!

[@recordkeepingandinformatio8206]

"Communism provides no creativity!" American suburbs:

[@loup9003]

American suburbs aren't a product of the free market, they're mandated by the cities government through zoning laws.

[@camthesaxman3387]

Not to mention that they are subsidized by property taxes from the denser inner city. American suburbs are socialism.

[@gmoshiro88]

As a brazilian, I had no clue about the negatives of those Suburbian model houses mainly because of Movies/TV series depictions. My general idea from the 80's and 90's depiction was of a connected neighborhood with happy families living next to eachother and kids playing outside (maybe I'm confusing Suburbia with another model). But considering some of the latest depictions I've seen about said housing models, the overall feelings I get are Emptiness, Isolation, SIlence, etc. I don't know why I didn't connect the dots before; also I never have seeing a suburbia from a bids eye's perspective. Googling it, it feels scary.

[@gustamanavo]

É um conceito muito bizarro de "paraíso construído pelo homem"

[@gmoshiro88]

@@gustamanavo Eu acho que é mais um caso de uma reação inesperada após uma ação com as melhores intenções do mundo. Mas são com erros que vem os acertos.

[@katherinehague5053]

O subúrbios são como a cidade de Brasília - vazia/sem alma. Sou americana e quando visitei a cidade me lembrou dos subúrbios do meu país.

[@petitio_principii]

@@katherinehague5053 provavelmente nenhum subúrbio americano tem tanta corrupção por metro quadrado quanto Brasília.

[@petitio_principii]

Também acho estranho, para mim, a imagem de "subúrbios americanos" era algo como na série "anos incríveis" ("wonder years") ou algo como 90% dos filmes onde tinha algum personagem principal que ainda vivesse com os pais, onde geralmente sair de lá não era a primeira preocupação, ao menos nos filmes que me lembro.

[@Ocyla]

I would love to not need cars, that's for sure.

[@iamcleaver6854]

Does everyone in America drive? Are there people who never bother to get a driving license?

[@Ocyla]

@@iamcleaver6854 Unless you live in a city where you can get around with public transportation, yes, nearly everyone drives. In a lot of areas there is NO public transportation, at all. And you can't bike 50 miles to work every day.

[@iamcleaver6854]

@@Ocyla That sounds auful. I can't imagine living like that

[@mrdad-zl9zl]

The only upside I found to living in an unwalkable suburban area was when I would get hungry for snacks it was too inconvenient to go get them so I didn't. When I moved to a walkable place I could go and get snacks when ever I wanted so I gained weight. When people say they want to avoid the city to avoid people it's weird to me because in suburban areas people watch you way more. I like the city to avoid being watched and monitored by everyone.

[@orangeziggy599]

There is no "neighborhood idea" in suburbia, it is all scrawl! You cant walk to a store in my area; you can only take a bike and go for a long bike ride to the nearest store. The nearest religious community center can be walked to; though whether that is a benefit depends on if you observe that particular religion. SO you don't get to really meet 'neighbors' in suburban scrawl except for the neighbors who live on your street. It's very much lacking a 'community' vibe and I HATE IT because there is an overall sense of 'disconnect' from everyone.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

Most bad neighborhood layout is due to zoning and shitty engineers. People in cities don't really interact as much as they think they do either.

[@orangeziggy599]

I agree. People want to live in cities in order to not be disconnected from others. But in practice, living in a crowded city with more people does not automatically result in more social interactions.

[@orangeziggy599]

Scrawl definition- doodles; to write something in a careless, hurried way... I'd like to think that careless and hurried IS the way that 1950's GI bill suburbia was created.

[@felixthecat2786]

It's unlivable. I don't know how people stand it. Where did they get this idea that this is an ideal lifestyle?? How do they get ANY enjoyment out of this experience.

[@ArikGenerick]

Suburb sucks but it beats wasting 7/10 of my paycheck to rent a city apartment. I just live near a bus/train stop.

[@orangeziggy599]

And in suburbia if you cant pay for gas then you are isolated and cut off from the the rest of the world.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

Everything in the suburbs is actually within old fashion walking distance. So if someone needs to get out, they can. I know of a suburb that started as an outpost with a tavern that was a "half day" from the city. What I worry about is extremely rural towns, which have much fewer stage lines than they used to. The state where I currently reside was once blanketed with bus companies until the 1970s or 1980s, now Greyhound is a corpse of itself. Maybe Uber will pick up the slack.

[@stevenreyna3437]

If you can't pay for gas, you probably cant live in a suburb in the first place.

[@davidfreeman3083]

The 'halfway city' is right, and fortunately it's most suburbs eventually grow to. Actually in some former 'suburban' areas we can see it become more urbanized or 'urban-looking'. Search online for relevant videos.

[@orangeziggy599]

Bushrod Not for my suburb.

[@ragejinraver]

Orange Ziggy that's exactly my predicament

[@BlueUncia]

Visit any kind of settlement that's at least a hundred years old, and you'll see that it was made for people. You got everything you need within walking distance. Sometimes you might need a bike or a bus, but it's rare.

[@Marchant2]

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a city planner. I just didn't think there was much a demand for that.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

When I was coming of age, I wanted to go in to engineering and I hated urban planners. Still do hate em.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

I would grudge fuck a city planner.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

What the U.K could always use is another electronic music producer.

[@fifthgear93]

Think whatever you like of the Soviets and former eastern bloc countries, but the socialists had it absolutely figured out. The city planning of cities in these countries is top notch. All the neighbourhoods are perfectly laid out with lots of open spaces and playgrounds for kids to play, apartment blocks of 6 to 20 stories. Very walkable environemnts, shops, restaurants, schools, large retail, local gov buildings, parks, basically everything you need is within a few minutes of walking distance. I live in such a city, grew up in such a city. Because of the well designed environment I lived in, I had an awesome childhood. I made tons of friends because there were just so many kids around everywhere, social interaction is very important for the developing mind. I had tons of stuff to do. Didn't need my mom or dad to drive me anywhere because the city has a pretty substantial public transportation system - from busses and trolleys to trams and subway, it covers the entire city, with a population 1.5 million. I understood that even when I was kid because I was always interested in buildings, city planning and stuff like that, but it became even more clar to me when my uncle started bringing my little cousin, age 8 (I'm 22) to visit me in the city for the weekends. They live in the mountains, near the city. The little guy goes to school in the city, but lives outside the city, in a place where there are only a few houses around with no kids whatsoever. When he started spending some time with me, we went to local parks, playgrounds, to lots of cool places, riding bikes, skateboards, etc. He absolutely loved it. I met him with my friends. Then at the end of the first day of his visit he told me "wow, you have tons of friends" because I was saying hi and being friendly to almost everyone I met on the street. He was impressed that I knew everybody. Then I realized even more so that the fact I live in such a well laid out, well designed environment makes an absolutely huge impact on my life and my day to day interactions. In contrast the kid lives in the mountains, has no friends there, sits at home all day when he's not at school. If he wants to go anywhere, his dad needs to drive him to that place, exactly how life goes for you guys in the US. Drive everywhere because you can't walk or take the bus there. If your parents are not willing to drive you regularly to where you want to go then your childhood becomes pretty boring and it's very hard for you to make any friends because you hardly meet anyone outside of school. Suburbia kills social interaction, while living in an urban well designed walkable environment improves your quality of life. If you made it to the end of the post I thank you for reading my story.

[@noonehere4332]

+Stalin Dirty Hyprocate

[@LancesArmorStriking]

Wow, as a Russian myself (albeit U.S. born), I couldn't agree more! I must say I am surprised by the fact that Soviet architecture (in layout, not aesthetic) can be held in such a high regard, but it definitely comes as a pleasant surprise. I think the reason the socialists did so well is because they were hard realists- a brand new country has no concept of "City on a Hill" to (ironically) delude itself into building awful places to live. If you don't mind me asking, to which city are you referring in your comment?

[@orangeziggy599]

FifthGear Why will you not go into planning yourself?

Few things are as depressing as Soviet-era block housing. They look like the massive high rise housing projects you see around NYC.

[@jeep1077]

lol "not aesthetic" From what I have seem I would have to agree to that.

[@MrWackypackages]

I live in a suburb type area and there's nothing but houses around me! Its so boring. I wish I lived in either a completely rural area, with no houses near me, or in a small or medium sized city. I don't wanna live in some NYC or LA type shit

[@jeep1077]

I live in China in a modern giant apartment complex. It is much more aesthetically pleasing than those old soviet era buildings. The design allows me to walk everywhere for what I need. I can walk to over 30 restaurants, two movie theaters, four large grocery stores....etc. I don't even live in the city proper. The locals call my area a town. I don't want or need a car. I take mass transit or uber if I want to travel.

[@thekingofthisworld2154]

Spitballing from China Uber is blocked in China :-/. In most tier 2/3 Chinese cities, you still need a car. Urban transit is atrocious. There is no bus master route map and only one or two metro lines. Nothing is in English. (True in Qingdao. Don’t know about other Tier 2 cities)

[@webwebwebby0]

Don Ochoa “Nothing is in English,” well, you better start learning Chinese then.

[@glebsokolov8016]

Dancing in China Start using some other terms than “Soviet times”. You were never a soviet country and you were always much poorer than the Soviet Union. You have nothing to do with us except copying our flag and trying to copy our system. Greetings from Russia.

[@orangeziggy599]

What each neighborhood in suburbia really needs is its own community center and green park- not simply a field of grass or a ball field, but really something with lot of trees and places to gather and meet your neighbors- tables and benches. A children's 'play place' is not enough; when they build these play places, they don't include enough meeting area space for the neighbors to sit down and have a lunch together. And when they only put a ball field there, only the children who play ball are benefited. There needs to be a simple, reproducible park design that can be fitted into each neighborhood= trees, picnic tables, shrubbery, a couple of trash bins, and a fence around it. Nothing spectacular. It would be a meeting place to get to know your neighbors!

[@evegreenification]

And yet there is enjoyment among neighbors in the slums of Mumbai. Hmmm. Do you think it could possibly be that spoiled, miserable, usually white people of the US just can't be happy and satisified and kind; instead always feel greed and blame the situation?

[@malaquiasalfaro81]

The North Side of Merced California is like this. It is a suburb but it has a beautiful wonderful park with different playgrounds for different ages to and a massive field for sports. I still would prefer to live in town but it’s not a bad place to live if you don’t mind a 5 minute drive into town

[@maxfiedler1115]

(Disclaimer, I'm from Europe) last year I passed through Washington State during vacation and stopped by Port Townsend Washington 98368 which is an older town that more looks like a European town, dense, walkable, mixed living-working-shopping, and US-folks came to visit it for fun because they thought it was so nice and pretty (again by European standards that would have been just about any small town). So, I really wondered, if people like this sort of town why do they build all their other towns to look like giant parking lots with one story houses dropped here and there?

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

If everyone lived like that, the cost of living would go up. People just like looking at quaint things like Kinkade paintings in small doses. There's towns like that within daytrip distances of every city.

[@julienkim16]

Money.

[@ApatLang]

cuz people want more land. They want a backyard for their dog and kids to run in, a front lawn, a basement, a garage, etc. People also don't want their property to be attached to their neighbors. Developers are just following the path of least resistance, so they build whatever is in demand. Building the type of house people want within city limits would be very expensive and only the rich would be able to afford it, so the middle class are in the suburbs where you see this pattern of development

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

@Komandor Cliff The cost of discretionary shit in Europe is obscene.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

@Komandor Cliff I guess when you're on welfare it is.

[@SandySalmansohn]

little houses made of tricky tac.

[@StevenEveral]

There's a Rush tune that nails down the suburbs quite well: "Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth, but the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth." - Subdivisions

[@DigitalSCRMv]

Google "suburbia is" The inventor of suburbia designed it in order to keep poor out or black people out. Hence it created an isolated imprisonment type of feeling-- A desert house factory.

[@ragejinraver]

And unfortunately now the grandchildren of those same people are moving back to the city gentrifying everything and kicking all the blacks and Hispanics out

[@losangeles.ie91]

I grew up in the suburbs now I live in the city but now I miss the suburbs the peaceful, none crowded, clean and safe areas. The city is to crowded, its polluted, to much traffic, to noisy and way to expensive. I like the idea of living in the suburbs but commuting to the city whenever I want at any time of the day.

[@Rojass91]

that is why we need an effective massive transportation. a City does not have to be stressful. You can live in a small town that is walkable and enjoyable and you still have all the perks of major city. In suburbia is just drive to location, shop at a big box store, park your car and go back home. really depressing.

[@johnmeraz7348]

It’s funny cause parents would complain why there kids stay inside to play video games instead of going out side to play. Umm I would have stay inside as well as there’s nothing interesting to play outside can’t even go walk for 10 minutes to get ice cream you need to drive. That’s why children have no freedom until they are 18 and why many are antisocial and depressed !

[@RahimRahim-ic9iw]

American suburbs are too far away from the city, where all the action happens, so you may as well live in the countryside. Also, the typical American subarb (e.g. like the one you see on the intro of "The Wonder Years") looks like a posh residential estate, which is another term for old peoples homes. It was nice in the 1950s and 60s, but these style of middle class subarb is out of date. People no longer aspire to own a house there.

[@jesseleeward2359]

Texas and Ohio are the worst

[@peyton2k98]

I’ve grown up in the Huntsville suburbs and I have to say living in suburbia is pretty boring

[@hernameisprinback1828]

Grew up in a rural area in Eastern Kentucky. Full of poverty and nothing to do but drugs. Everyone hates it but one ever leaves. I don’t think it counts as the suburbs but there was nothing to do.

[@stevenduvall2549]

I hate suburbia. I grew up there and, for me, the more urban and walkable, the better.

[@Markstubation01]

I grew up in a suburb, it sucks

[@evegreenification]

I grew up in the city, which also sucked. Then I tried a suburb. Sucked. Moved to small town which also sucked. I've got my eye on reincarnation now.

[@Markstubation01]

I've never lived in the city. I'd assume it smells and is far too loud. However, its something that I want to try.

[@cagedtigersteve]

I lived in the city and paid around $2240 in rent for a 905 sqft apartment. I moved to the suburbs and pay around $2400 in mortgage for a 2700 sqft house. Schools are better and the commute is way better.

[@youtubechannel-uz9sh]

How is the commute way better??

[@redditstop1653]

@@youtubechannel-uz9sh ikr it would take longer to go to work with all the traffic in suburban highways

[@Mrcontrolfreak21]

@@youtubechannel-uz9sh highways were built after ww2 to help suburban white america reach cities/work easier

[@gregkosinski2303]

@@Mrcontrolfreak21 yeah they didn’t let the blacks drive on them 🙄

[@scientifico]

Surburbia also plays a role in the rise in trumpism and far right racism in America. The insular, homogenous and non walking communities is one obvious factor but also it is the commute. That morning drive time where characters like Rush Limbaugh get to have that one on one with you while your brain is in some conscious/unconscious theta wave. Now your susceptible, drawn into seeing the world through that twisted lens. The american dream is becoming a nightmare of its own making.

[@felixthecat2786]

They live in their own bubble worlds and refuse to listen to anything outside of it. I left my state because my state outright refused to build any kind of light rail system or better their public transportation. The result is: gridlock, standstill nightmarish traffic at all times of the day. Rush hour is suicide inducing. My state also has the most aggressive drivers in the country and these are suburban dwellers...

[@tecomaman]

I live in Nikolaev Ukraine ,mostly apartment blocks with lots of public space ,most people travel by mini bus ,i can walk nearly everywhere I want to go ,population 500,000 ,soviet union designed cities for sociability ,local general stores everywhere and markets ,there is supermarkets too,there is private home arias out side of the center

[@kpopgrrl]

I grew up in a suburb that is actually very much like a city, well, it is a city now, it used to be a township. It is on the northern border of Chicago and runs on a grid system just like the City of Chicago and even has its own branch of the Chicago elevated train. Oak Park is another suburb on the border of Chicago like this.

[@gregkosinski2303]

That’s because Chicago incorporated a lot of surrounding towns in the early 1900’s. I’m not sure what specifically drove that process. Maybe the politicians weren’t happy with the number of constituents they had to fleece.

[@issac9930]

I'd much rather live in a large suburban home with a yard and space, than a tiny NYC apartment that costs 2x as much. But that's just my personal opinions, and we all have our own likes and dislike. That's why you have the freedom to choose where to live. Want to live downtown? Go do it. Would you rather live in a huge suburban house? Go do it. And growing up, neighbourhoods are just really nice. You have your whole street of neighbourhood friends, and there's not much traffic on the roads so it's safer to play. We'd go biking down the sidewalks, etc. If we needed to go shopping we'd walk down the street and onto the nearest major road where the shops were, or we'd drive to the new mall in town. I prefer that for a family over a tiny expensive apartment tbh.

[@ihazplawe2503]

living alone with a large house with an isolated kind of make you feel lonely and boring

[@issac9930]

@@ihazplawe2503 If you're single, and/or you don't have friends in the area, then yeah it could be lonely. But if you have kids (which a lot of suburban dwellers are families), then you likely aren't lonely

[@japanesebitter1066]

@@ihazplawe2503 speak for yourself

[@superfly2449]

Those aren’t the only alternatives, you know. If that’s all you’ve known, that limits your vista.

[@jett11west]

I like tall buildings, cities, easy access to public affordable transportation, easy access to medical professionals and good hospitals and places to meet people from all walks of life.

[@JChang0114]

You mean the homeless that piss and shit on your doorstep?

[@JChang0114]

You mean the homeless that piss and shit on your doorstep?

[@jett11west]

Jeff Chang Nope, that's your neighborhood.

[@JChang0114]

Adjira No, that is called San Francisco.

[@JChang0114]

@Komandor Cliff I must be so heartless. Why don't you give all your disposal income to the poor homeless.

[@ThexDynastxQueen]

US cities are awful and expensive though. I'd rather live in a house away from noise than right on top of everyone's 24hr lifestyle. Doesn't mean suburbs shouldn't be built more like small towns like I've seen in richer areas though where you can still walk to shops and enjoy peace/space.

[@Elsisalittleconcerned]

Don’t know about you guys (but it seems we all have the same thoughts regrading suburbs) but, I’ve lived in a big city my entire life and suburbs kinda creep me out. Sometimes, all the houses look the same, they look like spider webs with nothing to do, and from what I’ve read, it’s not too great because stores are out of reach and it’s boring to be there. Suburbs just look uncomfortable

[@EquilibriumTelevision]

With the sheer size that America is, it’s kind of impossible to not have it designed any other way if we are chiefly dependent on automobiles. This is an interesting conversation, but one where in which people take issue with the suburbs. Despite the fact that, and Jeff is right on this, it takes a long time to go places in suburbia, there is a charm to it. Why uproot the entire infrastructure when rather we could think of other ways to make these communities more tightly knit and introduce new ways of commuting? Suburbs themselves can be very communicative and well knit places given the right mentality. What we’re neglecting to mention is the advent of technology which I think plays another role in the restructuring of our society. I love seeing systems undergo change, and this is an instance in history we can make a positive change. Good video

[@sarcasmo57]

I wish my city (and others) would draw a perimeter and say no more sprawl past this, but I wish they had of done it 30 years ago. This city is huge and empty. My street looks like a car park.

[@ArachnidSoul]

Really interesting stuff here. Nice topic and guest David.

[@dayolddoughnuts4031]

My father grew up in the San Fernando(North Hollywood) He said the main roads then were much smaller before all of the freeways. My grandfather built the home in 1949. He said there were many neighborhood markets where you could walk and bike to. He said it was very safe. Those old walkable developments where you could get groceries, a pair of shoes, clothing at multiple stores, and a haircut all in walking were bulldozed and made into apartments in the late 1960's. He said hardly anyone did a large commute. Many businesses would have the people that worked there live nearby. It was a requirement by many company's to live near the place of work back then. He said the grocery store visits were not a weekly thing but an every day or a every two day affair. Many did not have a large pantry in their kitchens and electric ice boxes were smaller then. The kitchens back in the 50's were not massive like they are today.

[@davidfreeman3083]

Just after I could drive and owned a car, I realized how suburbia or the 'branching distribution' of roads would be worse for driving. Still fortunate enough the suburb I live in is far from 'suburbia': as it has been developing way before the automobile and Interstate. It has grown into several important townships and municipals surrounding one of the largest cities in this country. And for this reason, train is still easier to get around, especially into and back from that metropolis. Well car is sometimes complimentary even for taking the train cuz stations are not walkable to many, and local transit is a lot worse and not in the pace I'd say. But it makes UberX an especially good business here. Lots of people have their own cars designated as Uber but not limos or taxis, yet many became almost full time uber drivers. Also recent approaches of building multi-family residences and even mixed used spaces (there's one place around a township limit that consists of apartment/condo buildings, office centers and department stores in one single 'block', with the lower floors of the office tower designated as retail/recreation use) made this place even better. But yeah, still, even here there's higher car dependency, it's still more awful to drive here instead of in the city. All the roads are badly, lawless managed, which turns out to be pretty messy, especially during heavy traffic and even accidents as there's no alternative route, not to say playing with (alternate) street side parking, loading/stopping/standing regulations, one-ways, no thru traffics while the road is not a dead end, etc. From this perspective, we could see that the suburbia is just a casino state of mind: we build houses on an empty field outside cities, then realizing there's a need for shopping, then put stores around, and malls further away down the main road, with huge parking lots. Finally, build office/industry parks farther along the highway, etc. But it's very inefficient and inconsiderate. In comparison, the traditional, urban neighborhood is a chess state of mind, working like a sophisticated system, thus more reliable, durable, sustainable and handles difficult situations better.

[@glpz462]

It's always been of interest to me watching long-time friends and relatives go from neighborhood environments to more car-centered suburbs & rural areas. Most of them flip dramatically from left/center to right/center or even farther right due to the isolation they're experiencing. It's ironic that the number one reason usually given for the move is to be safer & get away from crime and yet I often find them feeling even more scared and paranoid and prone to exhibiting a greater level of fear and tension regarding outsiders, blacks, immigrants & the like. If you'll remember these "broken-windows" policing tactics we're implemented originally to reverse "white flight" and reassure these folks that it was "safe" to come back to big cities. To those of us who grew up here and have lived here all our lives this seemed like horrifying "pre-crime","thought-policing" but to whites who are moving back, or in for the first time the whole thing seems quite acceptable and normal.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

People actually just self segregate, and care less about cliquey "fitting in" bullshit as they get older. They probably held resentment for collectivist crap all along.

[@kachala]

in Russia, in some cities, you can have your home in a city near the center, moreover, on the river bank. and the city is not small. there is also something like a village in the city.

[@betty5064]

I live in the suburbs. I have a good size house on a quiet street, in walking distance of a commuter station, stores, restaurants and access to major highways. It's 45 minutes by train or car to a major city. My house is surrounded by trees, with two or three in front of every house, and oak maple and spruce in the backyard. I look out, and walk through, a sea of green, up to 100 feet tall. I wouldn't want to live anywhere without the green.

[@lesleynoelle7337]

I love ❤️ living in London! Suburbs in America are just giant dormitories!

[@nichze8346]

Lesley Noelle Your country has suburbs too

[@tonygabashvili8357]

No where near as much as North American cities do though

[@MrWackypackages]

@Vito Corleone I see it everywhere on KZbin 😩

[@packr72]

For one you can't build an effective transportation system in such spread out and low density communities. Sure there might be a connection to a nearby Metro area but that's more commuter based.

[@bmw803]

It's weird how everyone bashes the suburbs, but if you take a physical look at the difference here is what you get: Suburbs: Peace and Quiet Safer Cleaner Less noise Less traffic on side roads More space between houses Larger parks/playgrounds No pandhandlers, bums etc. No high rises, clubs, bars, etc Friendlier people ( Less snotty ) Space to grow a garden. Family friendly Cities: Opposite of above listed It all depends on someone's lifestyle. If someone's lifestyle is the city core noise, traffic, chaos, then go ahead, but don't disrespect people who chose a different way of life that you have.

[@mikew1507]

I agree 100%

[@ragejinraver]

Suburbia is legitimate hellhole that's why there are no Pros to living there oh Wow nature sorry but that's not impressive enough . Do you understand and realize the psychological damage that most people in Suburbia have especially children who have to grow up there

[@bmw803]

@@mikew1507 Hopefully, you always have those ones that think that they get to decide for others based on their views

[@bmw803]

@@ragejinraver I grew up in suburbia and I never encountered this made up non sense of people being miserable. They're there because they chose to. WE ARE THERE, BECAUSE WE DONT LIKE NOISY AND DIRTY CITIES, filled with bumps, snots and being crammed like sardines. NO THANKS.

[@CUBETechie]

If suburbs where Mixed some house's and in between you have a shop you can access in some minutes by walking there

[@jssandler]

Great video. California is basically built largely for cars. I enjoyed the explanation of dendritic vs. branching street design. Fremont, CA has a very simple branching street design and there is a TON of backed up auto traffic all of the time on every surface street. It is a nightmare from 10th ring of Hades. However, some of the older California cities with greater density than Fremont are much nicer to drive around because there are multiple paths to get to the same destination.

[@zpetar]

I wouldn't like it to live in US suburb. Here in Europe where I live I have few coffee shops, restaurants, open market, few grocery stores.... everything in few minutes of walking distance.

[@Rojass91]

Trust me you wouldn't. At first, the suburbs look all so nice and beautiful. But like the adage goes: "Evil comes disguise". As time goes by, you notice the reality of the suburbs: depressing, empty and tasteless. It's like leaving in a beautiful prison, it might look nice but it still a prison! You are deprived to enjoy the outside world and it sucks.

[@rrhone]

Didn't know that suburbia sucked. Its great for me and thousands others.

[@unstoppableExodia]

I absolutely despise the dendritic street layout. Having Cul de sacs purely for the sake of it annoys the hell out of me. I also hate speed bumps. Why can't we just have gridded streets that allow multiple ways to reach a destination?

[@xraydelta100]

Thanks...excellent informative video. Thanks to your guest.

[@joe14636]

Part of me likes suburbia, but I also love the idea of being close to things and living in the city, lots of commotion and excitement, but it's also extremely crowded and expensive.

[@beback_]

The advantage of the city is that you get to meet people. Its disadvantage is that you have to deal with people.

[@user-ng4tf2oq7s]

I’m so happy I’m from the northeast. I’m a suburban kid, but for the most part the “suburbs” out here aren’t the preplanned communities, it’s mostly small cities/towns that grew into themselves because they are very very old towns/cities kinda like Europe. Got small but lively downtown area with main roads stemming off of them leading to the other towns and interstates. and you got smaller backroads connecting the main roads. I live on one of those main roads about a half mile from the really nice downtown area. Very short walk from tons of restaurants parks barber shops bars shops etc. That’s how the suburbs should be. Small individual cities stemming off of the big cities. not these Florida/Texas Levittowns.

[@SkullWaneVideos]

This reminds me so much of Chumscrubber. Houses are surrounded by mountains, and there was no sense of skyscrapers in the movie.

[@YouWhatMate_Official]

I live in the suburbs and I love it. It's quiet and the police station is just 5 minutes away. Some people don't like it and that's alright. It might be boring for some, but for me - I like the peace.

[@jett11west]

It's harder when people need social services though. During the recession lots of "middle class" types who lost their jobs had little help since most of the charitable funds are in the cities. I know a lot of people who were angered since they felt left out of the help the needed in emergencies.

[@ElTrolldego]

It's not about what you like. It's about what's sustainable for the future.

[@jacobwitherspoon3108]

Everyone has their own preferences, I’d say the suburbs are a nice middle ground between the city and country

[@alexjaybrady]

fascinating, thanks guys!

[@thestoebz]

Yeah

[@theladdjosh4827]

I feel like I’m the only person who doesn’t hate suburbs. I’ve lived in them for all my life and I want to continue that. I hate the city, it’s too loud and gross.

[@jacobwitherspoon3108]

Small town America is the place to be

[@ZoraTheberge]

Suburbs suck because they tend to force conformity. Listen to Little Boxes. It comes from the bas c fear of not being an individual.

[@symurai1988]

Zach T the city forces conformity too. Everyone is in cliques. Everyone is isolated. Everybody at the bus stop stares at their phone and most of the city people are corporate drones. What a meaningless existence

[@symurai1988]

Komandor Cliff okay city rat eat my shit

[@kingofkings69nerjr90]

My question is why do people want to live so close to each other?

[@michaelmcconnell3294]

The suburbs are one of the worst idea's that ever happened. Beautiful countryside was plowed under to build ugly, track housing. Then you need a car to survive. The people as a result are fat and inactive. Because they don't work out, the get depressed. When I lived in NYC, I could count to obese with one hand and found very few on anti-depressents. I lived in the suburbs for a few years and it was the worst place I have ever lived.

[@petep]

More urban planning content! Perhaps interview Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns.

[@rareview362]

American suburbs is like a prison

[@ragejinraver]

I was trapped in suburbia for a long time . If you're young teenager and especially if you're in your early 20's its a death sentence

[@solidbreed9767]

U must have never lived in the hood

[@emiliofernandez7117]

@@ragejinraver same I’m a 2 hour walk from the city and I literally have nothing to do within a 30 min walk of me, that’s if I don’t get run over

[@starkeybf]

I love living in the suburbs

[@lynntils]

Suburbia does not suck leave Troye Sivan alone

[@AllisonSlay3]

Wow im soo into this topic!!

[@johndefalque5061]

I just left downtown Quebec City-it's all cheek to jowl. I'm a loner, autistic and I hate smokers. Moved back to suburbia, bldgs don't touch each other but it's not like rural Quebec-so many villes of 2,000 with no store, bar, resto-nothing but a huge church-no way I could live there either.

[@Seeeeeeeeuhhhhh]

I would love to live in the suburbs

[@halifaxx55]

I know we are known to toot our own horn, but I'm so glad I live in San Francisco, where the Europeans consider to have the enlightened ones.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

Do you guys still do the martini glass thing?

[@michaelregis1015]

Dude, stop smelling your own farts.

[@halifaxx55]

@@michaelregis1015 lol hey Boston, and New Orleans are also pretty amazing when it comes to walkability/density. They're pretty proud too, and Euros like them too.

[@TheHC97]

I can't lie. I like a nice suburban neighborhood and I prefer them over crowded cities. After all, it's what the residents make of it. There have to be no downsides by design if people make the best of it.

[@yuppyvidoes128]

I am in rn cant wait to move out fucking hate it. Trust me dont move

[@ezswagger6969]

IT sucks because there's no pokestops... haven't even watched the video, but already know

[@pranays]

Why picture it in our minds show us an example? Every suburban area has a strip mall in walking distance, with tons of green space. Now a urban jungle is full of concrete and cars. Facts matter.

[@WarriorOfWriters]

Pranay strip malls have parking yards, they're designed for drivers.

[@red2theelectricboogaloo961]

'every suburban area has a strip mall within walking distance'? no. there's no way. most of these are within maybe a 15 to 30 minutes' drive. walking distance? are you fucking serious? are you delusional? do you really think they're within walking distance? 'with tons of green space'... yeah but most of that is grass. it's empty greenspace, with no environmental or aesthetic contributions. just a thin, green, barren layer of grass with no texture and no room for birds/bugs to live. it destroys the environment and the sense of comfort in these suburbs and replaces it with dead, sanitized, sterilized nothingness. older denser suburbs on the other hand have plenty of trees, plenty of places for birds and bugs to set up and live[plenty of greenspace], way more stuff that is ACTUALLY within walking distance and is not just in "WALKING DISTANCE" because you can get there eventually if you walk for 2 fucking hours. get your head out of your bloody ass. toolbag.

[@tipsydog3]

What about driverless cars. Oops didn’t see that one coming.

[@baddie1shoe]

My suburb has a beautiful town square and many upscale subdivisions surrounding.

[@alphacause]

People have been duped by our culture to think that owning large plots of land, and occupying houses that are unnecessarily huge, is somehow a barometer of success. The result is families have gotten smaller, but our houses have gotten larger - a metaphor for the emptiness of materialism, if there ever was one. Hence, people buy houses and land that far outsize their needs, even if they are cumbersome to maintain, because they have been indoctrinated to believe that they are inadequate without them. As long as this mentality is nurtured, the environmental and socially negative impact of suburbs will continue to fester. I can tell you one thing, if it ever becomes popular for all Americans to live in more communal urban centers, the Republican Party is in big trouble. In order for their ideology to hold sway over much the population, they require that a large portion of the electorate that vote for them stay isolated in their suburban enclaves - free from much exposure to minorities, people of other socio-economic backgrounds, or people who have different ideas about religion and politics etc. etc.

[@JChang0114]

Nope. I like my space. Fuck off, you wont get me to live in some 300 sq foot apartment

[@JChang0114]

Nope. I like my space. Fuck off, you wont get me to live in some 300 sq foot apartment

[@unknownninja4430]

lol what space, you're still surrounded by rows of copy and paste cookie cutter homes, and you have to drive everywhere in suburban traffic during rush hour which is definitely not "space". hell, atleast if you live in a city everything is walkable and quicker access.

[@Rojass91]

Coming from a Republican who live in a somewhat walkable city (Miami). I believe that both parties can be in trouble. If we live in a walkable city, citizens will connect more to each others and communication from different social, racial and economic status becomes more common and the result might bring a change in political landscape for both dominant parties. I think that democrats vs republican is outdated. We need more political competition in order to improve.

[@conductingintomfoolery9163]

No I don’t want to be nyc, I like getting on my porch and appreciating the afternoon sun

[@tomster4974]

this is not as bad as in my country of Belgium were litterally 8,5% of our country is covered in asphalt. Simply because we are the country where asphalt was first invented and urban planning is little thought of. but then again we have good bus services, cycling lanes and train services that you don't xD so you Americans are trapped in Suburbia have to live with the car

[@BAMovin]

YES! Tired of Costco, Target, women in yoga pants pushing strollers, dogs everywhere, & can't go anywhere without a car.

[@veganspace]

I see that in the city tho women wear yoga pants everywhere dude

[@hellofaname]

Mainly cuz it’s boring

[@brydonchakrabarti2470]

I think this is actually very revel ant with the popularity of Pokemon go. Talking about all the walking and connectivity.

[@evegreenification]

Pokemon go is illuminati confirmed

[@mooniebeans2013]

Like most cities, his room is way over cluttered.

[@Knaeben]

It sucks because it's a consumerist wasteland filled with crappy strip malls and denuded fields of dirt awaiting the next completely unneeded shopping mall.

[@kenbibi7631]

Let's take a ride and run with the dogs tonight in suburbia...