BiggerPockets Daily Are the Suburbs a Soul-Crushing Abomination?
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Jan 2, 2025 Explore the controversial history of American suburbs and their car-centric design. Discover how this development impacts social connections, particularly for children. Dive into the loneliness many feel in suburban life and the decline of community ties in modern society. Unpack the relationship between crime and suburbanization, revealing how safety perceptions drive migration. This critical analysis questions the sustainability and investment potential of suburbs while challenging the narrative of suburban isolation.
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Soulless Suburbs?
- One major critique of suburbs is that they're "soulless," designed for cars, not humans.
- This limits children's exploration and social interaction, pushing them towards electronic lives.
Social Capital Decline
- Suburbanization isn't the primary cause of declining social capital; the decline started in the mid-60s, after suburban growth.
- Factors like declining religiosity and marriage rates contribute more to social atomization.
Suburban Childhood Memories
- Andrew Sirios recalls a childhood filled with neighborhood play in the suburbs, contrasting it with less social interaction downtown.
- Families with children often leave urban areas due to smaller housing and lack of backyards.
