• Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    He places the blame on “laws” when it is really capitalism. People want a single family home so capitalism provides it the absolutely cheapest way possible: cookie cutter suburbs.

    It’s no different than Campbell’s soup. It’s not meant to be the best soup. It’s meant to be the soup you can afford to buy.

    • Jesus@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      That’s one of many factors.

      Lots of people have studied this over the years, many people also attribute this to the GI Bill, the post WWII economic boom, Racism / White Flight, the National Highway Act, and social norms that developed after man Americans grew accustomed to the concept of suburban life.

      It’s a complex things that was fueled by war, money, affordable land, cars, big roads, etc.

      • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        While I agree with all your statements about the fuel for suburban sprawl, without demand all that money would have gone into high density urban construction. Even white flight would have been a flight to new high density housing if that’s what people preferred.

        It’s the problem that all the best urban planning can’t address.

    • BakerBagel@midwest.social
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      5 months ago

      Campbell’s isn’t cheap though. There are usually 3 different brands at the store that are cheaper.

    • BedSharkPal@lemmy.ca
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      5 months ago

      I mean based on the thumbnail only I’d say it’s more of the lack of trees than capitalism…

    • Retrograde@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Since I was a kid I’ve found them particularly depressing. I couldn’t and still don’t understand why people would want to live in a McMansion in a sea of identical McMansions. It’s a good source of existential dread for me

      • derf82@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        I’m going to spend most of my time inside with decor I’m going to pick out and make my own, anyway. I don’t care how similar they look outside.