> For some people, walking out their front door to be with nature might be their preference.
I... agree? But then I would also completely discredit any complaints about living alone especially as they are related to the OP. It's like when people complain about things being 30 miles away and gas being expensive. You make those trade-offs.
> I'm baffled by this statement. I don't have a pool and I'm not wealthy, but we still invite neighbors over for a cookout. This seems more normal in the suburbs that rurally or even in the city (although some places have block parties).
I was responding to the specific persona mentioned in the OP (wealthy, with a pool) and my experience of that persona in my own personal life which tends to be a lot of buying stuff and not really using it because it's a hassle to go to that person's house because you have to drive, pack up the kids, etc. and people refuse to (rightly so) walk in the suburban areas where those homes exist. Spontaneous gatherings, again in my own experience, are much more of a challenge.
>Spontaneous gatherings, again in my own experience, are much more of a challenge.
Interesting, My experience is the exact opposite. Suburban life is what enables people to gather. Having the space to BBQ, room for kids to play, hang out in the garden, ect.
Maybe it is simply a matter of space, interest, and attitude.
Same confusion with respect to walking or driving in suburbia. Seems far more pleasant and comfortable. Easier to pack up kids and gear for a quick drive than pack it all on municipal transport.
You have space to do all of those things in the city too. I have a pellet smoker and a big garden. There's also a large park nearby with a playground and things like that. A pool is an option too but I don't think we'd use it.
I do think you have a point about space/interest/attitude and I find that (and I bet we could actually prove this with survey data if it exists) people tend to not want to have their neighbors over in suburbia. People sometimes walk their dogs and say hi (when I was in the suburbs) but it wasn't an actual interaction. Usually people just wanted to get back to their house as fast as possible and not have a conversation. Or maybe I'm just a scary looking person. Though we've had lots of neighbors over at our current house and have all of their phone numbers. That was hard to do in the suburbs too.
> Easier to pack up kids and gear for a quick drive than pack it all on municipal transport.
Idk. I have gear and I just walk out to my detached garage and throw it in the car too. I guess maybe it was easier when the garage was attached to the house? But then you have to suffer the bad house design so that's not great. I'm not sure why you would think living in the city would require putting things in municipal transport. Think less about NYC and more about walkable neighborhoods.
It sounds like we just have pretty different experiences, both in the city and suburb. Maybe are differences are embedded in the definitions.
When I think of urban, I think of apartment complexes and townhouses near mass transit. When I think of suburban, I think of detached single family homes with wide tree lined streets.
When I lived in the city I didn't know my neighbors. People basically left their apartments in a rush to go somewhere else. I had very limited personal space. BBQing meant spending time on a small cold concrete slab serval stories from my unit, or hauling BBQ Supplies to some central park.
When I moved to a suburban area, I was greeted by flyers for pot-luck block-parties. My Neighbors are friendly and we have dinner and go for walks. One gives me fresh produce, and another gives me fresh eggs. I can walk/bike quiet streets, and am still within 1/4 mile of a strip with groceries, and a couple restaurants. It is suburban AND walkable. I have a quarter acre lot for the price of at 1200 sqft apartment and a 200 sqft yard.
My hypothesis is that because costs are lower further from the urban center, home-ownership is higher, people are more invested in their neighborhood, and more interested in cultivating positive relationships with those in it.
I... agree? But then I would also completely discredit any complaints about living alone especially as they are related to the OP. It's like when people complain about things being 30 miles away and gas being expensive. You make those trade-offs.
> I'm baffled by this statement. I don't have a pool and I'm not wealthy, but we still invite neighbors over for a cookout. This seems more normal in the suburbs that rurally or even in the city (although some places have block parties).
I was responding to the specific persona mentioned in the OP (wealthy, with a pool) and my experience of that persona in my own personal life which tends to be a lot of buying stuff and not really using it because it's a hassle to go to that person's house because you have to drive, pack up the kids, etc. and people refuse to (rightly so) walk in the suburban areas where those homes exist. Spontaneous gatherings, again in my own experience, are much more of a challenge.