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"We" is society at large. And half the point of this article is that "young Americans" cannot afford those country homes with long commutes, and thus still live

by zanny 10y ago

"We" is society at large. And half the point of this article is that "young Americans" cannot afford those country homes with long commutes, and thus still live with their parents. For the current upcoming generation, they do not have the means to afford those homes either. If you want to house them independently they need denser Urban living since modern transportation in the form of personal automobiles is also incredibly expensive.

Turing_Machine 10y ago
'"We" is society at large.' Society at large has decided that it likes suburbs and McMansions just fine. You don't get to make that decision for other people, just because you use the word "we". 'And half the point of this article is that "young Americans" cannot afford those country homes with long commutes' Well, then, that's the problem needs to be solved, rather than patching it by forcing people back into the crowded urban environments that they so obviously do not want to live in. 'denser Urban living since modern transportation in the form of personal automobiles is also incredibly expensive.' 1) Why does it need to be dense and urban? 2) No, they aren't. In 1950 a median-priced new car cost about $1,500, somewhat more than half the median annual wage. Today you can get a new Ford Focus for about $17,000, which is... somewhat more than half the $32,140 median annual wage for those over 25. Also, most families in 1950 had one car, period. Most families now have at least two. That doesn't tend to support your claim that cars have gotten more expensive.
- advantark 10y ago
  'Society at large has decided that it likes suburbs and McMansions just fine.' No, the people with the money and land have decided that they like suburbs. I am sure that if a millennial could buy a small patch of land and build a small house on it for cheap, they would.
  - Turing_Machine 10y ago
    "No, the people with the money and land have decided that they like suburbs." You don't have children, do you?

by zanny 10y ago

Turing_Machine 10y ago

'"We" is society at large.' Society at large has decided that it likes suburbs and McMansions just fine. You don't get to make that decision for other people, just because you use the word "we". 'And half the point of this article is that "young Americans" cannot afford those country homes with long commutes' Well, then, that's the problem needs to be solved, rather than patching it by forcing people back into the crowded urban environments that they so obviously do not want to live in. 'denser Urban living since modern transportation in the form of personal automobiles is also incredibly expensive.' 1) Why does it need to be dense and urban? 2) No, they aren't. In 1950 a median-priced new car cost about $1,500, somewhat more than half the median annual wage. Today you can get a new Ford Focus for about $17,000, which is... somewhat more than half the $32,140 median annual wage for those over 25. Also, most families in 1950 had one car, period. Most families now have at least two. That doesn't tend to support your claim that cars have gotten more expensive.

advantark 10y ago
'Society at large has decided that it likes suburbs and McMansions just fine.' No, the people with the money and land have decided that they like suburbs. I am sure that if a millennial could buy a small patch of land and build a small house on it for cheap, they would.
- Turing_Machine 10y ago
  "No, the people with the money and land have decided that they like suburbs." You don't have children, do you?