4 ms·

I don’t think folks in the US romanticize small living quarters, as noted above, but I think folks here romanticize that correlate with small living quarters (r

I don’t think folks in the US romanticize small living quarters, as noted above, but I think folks here romanticize that correlate with small living quarters (real or imagined): The memory of being young, strapped for cash, but in college and having fun The memory of being in your early career, struggling financially, but first exploring the world on your own (eg, for me, in Manhattan working my first job after college.) The romanticized thought of being a writer in some European city having total artistic freedom.

colechristensen 7y ago
> I don’t think folks in the US romanticize small living quarters There definitely isn't any one thing that Americans do or feel, but there are people that are really excited about tiny houses, or in the bay area, van life. Some people do it out of necessity, some people romanticize things associated as you say, but definitely some people romanticize the tiny living space lifestyle directly and aspire to it.
- bigwavedave 7y ago
  This is such an interesting mentality, one I just can't understand. The instant I got a real job, I rented a house. Just for me. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, front/back yard(s), garage, driveway, the works. I kept telling myself it was "practice" for understanding what it's like to be a homeowner (common pitfalls, responsibilities, required upkeep, etc) while with training wheels because the landlord was still technically on the hook, but honestly it was because I was tired of living in apartments all through college. I guess we all just like what we like, eh?
  - colechristensen 7y ago
    I could buy a five bedroom house about every year or two in my hometown for the rent I pay for 1 bedroom 1000 sqft apartment in Mountain View in an equal amount of time. I am actively unhappy with the situation but am ultimately owned by some decisions I have made so here we are. Many aspirations towards tiny houses i think are motivated by economics and fear or ignorance about what exists everywhere else. Maybe I could buy an enormous house in the middle of nowhere and throw gatsbyesque parties to lure visiting friends from cities and have the best of both worlds.

colechristensen 7y ago

> I don’t think folks in the US romanticize small living quarters There definitely isn't any one thing that Americans do or feel, but there are people that are really excited about tiny houses, or in the bay area, van life. Some people do it out of necessity, some people romanticize things associated as you say, but definitely some people romanticize the tiny living space lifestyle directly and aspire to it.

bigwavedave 7y ago
This is such an interesting mentality, one I just can't understand. The instant I got a real job, I rented a house. Just for me. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, front/back yard(s), garage, driveway, the works. I kept telling myself it was "practice" for understanding what it's like to be a homeowner (common pitfalls, responsibilities, required upkeep, etc) while with training wheels because the landlord was still technically on the hook, but honestly it was because I was tired of living in apartments all through college. I guess we all just like what we like, eh?
- colechristensen 7y ago
  I could buy a five bedroom house about every year or two in my hometown for the rent I pay for 1 bedroom 1000 sqft apartment in Mountain View in an equal amount of time. I am actively unhappy with the situation but am ultimately owned by some decisions I have made so here we are. Many aspirations towards tiny houses i think are motivated by economics and fear or ignorance about what exists everywhere else. Maybe I could buy an enormous house in the middle of nowhere and throw gatsbyesque parties to lure visiting friends from cities and have the best of both worlds.