8 ms·

I completely agree, most people like their suburbs. However, I do wonder if there's a connection between American suburbanization and our mental health crisis.

I completely agree, most people like their suburbs. However, I do wonder if there's a connection between American suburbanization and our mental health crisis. Modern suburbs are kind of anti-community and anti-human compared to most historical cities and towns. You're surrounded by people, but miss out on a lot of the small interactions that come from being close together. You're dependent on a car, so regularly stuck in traffic and can't go anywhere on your own. The boring/ugly aspects might be uninspiring. All fo this is "normal" so you don't notice it in your day to day life, but it adds up. I'm probably completely wrong here, but when I see the massive mental health and drug issues from otherwise rich, stable, suburban families I wonder if there's a connection.

zdragnar 6y ago
Mental health and drug issues pervade society. I have lived in suburbs, dense city and rural countryside. The density has no say on the quality of your neighbors or the extent to which you will interact with them. In fact, if my anecdotal experience were made a rule, it would be "the more densely you pack people together the less they function as a community". Of course it isnt true as a rule, but it has been my personal experience.
leetcrew 6y ago
I think this has more to do with you and the local culture (like, block-by-block) than urban vs. suburban. in the suburbs, you can drive back and forth between your home garage and office and never speak to anyone. but you can do the same thing on foot in a city. in my city, people don't usually strike up conversations with random strangers on the street. or if they do, it's just a one-off; you'll probably never see that person again. in the suburbs, if you spend a lot of time on your porch, you'll probably get to know the neighbors that hang out on their porches. there's a pretty similar dynamic on the stoops of residential blocks in a city. if I had to make a general rule, I'd say there are more people who could potentially be your friend in a city, but the barrier to becoming friends with each one is higher. you bump in to more people, but less frequently.
cafard 6y ago
If you are a kid, or if you have kids, you will shortly know a lot of people in your suburb, or such has been my experience.

zdragnar 6y ago

Mental health and drug issues pervade society. I have lived in suburbs, dense city and rural countryside. The density has no say on the quality of your neighbors or the extent to which you will interact with them. In fact, if my anecdotal experience were made a rule, it would be "the more densely you pack people together the less they function as a community". Of course it isnt true as a rule, but it has been my personal experience.

leetcrew 6y ago

I think this has more to do with you and the local culture (like, block-by-block) than urban vs. suburban. in the suburbs, you can drive back and forth between your home garage and office and never speak to anyone. but you can do the same thing on foot in a city. in my city, people don't usually strike up conversations with random strangers on the street. or if they do, it's just a one-off; you'll probably never see that person again. in the suburbs, if you spend a lot of time on your porch, you'll probably get to know the neighbors that hang out on their porches. there's a pretty similar dynamic on the stoops of residential blocks in a city. if I had to make a general rule, I'd say there are more people who could potentially be your friend in a city, but the barrier to becoming friends with each one is higher. you bump in to more people, but less frequently.

cafard 6y ago

If you are a kid, or if you have kids, you will shortly know a lot of people in your suburb, or such has been my experience.