Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia(Good read, NOT the usual liberal reflexive suburban culture bashing)

New York Times ^ | 4/04/04 | David Brooks

[Diddle E. Squat]

You might find this article interesting.

[Torie]

It is interesting. Ever since WW II, young marrieds have been moving to new housing tracts at the edge of the urban zone, which are a relatively good bargain, and where there are lots of folks just like themselves, of the same generation, also with young kids, with good schools. The pity is that these places in high population metro areas, are about 50 miles out, with all the sprawl, and traffic, and long commutes. In that sense, the American standard of living for those in this demographic, has declined. And even sadder, is that nothing much can be done about it.

[wardaddy]

owners were going to chase down some cattle rustlers on the way to the Piggly Wiggly.

Hey, don't laff Mr Times writer, you never know!

it becomes much easier to search out and congregate with people who are basically like yourself

But!!!....I thought that went against the Master Plan....shucks....

[wardaddy]

In all seriousness.

I live inside the first ring of metro Nashville (which is sort of like Atlanta 20 years ago). I am about 8 miles from "downtown". I prefer this, in fact I lived about halfway closer until 3 years ago when we needed more space and inside the "inner-inner ring" which would be basically early 20th century upscale developments, the homes run 700K- 1M for what I wanted (outside my purchase power range considerably). This is middle Tennessee not Palo Alto.

I would not wish to live in any further out rings which in the case of Nashville go for another 35-45 miles out beyond me to the South in all degrees. Were I to wish to be really "out" I would prefer to be out in the true country which means 70 miles or so to get away so to speak.

One reason folks continue to flee the inner rings in many Southern cities aside from super high prices in gentrified areas is crime. Another is lousy schools. Nearly everyone I know in Atlanta has moved due North even from famed Buckhead for the crime reason. This has historically been true for several generations now nationwide.

sorry for the rant...interesting article though

[PA Engineer]

Interesting Post. Thanks.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Americans continue to move from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West

I'm painfully aware of this fact; it has been ongoing for at least 25 years, and we have all the damnyankees we need, telling us how they did it up North. Frankly, I could give a damn.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Southack]

"These criticisms don't get suburbia right. They don't get America right. The criticisms tend to come enshrouded in predictions of decline or cultural catastrophe. Yet somehow imperial decline never comes, and the social catastrophe never materializes. American standards of living surpassed those in Europe around 1740. For more than 260 years, in other words, Americans have been rich, money-mad, vulgar, materialistic and complacent people. And yet somehow America became and continues to be the most powerful nation on earth and the most productive. Religion flourishes. Universities flourish. Crime rates drop, teen pregnancy declines, teen-suicide rates fall, along with divorce rates. Despite all the problems that plague this country, social healing takes place. If we're so great, can we really be that shallow?"

Outstanding!

Bravo!

[alwaysconservative]

Thanks for the ping! There are many gems in this article and it was an enjoyable read.

[q_an_a]

David has a skill at writing and as a conservative he is not afraid of mentioning faith. he has some RINO and inside the BeltWay in him and his embrace of gay marriage puts him in a class with Andrew Sullivan,but he sure writes well.

Thanks for the post. it was long and interesting.

[Ditter]

big city bump for later

[Huck]

The pity is that these places in high population metro areas, are about 50 miles out, with all the sprawl, and traffic, and long commutes. In that sense, the American standard of living for those in this demographic, has declined. And even sadder, is that nothing much can be done about it.

My wife and I bought our home about 40 miles from where we currently work. It's about 40 miles from most good paying gigs actually. But we wanted some space, we wanted to be close to lakes/rivers, and we couldn't afford the prices in the congested areas anyway. We got a 1/2 acre lot, a nice 3 BR home in a quiet neighborhood, with a big deck a big yard, good fishin close by, all for 175K. 20 miles or so down the highway it'd cost us 280-320K for the same house on a smaller lot in a crap area with strip malls and lousy fishing. Now I am working on a possible work from home gig. That will be awesome!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the ping.

This 180 degrees from the usual left wing enviral attacks on good Americans wanting to live in the "Suburbs".

[sauropod]

He wrote a great book called "Bobos in Paradise" which I have read and recommend as a good read.

[2banana]

It simply boils down to people do not want to live in high tax, high crime, poor schools, socialist cities (mostly controlled by democrats). The suburbs offer freedom and people move to freedom if they are allowed to...

[.38sw]

The pity is that these places in high population metro areas, are about 50 miles out, with all the sprawl, and traffic, and long commutes. In that sense, the American standard of living for those in this demographic, has declined. And even sadder, is that nothing much can be done about it.

I live in a densely populated suburban area (east of San Francisco). The county has drawn up "urban limit lines" in an attempt to stop the "urban sprawl", and are pushing the concept of infill development. I drive by one of these very new infills fairly often. It is a housing development dropped right into a commercial zone, where there is also low-income housing. It is a high-crime area. These new houses are decent sized, but on tiny lots, so are very close together. I would absolutely NOT want to live there. You have the commercial traffic, the crime, the noise.

We paid a premium to buy a house in a neighborhood surrounded by open space, on a road that is not a through street, and set well back from the main road. We do have a commute to work, but it is not overly burdensome.

[Mr. Jeeves]

So if a normal healthy American sees a family about to pull out of one of those treasured close-in spots just next to the maternity ones, he will put on his blinker and wait for the departing family to load up its minivan and apparently read a few chapters of ''Ulysses'' before it finally pulls out and lets him slide in.

This behavior drives me crazy, but it's usually not a "he" but a thirtyish, blonde "she" in a Volvo with a kid in the back seat, who honks at you irritably when you take the time to return your cart to the front of the store instead of just leaving it and backing out immediately.

Once they honk at me, I walk slower. ;)

Great article, overall. Nice picture of suburban reality.

[.38sw]

Once they honk at me, I walk slower. ;)

same here. Sometimes I'm just loading up the purchases from one shop before heading to another one that shares the parking lot. I smile and wave at the driver who's waiting for my parking spot as I close the trunk of my car and walk off.

[Mr. Jeeves]

We live in the same area - and probably run into the exact same suspects!

I had it happen Saturday at Bed, Bath & Beyond in Pleasant Hill.