Is suburban living considered a failure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the dream for most.

No. Definitely not.

The idea of being forced to drive everywhere, traffic jams, rage in the parking lots, rage on the sidelines of playing fields, rage in lines, racism, HOAs, severing social ties, monotony, etc makes me physically ill.

The parts of my life that would improve by moving to the suburbs are the parts of my life that I wish I could cut out (access to shopping malls, shorter commutes for insane kid's sports, car dealerships).

SP, to be clear, I sometimes feel like I have no option but to consider it, and it just seems so deeply depressing and hurtful to my family... and to offset it with what? HOA obligations to nuke my yard with pesticides and loneliness? Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the dream for most.

No. Definitely not.

The idea of being forced to drive everywhere, traffic jams, rage in the parking lots, rage on the sidelines of playing fields, rage in lines, racism, HOAs, severing social ties, monotony, etc makes me physically ill.

The parts of my life that would improve by moving to the suburbs are the parts of my life that I wish I could cut out (access to shopping malls, shorter commutes for insane kid's sports, car dealerships).

Yeah, the suburbs are much more aggressive than cities, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:?

Considered ... by whom? And why are their opinions consequential? (Spoiler: They're not).

[Anonymous]

Versus what? (for us, nope, it's winning.)

I grew up in a great suburb and never considered otherwise as I became an adult and was establishing a home. Hopes that helps OP!

[Anonymous]

I think the suburbs are generally considered the Great American Dream.

Who the eff wants to live in a concrete jungle? Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Very happy with my home on 3 acres with gardens, ponds, pool, dogs and chickens. My nightmare is waking up to find I’m living in a condo. Different strokes for different folks.

[Anonymous]

We all have to live somewhere

[Anonymous]

While many people would be happy to permanently live in the city. I think for most people the goal is to eventually graduate to a life in the burbs with more privacy and space, where you're still close enough to visit the city when you want to.

Both cities and suburbs have a lot to offer and ultimately it depends on the individual as to what they see as an upgrade or downgrade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the dream for most.

No. Definitely not.

The idea of being forced to drive everywhere, traffic jams, rage in the parking lots, rage on the sidelines of playing fields, rage in lines, racism, HOAs, severing social ties, monotony, etc makes me physically ill.

The parts of my life that would improve by moving to the suburbs are the parts of my life that I wish I could cut out (access to shopping malls, shorter commutes for insane kid's sports, car dealerships).

Yeah, the suburbs are much more aggressive than cities, lol.

So many desperately unhappy people in the suburbs—financially trapped, surrounded by banality... it's crushing. What an awful way to live your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the dream for most.

No. Definitely not.

The idea of being forced to drive everywhere, traffic jams, rage in the parking lots, rage on the sidelines of playing fields, rage in lines, racism, HOAs, severing social ties, monotony, etc makes me physically ill.

The parts of my life that would improve by moving to the suburbs are the parts of my life that I wish I could cut out (access to shopping malls, shorter commutes for insane kid's sports, car dealerships).

Yeah, the suburbs are much more aggressive than cities, lol.

So many desperately unhappy people in the suburbs—financially trapped, surrounded by banality... it's crushing. What an awful way to live your life.

Jealousy is never a good look

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very happy with my home on 3 acres with gardens, ponds, pool, dogs and chickens. My nightmare is waking up to find I’m living in a condo. Different strokes for different folks.

That's not suburbia. That's exurbia.

I live in the city and the only thing you have that I don't (or can't, sorry, eff chickens) is 3 acres of land to pay property taxes on. But I do have hundreds of acres of parkland filled with ponds and streams, ball fields, playgrounds, close community, neighbors who are like family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the dream for most.

No. Definitely not.

The idea of being forced to drive everywhere, traffic jams, rage in the parking lots, rage on the sidelines of playing fields, rage in lines, racism, HOAs, severing social ties, monotony, etc makes me physically ill.

The parts of my life that would improve by moving to the suburbs are the parts of my life that I wish I could cut out (access to shopping malls, shorter commutes for insane kid's sports, car dealerships).

Yeah, the suburbs are much more aggressive than cities, lol.

So many desperately unhappy people in the suburbs—financially trapped, surrounded by banality... it's crushing. What an awful way to live your life.

Jealousy is never a good look

Agreed, and it's the dominating theme of so much suburbia. Keeping up with the Joneses as you slowly drown in car and mortgage payments.

[Anonymous]

There are $2m+ condos I doubt that's failure.
I doubt people in Potomac or McLean or Great Falls think that's failure. Or the Arlington palisades on Chain Bridge Road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are $2m+ condos I doubt that's failure.
I doubt people in Potomac or McLean or Great Falls think that's failure. Or the Arlington palisades on Chain Bridge Road.

If cost of living is the basis, suburbia is utter failure.

[Anonymous]

What a weird question. If I had more money, I’d live by Bethesda, not Rockville. I wouldn’t live in DC proper. I enjoy not getting shot or carjacked