Home?

I didn't start this as a purely personal journal, but inevitably I'm still holding conversation with myself, so here's the thought of the day:

Suburban Wasteland
I like to think I'm fairly open-minded, but I recognize I'm probably more judgmental of the "culture" I come from than of any others I've experienced. This is partly due to all the negative associations I have with growing up here. I don't think that I'm better than anyone, even if I happen to be more "worldly," or whatever.

...But I do think that living in a nondescript area of suburban sprawl, shopping at hideous strip malls and super-size 24-hour marts and eating processed food at chain restaurants contributes to disillusionment. I'm talking simple human happiness factor, too, not even environmental issues. Feelings of isolation are possible (prevalent?) in any living situation, but I guess I'm thinking more in terms of community layout than size. For example, compared to where I went to high school, Ann Arbor feels more village-like, walk-able, and aesthetically pleasing in general (if contrived). Though, compared to a big city with decent public transport, Ann Arbor can be difficult to get around and lacking in entertainment.

Hmm, I think I may be in over my head with this one. I'm not championing the innate virtue of big cities over small towns, but I do think community planning needs to be centered around people rather than corporate interest and consumerism. Wal-Mart and McDonalds, this means you.

Is anyone more familiar with this topic than me?
Suburbs supposedly arose as a form of liberation-- the working classes being able to afford bigger houses and yards and all. Instead of facing anti-Americanism in Britain, many people who'd been here raved about the amount of space and the modernity ("everything's so new and works well"). It came as a surprise, to be sure.