It doesn’t matter where you live in Houston any more (Cinco Ranch: homes, neighborhoods)

[Snapper_head]

Because there are few real communities any more. Disappearing are the days of friendly sidewalks, front porches, block parties, sharing lawnmowers, and ballgames in the street. Households have become atomized and isolated. Ubiquitous automobiles, highways, smartphones, and social media accounts mean that people develop their own friend networks that span neighborhoods. There are fewer kids today. Households are smaller. People spend more time online and have fewer friends in real life. Community culture has disintegrated into consumer culture. The neighborhood bar these days is inside Whole Foods, owned by Amazon.com.

Homes have become smart-fortresses, equipped with cameras and motion detectors. People inside don’t open their doors to anyone unless expected. Entry and exit is done by automobile, through a front-and-center, oversized garage door. Once out of the house, people in Houston think nothing of driving 15 miles to go to the store, school, church, gym, or friend’s house. Houstonians see their cars as second homes.

Kids may homeschool, if they’re not driven to a magnet school or a private school. Parents may work from home, some or all of the time. Nobody carpools any more. There is no public transportation. People even shop online now. People get their groceries delivered now.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where in Houston you live, whether Greenspoint or River Oaks. Your home will be an island fortress. You will drive long distances whenever you leave the house. In a sense, every neighborhood in Houston might as well be a ghetto now. There isn’t much street life or community life any more. Everything is becoming privatized. Everyone lives in a little cocoon.

[SanJac]

What you've described is not unique to Houston. Welcome to the 21st century!

But you are wrong about communities... I'm happy to say these still exist.

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by Snapper_head

Because there are few real communities any more. Disappearing are the days of friendly sidewalks, front porches, block parties, sharing lawnmowers, and ballgames in the street. Households have become atomized and isolated. Ubiquitous automobiles, highways, smartphones, and social media accounts mean that people develop their own friend networks that span neighborhoods. There are fewer kids today. Households are smaller. People spend more time online and have fewer friends in real life. Community culture has disintegrated into consumer culture. The neighborhood bar these days is inside Whole Foods, owned by Amazon.com.

Homes have become smart-fortresses, equipped with cameras and motion detectors. People inside don’t open their doors to anyone unless expected. Entry and exit is done by automobile, through a front-and-center, oversized garage door. Once out of the house, people in Houston think nothing of driving 15 miles to go to the store, school, church, gym, or friend’s house. Houstonians see their cars as second homes.

Kids may homeschool, if they’re not driven to a magnet school or a private school. Parents may work from home, some or all of the time. Nobody carpools any more. There is no public transportation. People even shop online now. People get their groceries delivered now.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where in Houston you live, whether Greenspoint or River Oaks. Your home will be an island fortress. You will drive long distances whenever you leave the house. In a sense, every neighborhood in Houston might as well be a ghetto now. There isn’t much street life or community life any more. Everything is becoming privatized. Everyone lives in a little cocoon.

You know, you’re a real ‘up’ person...

[ToyotaCamry]

Totally agree dude

[mikeyyc]

Try the suburbs some time. Sienna Plantation, Riverstone, Cinco Ranch, Greatwood, First Colony have all those things and more. They're well attended, and still a good time. Of course they lack the hipster douchebro neckbeard vibe, and they're not in the loop, so for all intents and purposes, they probably don't exist to some.

[snackdog]

Your neighborhood is what you make it. I'm sometimes amazed at how one or two motivated people can keep a large group connected and functioning. I know of some great neighborhoods inside the loops - neighbors know each other, communicate constantly and have social connections. We see and chat with neighbors on a daily basis plus via email and a Facebook group. No reason this can't work outside the loop as well - just takes some effort in the lower diversity areas where everyone is doing the old 9-5.

[cBach]

Houston's always been like this, it's always been a car centric community with fortress like homes and no real neighborhoods.

If you want real neighborhoods, head to New Orleans. Street/block parties all the time, you walk to the local bar. That's the way of life...