Do Suburbs Lack Culture And Identity? (suburban, population, environment, community)

[knowledgeiskey]

I read that urban sprawl does not spur areas that produce culture and identity. Is that true?

[wburg]

It depends on the suburb, I suppose. One argument in favor of a more urban environment is the ease of networking that happens when you run into people a lot: people who walk around an urban neighborhood and live in close proximity in large numbers are more likely to exchange ideas than those who are isolated in low-density neighborhoods. Suburbs that promote walkability and that sort of chance encounter are probably more likely to promote that sort of behavior, but some of those advantages may come from sheer size. It's hard to argue that Los Angeles is a city without culture or identity, yet it is best known for its car-centric sprawl and single-family, suburban residential neighborhoods (although its overall population density is still pretty high), while its high-rise central city is relatively sparse in population.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

I've seen some with, some without.

[progmac]

this is kind of a softball

[Ohiogirl81]

What have you "read" that? On this very discussion board, no doubt ...

Life is not lived in black and white. There are no absolutes.

[nei]

Please try harder if you want a flame war

[Chango]

Originally Posted by knowledgeiskey

I read that urban sprawl does not spur areas that produce culture and identity. Is that true?

People psychologically need cultural identity and will produce it no mater what environment they are in, including cookie-cutter suburbia.

Rather than bashing suburbs for lack of culture however (after all suburban life IS a culture of it's own), I would bash them for failing to foster community pride, positive forms of individualism and group cohesion. Modern suburbia encourage people to turn inward towards their TV instead of outward towards the world and other people around them.

[texdav]

No;if you loo they have their own culture and identiy and have since the post war period when they started. I fact now days even very small rural towns often have become very identified witht heir sulture and life style. Its really the bigest chnage we are see is small town becoming favored over evn the sub-burbs when people ahve a choice and with the bommers retirng in numbers its a growing trend. Its always been said that the inductiral age growth i urben areas was not by choice and we are seeig that now.Mnay urban areas now have the probelm of now to keep the inductry and businesses in getting businesses not to continue to folow the popualktion really.That is why local rail is a growing trend of cites.

[knowledgeiskey]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

What have you "read" that? On this very discussion board, no doubt ...

Life is not lived in black and white. There are no absolutes.

Wikipedia "urban sprawl"

[Snow Cat]

I find its the city's that lack culture. Unless you,re idea of culture is a thug with his paints below his as# with a radio blaring N1gga this or B1ch that....