#suburbia #suburbanliving #changingsuburbs #competition #sameness
We think of suburbia as a place where people compete with one another to see who can have the most gadgets and other stuff.
“Mothers complain about how hard life is, and the kids just don’t understand,” to quote a lyric from “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and recorded by The Monkees decades ago.
The song is an anthem about the sameness, competitiveness etc. of suburbia.
The suburban lifestyle is something to which parents wanted their children to aspire.
Suburbia represented contentment. It represented achievement. It represented security.
But, not long after The Monkees released that song, things began to change. The kids who grew up in suburbia were now having trouble affording to stay there. Housing prices went through the roof.
Now, suburbia is becoming as much of a melting pot of diversity as the cities from which they spring.
More to the point, let’s look at why the suburban lifestyle became a goal.
We mentioned contentment and security. Do current suburban residents feel content and secure? Chances are, if they are smart, they know that they are one reorganization, or one bad manager, away from a lost job, or even a dead career.
What does that do to contentment and security? It makes both less so.
A lost job could mean, ultimately, a lost house. A lost house could lead to a lost lifestyle.
Furthermore, do you really want your children to aspire to a life of sameness and competitiveness with neighbors? Or, do you want them to explore dreams, learn what and who else is out there, make new friends and explore the world?
Yes, the end of World War II sparked the growth of suburbs. The GI bill allowed those who came home from war to easily buy, or build, new homes in places yet to be developed.
That led to the age of the automobile, and the growth of GM, Chrysler and Ford.
Today’s younger folks may aspire less to sameness and more to diversity. They may not dream of a life of contentment, and security. Their definition of achievement may be different from that of their parents.
That begs the question: do you aspire to the sameness and competiveness of suburbia? Are you certain that the path toward that lifestyle will be smooth for as long as you travel it?
If you have doubts, or are looking for the “change of scenery” that the Monkees’ song talks about, there are many programs out there that can help you achieve whatever you are looking for.
They can help you regardless of your education, experience or background. They can help you out of the sameness your parents may have wanted for you.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
In summary, the suburbs are changing. Some still insist on a degree of sameness, with homeowners associations etc. But just because the houses look similar doesn’t mean the people have to be similar. Your neighbor may have a completely different set of goals and objectives from yours.
But that’s OK. It’s also OK to pursue whatever makes you happy, regardless of what your elders may have wanted for you.
Contentment and sameness may not be your goals, or those of your neighbors.
Peter