How the Suburbs Killed Our Connectivity, And How to Fix It

The deeper our sense of community, the better positioned we are to take on change, says Scott Doyon, but the leisurely lull of the suburbs may have killed our ability to work together.

1 minute read

December 7, 2011, 11:00 AM PST

By Hazel Borys


Scott Doyon suggests how to reconnect communities:

"If there's one thing the 20th century gave us, it's the luxury of not needing each other. It so defines our culture that it's physically embodied in our sprawling, disconnected landscapes."

Instead of our former "nation of associations" we've started "bowling alone." And that's a problem, he says:

"Given the less-than-desirable state of our economy and the national financial obligations that go with it, common sense would dictate that we invest in the strength of our community ties as a reasonable tool for reducing demands on the Fed. Yet, curiously, those most concerned with whittling down the size of government are more often than not the same ones opposing the local community visioning and smart growth planning efforts necessary to restore the social fabric that makes such reductions possible."

Thanks to Hazel Borys

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