SUBURBANITES & THE CITY
"The suburbs aren't creepy at night - Dumb"
This comment was posted in response to our YouTube video
"Why Are Suburbs so Creepy at Night? Haunted Neighborhoods Stories"
Why Are Suburbs So Creepy at Night? Haunted Neighborhoods Stories
Aiming to leverage the "Halloween" trend, we produced a video exploring and reflecting on suburban life at night.
We discussed how the suburban setting can sometimes trigger stressful and traumatic experiences, leading to psychological fear and paranoia. We also connected these observations to horror films and haunted house stories.
The analysis was based on two primary factors:
- our personal experience
- the book "The Geography of Nowhere" by James Howard Kunstler
(affiliated links to this book are available at the end of this article)
Our main critique focused on this diagnosis:
- If suburban neighborhoods lack quality communal spaces and homes aren't part of a true public infrastructure, these areas have a high potential to become eerie at night.
We concluded the video with this disclaimer:
"Urban environments can also produce traumatic and spooky experiences, but this video focused on suburbs, often marketed as utopias. However, we are seeing positive trends recognizing the need for intentional social spaces as part of the suburban landscape."
The main goal of the conclusion was to avoid individual polarization. Yet, the initial comment on this video was a reactionary and emotional response.
So, let us elaborate further.
Generally, we are not proponents of suburban developments due to various environmental and social issues, but we recognize that improvements can be made.
Ultimately, we see suburbs as refuges for many middle and low-income families who find cities unaffordable and designed for the wealthy elite. Our main criticism is the structure of cities. This disparity is particularly noticeable in highly capitalist societies, where a large portion of suburban areas act as "last-resort shelters," physically separated from the urban affluent.
Walking through heavily commercialized cities in a cheap sweatshirt, baggy pants, and construction boots, surrounded by "fancy window-shops," can often be unpleasant and a breeding ground for stigmatization.
Finally, there's nothing inherently wrong with suburban living if people have a fair choice between urban and suburban lifestyles. Unfortunately, this choice is often limited.
Affiliated links for the book
"The Geography of Nowhere" by James Howard Kunstler
(Commission Earned)
USA
paperback: https://amzn.to/3NXSpjZ
kindle: https://amzn.to/3YQI0wF
audible: https://amzn.to/3YG6K9w
EU - Belgium:
paperback: https://amzn.to/40AI4lv