Sense Of Community Lost With Bigger Homes, Farther Away

Conservative commentator Cal Thomas captures the critical impact of the built environment on our sense of well-being and quality of life.

1 minute read

August 22, 2005, 12:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen

Thomas relates a journey into his past, as he showed his son the three houses that he, Cal, grew up in. The second of those houses, Thomas relates, "was small by today's standards, and it was close to our neighbors. That symbolized community. I knew everyone on my street and every kid my age."

Fast forward to the present, and Thomas's remarkable and frank revelation of how he--and tens of millions of his fellow Americans--lives today: "Now my house is super-sized ... I rent two storage rooms to hold stuff I don't need and no longer want. I am a "victim" of consumerism, and I don't like being caught in this web from which escape is difficult. A neighbor's house is up for sale. He has been in it less than a year. I don't know his name."

Thanks to David Stauffer

FULL STORY: When Gas Was Cheap and People Were Valuable.

Friday, August 19, 2005 in Tribune Media Services

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