Modernism Rejected

Do you remember reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead? (if you're reading this blog you've probably read it). You'll recall that our protagonist, Howard Roark, is battling a society obsessed with "tradition-worship". Roark is an individualistic young architect struggling to preserve his artistic and personal integrity.

I was reflecting on Roarks "architectural integrity" as I strolled through suburbia the other day. On my way to the grocery store it became apparent to me that the same "tradition-worship" that Ayn Rand was writing about in 1943 is still a major influence in suburbia today.

Suburbanites seem to be trying to capture a traditional feeling or sense based on an archetype that doesn't actually exist and probably never did. This traditional ideal, for lack of a better term, seems to be driven by Saturday Evening Post covers, old movies and Brady Bunch episodes. Modernism is cast aside, in spite of it's advantages, to maintain the "Suburban Facade".

Tradition, in the suburban sense, represents sameness, lack of diversity and a perception of normalcy. The suburbs promote isolation of families through a lack of public space and by emphasizing family and home-centered activities. On the surface one might argue that this would lead to stronger family ties, but the strain of living up to an unattainable ideal is actually putting increased stress on families instead.

Demographers have recently charted a significant change in the diversity of our suburban communities. On the surface this looks like progress, but if you look a little closer you'll find that while diversity is increasing at the community level our neighborhoods are actually becoming more homogeneous -- it's a Macro v. Micro proposition. To the city planners and politicians this looks great, but what's actually happening is really insidious.

Suburban neighborhoods are becoming ethnocentric and this is exactly what the planners and politicians were trying to quell by promoting diversity in the first place. Bill Clinton, who I generally don't agree with, got it right in a speech he made a few years ago when he said, “Underneath this apparent accommodation to our diversity, we are in fact hunkering down in communities of like-mindedness, and it affects our ability to manage difference."

Suburbia's rejection of Modernism creates communities where diversity exists but is not accepted. Diversity in design, diversity in culture and diversity in people become something to be feared instead of embraced. I'm amazed that our society has been dumbed down to this extent and that a majority of people find this to be an acceptable way to live.