Little boxes and New Urbanism

Thinking (a reading) about new urbanism, I have come to the conclusion that I'm just not comfortable with the nostalgic symbolism of the architecture. When I visit a new urbanist development I just can't imagine anyone other than a white, middle class, nuclear family living there. Frankly, new urbanism seems creepy. Don't get me wrong, if you read about new urbanism there are many great ideas in there, but the actual housing developments don't seem to live up to those ideas. So in honor of new urbanism, here's the famous Pete Seeger song...

Little Boxes

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a pink one and a green one,
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky,
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes,
And they came out all the same.
And there's doctors and lawyers
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky,
And they all look just the same.


And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children,
And the children go to school.
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
Where they are put in boxes,
And they come out all the same.

And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky-tacky,
And they all look just the same.
There's a pink one and a green one,
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky,
And they all look just the same.

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