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Abstract

The desire to be self-reliant perpetuates the American way of life. The American dream is to be able to provide personal possessions for one’s self. One needs to look no further than the aspiration of most citizens to own elaborate houses and drive nice cars to see this dream exemplified. Unfortunately, the highly-valued independence that most Americans seek perpetuates isolation, whether people realize it or not. In other words, the desire for self reliance and ownership inadvertently contributes to isolation. This idea of not relying on anyone else is absurd, and for most Americans, impossible. Even in our increasingly mobile, technologically-driven society, which tends to focus on quick, factual messages disconnected from physical presence, the recent flurry of activity on systems like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, suggest that people still desire meaningful interactions with others. In addition, forsaking communication in person is antithetical to our ability to create sustainable communities. These increasing desires to be self-sufficient have created a crisis that, in turn, creates an opportunity to renew face-to-face social interaction and reduce self-imposed isolation. America’s emphasis and value on ownership, a direct result of the deep-rooted American concept of independence, has had a negative impact on the amount of face-to-face social interaction citizens experience. This decrease directly contributes to isolation, which is manifested in the most common aspects of our daily lives – from the cars we drive to the places we live. However, architecture can play a significant role in the necessary shift to stronger face-to-face, real-time social interaction. While ecological and sociological elements must be considered, architecture can democratically design infrastructures that facilitate events that would encourage sustainable interaction and sharing.