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Ok, well the OP seems to have checked out and I'm tired of defending him. You all are going to keep saying roommates are awful most of the time, that it's a substandard way of living, blah, blah, blah.
I say those are at least partly caused by our very hyper-individualistic culture where people don't know how to share or co-operate. And that, yes, it does take some effort to overcome that. (To go against what is considered standard always does). But these barriers can be overcome, and are probably not as bad as people imagine. You'll all tell me I'm all wet and it isn't worth it. And the back and forth will be one anecdote after another that serves as "proof" of what we already believe or experienced in the past.
I don't think our OP is broke or low income, or anything close to it based on his posting history.
Of course cultural factors play a role and can be "overcome" (though why such factors SHOULD BE regarded as "barriers" to "overcome" remains unexplained). But to call a vastly held preference among full-functioning adults often founded in personal experience a "phobia" (literally meaning "irrational fear") like it's some sort of pathological condition is just stupid.
Of course cultural factors play a role and can be "overcome" (though why such factors SHOULD BE regarded as "barriers" to "overcome" remains unexplained). But to call a vastly held preference among full-functioning adults often founded in personal experience a "phobia" (literally meaning "irrational fear") like it's some sort of pathological condition is just stupid.
I think calling it a phobia is going too far.
But I also think our OP's message points to something bigger: A lot of people complain about how expensive things are. But if we'd learn to cooperate and not be quite so hyper-individualistic we wouldn't have 44% of the population without even $1,000 in savings.
Average household size in the U.S. is 2.51 per household. That's just off a record low of 2.5 in 2022. That's much lower than in most other parts of the world.
It's really a shame so many people don't know how to cooperate. It's hurting our culture in a lot of different ways.
But I also think our OP's message points to something bigger: A lot of people complain about how expensive things are. But if we'd learn to cooperate and not be quite so hyper-individualistic we wouldn't have 44% of the population without even $1,000 in savings.
Average household size in the U.S. is 2.51 per household. That's just off a record low of 2.5 in 2022. That's much lower than in most other parts of the world.
It's really a shame so many people don't know how to cooperate. It's hurting our culture in a lot of different ways.
In other parts of the world how much of that higher number is due to roommate situations and and how much is due to multigenerational households? I'm betting it's largely due to the latter, which IMO is vastly different than the roommate situation (and one I'm much more inclined to embrace).
In other parts of the world how much of that higher number is due to roommate situations and and how much is due to multigenerational households? I'm betting it's largely due to the latter, which IMO is vastly different than the roommate situation (and one I'm much more inclined to embrace).
But I also think our OP's message points to something bigger: A lot of people complain about how expensive things are. But if we'd learn to cooperate and not be quite so hyper-individualistic we wouldn't have 44% of the population without even $1,000 in savings.
Average household size in the U.S. is 2.51 per household. That's just off a record low of 2.5 in 2022. That's much lower than in most other parts of the world.
It's really a shame so many people don't know how to cooperate. It's hurting our culture in a lot of different ways.
When you consider that a primary reason people left those countries and came here was they didn't fit into that culture, why try so hard to create that culture here? I mean think about it. Why would someone risk their life to sail across an ocean to an untamed wilderness if they wanted the life they were leaving. Individual independence. It's built into our DNA.
I'll address the question about the 25+ number in 16 years since several people asked. I generally have 2-3 roommates at a time, they stay 1-3 years each on average, and I move about once every 2-4 years. In my area, we have a lot of multi-bedroom single family homes that seem suited either to a large family or to a group of multiple roommates.
Serious question. Much of the population is on the verge of serious financial trouble, half the population is one paycheck away from complete ruin, and yet single, childless adults are continuing to insist on living alone. Why?
I've had housemates for 16 years straight, I've had a total of well over 25 housemates, 100% of them complete strangers that I had never met before and very few issues. I have a hard time believing that people are really running into that many issues. What gives?
In my area, you can rent a room or suite big enough to have a private refridgerator, bathroom AND bedroom, and still be paying $10k/year less than the cheapest studio apartment in the same area. You can even have separate leases so you are not financially liable if your housemates do not pay rent. You don't even have to talk to your housemates more than once a year if you don't want to. People are literally paying $10k/year to not have to share a mailbox, laundry room and dishwasher? It isn't as though the cheap studio gives you acoustic isolation either.
I sincerely don't understand what the origin of this cultural coliving-phobia is.
How interesting that you chose to post this in the Psychology forum.
I don't think it's a phobia. I think it's likelier connected with the American views of independence and success. Do you think it might be from an unwillingness to be civil or to make concessions?
You're very likely right that it would be a great financial solution for many. I'd been thinking back to rooming houses, which I've only seen in old movies, but apparently that idea was floated recently as a solution for the housing crisis.
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