Multi-Generational

Sarah Goodyear, writing for The Atlantic Cities, on the beauty of multigenerational communities:

A city that is filled with children is a happier, more lively place than one that isn’t. More than that, it’s a place that is clearly headed toward the future, not stagnating in the past. A city that can keep its children engaged and stimulated is building a resource that will pay off big-time in years to come.

[…]

The segregation of generations goes deeper than just the swaddling of children in a cocoon of safety, though. In a society obsessed with aging, too often the generations are kept apart by prejudice and stereotypes. Young people are scared of getting old. Old people are scared of being inconvenienced. […] Outside the city, many gated communities geared toward retirees won’t sell to anyone younger than 50, or 55, or 60. Presumably even a rowdy 45-year-old could upset the equilibrium.

It’s a really brilliant piece by Sarah on the importance of diversity in community. In the name of simplicity we create such homogeneity. We separate by use, affluence, culture, age, and all other sorts of criteria and it’s working against creating vibrant, livable communities. Life isn’t simple and clean. It is complex and multifaceted. Our communities should reflect that and allow for the casual interactions and intermingling that provides such richness to our lives.