I heard of that, I think it was some propaganda piece. Like “look at those poor sovjets, have to grow their own food because the state can’t provide. Meanwhile we’re so civilized and advanced”. (Interesting sidenote: The culture of huge lawns came from the UK I think, rich people in the 1800 and 1900 displayed their wealth that way).
Not saying it wasn’t like that in some places, just that it’s so unfathomably stupid. And now there are US Tiktokers talking about “lifehacks” of growing your own food, with other US Tiktokers calling people who do that libtard commies and whatnot. US culture is a disaster on life support.
I just can’t fathom why seemingly a whole class of US citizens apparently aren’t able to use their damn heads and still do this nonsense.
Coming from the UK is correct, it was literally an artistocratic flex at having literally useless land. I read a dissertation a few years back that also linked this to a Baudrillard style simulationist desire for the upper class not to see land with any practical value immediately besides their homes because they were resistant to accept that their wealth was exercised from any real action, and instead they’d pretend it was just a truth. But beyond the lawns were forests and fields, because they had to exist.
When lawns were adopted by the bourgeoisie, who only had half an acre of property, it was already trendy to have the surrounding acres of the house be only lawn. The bourgeoisie simulation was to have the house surrounded by lawns as if it were to then give way to fields and forests, which of course did not exist, just your neighbours equally ugly plot of land.
What I never understood about all of this though, is that gardens are equally cosmetic vanity. I have fond memories of the garden of my grandmother, which has a small greenhouse and two raised vegetable beds at the back, but everything else was flower beds, a pond, a summer pavillion, a small lawn, a shed and a scattering of trees and bushes. Other than the small sections for growing vegetables, it was all entirely for vanity. But it was beautiful. Hell, the small lawn was even pretty functional as the primary place to set up chairs in the sun and play ball games.
I am British, and once this island was forest and mountains from shore to shore, with meadows and plains being rare. The lawn never made sense here, and caught on less in in the Soviet Bloc as plains become more common in nature. America is a land with far more natural plains, and the lawn is further removed from it’s original status. It’s imitating an imitation of a denial of reality, Baudrillard would have a field day.
But I did mention, in my grandmother’s garden, playing ball games on the lawn. American sport is largely built on the suburban madness that is lawns. I’m not talking about sport born in urban centers like basketball, or sports from true rural areas, which I can only assume is rednecks drink driving, if watching US shows has told me anything, but Baseball, American Football and even golf are sports made for lawns. It’s hard to detangle lawns from middle class America without stopping middle class kids play sports in their gardens.
One day they’ll add vegetable gardening to the Olympics and America will be saved, and Joseph McCarthy will be stuck in hell on his fucking lawn.
You’re not supposed to tell them about corn holing! You have to wait until they’re at a BBQ to spring it on them and expect them to participate without any explanation.
It’s hard to detangle lawns from middle class America without stopping middle class kids play sports in their gardens.
They still play on the lawn? Thought by now they’re kept mostly indoors (or in cars) for helicopter-parent-reasons, safety or sth.
At least that’s what I heard. A german news moderator for the US also mentioned it once, some Karens in the neighborhood thought of child neglect because the kids were playing in the front yard or going to the playground alone (gasp!).
Not really getting the point though. Most lawns are huge, there’s enough space for playtime and some nice flowers or vegetables. Most houses even have a front and back lawn…
Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de 8 months ago
I heard of that, I think it was some propaganda piece. Like “look at those poor sovjets, have to grow their own food because the state can’t provide. Meanwhile we’re so civilized and advanced”. (Interesting sidenote: The culture of huge lawns came from the UK I think, rich people in the 1800 and 1900 displayed their wealth that way).
Not saying it wasn’t like that in some places, just that it’s so unfathomably stupid. And now there are US Tiktokers talking about “lifehacks” of growing your own food, with other US Tiktokers calling people who do that libtard commies and whatnot. US culture is a disaster on life support.
I just can’t fathom why seemingly a whole class of US citizens apparently aren’t able to use their damn heads and still do this nonsense.
Khrux@ttrpg.network 8 months ago
Coming from the UK is correct, it was literally an artistocratic flex at having literally useless land. I read a dissertation a few years back that also linked this to a Baudrillard style simulationist desire for the upper class not to see land with any practical value immediately besides their homes because they were resistant to accept that their wealth was exercised from any real action, and instead they’d pretend it was just a truth. But beyond the lawns were forests and fields, because they had to exist.
When lawns were adopted by the bourgeoisie, who only had half an acre of property, it was already trendy to have the surrounding acres of the house be only lawn. The bourgeoisie simulation was to have the house surrounded by lawns as if it were to then give way to fields and forests, which of course did not exist, just your neighbours equally ugly plot of land.
What I never understood about all of this though, is that gardens are equally cosmetic vanity. I have fond memories of the garden of my grandmother, which has a small greenhouse and two raised vegetable beds at the back, but everything else was flower beds, a pond, a summer pavillion, a small lawn, a shed and a scattering of trees and bushes. Other than the small sections for growing vegetables, it was all entirely for vanity. But it was beautiful. Hell, the small lawn was even pretty functional as the primary place to set up chairs in the sun and play ball games.
I am British, and once this island was forest and mountains from shore to shore, with meadows and plains being rare. The lawn never made sense here, and caught on less in in the Soviet Bloc as plains become more common in nature. America is a land with far more natural plains, and the lawn is further removed from it’s original status. It’s imitating an imitation of a denial of reality, Baudrillard would have a field day.
But I did mention, in my grandmother’s garden, playing ball games on the lawn. American sport is largely built on the suburban madness that is lawns. I’m not talking about sport born in urban centers like basketball, or sports from true rural areas, which I can only assume is rednecks drink driving, if watching US shows has told me anything, but Baseball, American Football and even golf are sports made for lawns. It’s hard to detangle lawns from middle class America without stopping middle class kids play sports in their gardens.
One day they’ll add vegetable gardening to the Olympics and America will be saved, and Joseph McCarthy will be stuck in hell on his fucking lawn.
Steve@startrek.website 8 months ago
You know how europeans think that yellow school busses must be a movie trope, but they really are everywhere all the time in America?
Same concept
pinball_wizard@lemmy.zip 8 months ago
We also hunt deer, go fishing, and throw brean bags into a wooden box called a “corn hole”.
Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 8 months ago
You’re not supposed to tell them about corn holing! You have to wait until they’re at a BBQ to spring it on them and expect them to participate without any explanation.
Natanox@discuss.tchncs.de 8 months ago
They still play on the lawn? Thought by now they’re kept mostly indoors (or in cars) for helicopter-parent-reasons, safety or sth. At least that’s what I heard. A german news moderator for the US also mentioned it once, some Karens in the neighborhood thought of child neglect because the kids were playing in the front yard or going to the playground alone (gasp!).
Not really getting the point though. Most lawns are huge, there’s enough space for playtime and some nice flowers or vegetables. Most houses even have a front and back lawn…
yeather@lemmy.ca 8 months ago
You might find an odd scenario of someone calling the cops on kids on a slow news day, but that is not the normal scenario anywhere.