What once was old is new again. The fad we call "co-living" today has been common for most of the nation's history. You can even see examples of it in old movies, books, and TV shows. But now that it's got SVVC money behind it, it's somehow shiny and new. Although the "pod" angle seems new, it's not. Though, it was almost exclusively for the very very poor in the past.
Sharing a room with someone you're pretty familiar with is a much different experience.