> The act of pushing a mower around possesses an almost primordial appeal see also: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/magazine/1377293/patio-ma...
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Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
51–60 of 77 posts
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#52It’s snobbery, pedantry and a flex like a clean shaven face or a perfectly clean house: look at me, I can actually afford to do this Sisyphean task (or even better: I have it done for me!) more often than is necessary! Unlike you hairy dirty poor wild bastards
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
European upper class was obsessed with lawns first. Like other forms of decorative gardens, it was primarily a status symbol. The intended message was something like "Look how we can afford this land we don't actually need! And look how we can afford to pay others to make it aesthetically pleasing!" But once there were public lawns in cities, people found practical uses for them. Many popular ball games are still pla…
If by European you mean mostly British, sure! And you can see how Anglosphere metro areas resemble each other a lot. But Europe is not one thing.
The English and the French had different ideas about proper uses of lawn. Both spread widely across Europe.
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#54Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#55If you want to be able to walk around the garden, rather than just stare at it from the window, you're going to need gravel, concrete, or a lawn. I know which I prefer.
I just have some big flat rock set legs-length apart to make a path. I don't have anything against grass, but I much rather have wild flowers, vegetable and fruits growing.
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#56I have 30sqm of a yard and keeping up even that amount of lawn is a gigantic pain in the ass. Over the year I plan to get of all of it as much as possible and replace with flowers, shrubs and other bigger plants, a third is done already. Lawn is a crazy work.
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
My garden has grass - wild flowers and wild grasses and I can walk in it. Even barefoot (not often, I'm a city boy unused to that). I sometimes walk just to pick up fruit from the couple trees here and there. I'm not even sure what the problem is that requires you concrete in garden, maybe if you need a wheelchair then yes paths might the way to go (I only assume, because I'm not in that situation). Otherwise lawn lo…
You maybe misunderstood what I meant. I too prefer grass to concrete. Maybe the entire disagreement in this thread is just between people who think a patch of grass constitutes a lawn, and people who think a lawn is something else?
Okay to me "lawn" means one single type of grass kept down to 2cm height, constantly in need of watering and looking like carpet.
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#58I would call it obsession but of different kind! Every green patch of gras in city has to be covered in shit and piss. People have to shit on every bit of nature, and kill all animals in sight! I went to park, some guy was hunting ducks at pond, and after took dump at picnic area! I admire people who still maintain their front yard, despite this constant vandalism!
What city are you talking about specifically?
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#59Not everyone love lawns though, there's even an entire subreddit dedicated to hating them: https://www.reddit.com/r/fucklawns/
Well count me in (I wouldn't join that sub though.) Almost all lawns are just a sad approximation of a proper meadow, and could be real gardens - instead of an artificial, plain, featureless green space, they could harbour plants and be a habitat to countless animals. Plus, the obsession some people have with mowing their lawn - I've got a particular neighbour who does it daily in the summer, for two hours I've got a…
Agree.
I prefer having a vegetable garden that just plain grass, it's way more rewarding.
Re: Why are we so obsessed with lawns?
#60For many thinkers it's in a way a very relaxing occupation in some way. Would have to think about why.
I agree. Mowing the lawn is repetitive in a good way, almost meditative and flow-state-like.