I saw a gated community for the first time yesterday. Why is it even necessary? It's like a fancy prison

I went with my bestfriend to the fancy area to pick up something he bought online off marketplace. He bought this nice shelving set anyways as we are driving we passed several gated communities. I was shocked because I've never seen one before and I just don't understand the appeal. Those homes all lack soul and look the same. Looks like a big fancy prison. Made me feel uncomfortable honestly. Just feels hostile.

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swirlie · 31-35

A gated community is a concept. It first got started in the USA predominantly in California where seemingly very rich people typically live among the unquestionably very poor people.

The object of the concept is to have a physical barrier separating the rich from the poor, or more specifically, to keep the poor away from the rich.

An American gated community typically has a gate for sure, plus very high concrete walls where nobody on the outside can even see what's going on inside that 'cellblock'.

A community like that would typically have gotten started by the land developer buying super-cheap land within those poor areas, which then allows the rich to live as cheap as dirt among the poor because of the real estate location, but live among the poor without having to live in a dump to pull off the illusion that they are rich.

Bottom line is, those rich people are really not rich, though they like to pretend that they are which of course is the American way.

separatetheheart · 31-35, M

@swirlie Makes a lot of sense

swirlie · 31-35

@separatetheheart
It goes a bit deeper than what I've outlined, but I won't bore you with any of it unless you show interest.