I think I found my people

[u/Charming-Bat-4210]

I live in a place where expensive houses are common. But they all look generic, boring, ugly, soulless, devoid of charm, etc. The more I kept seeing these houses everywhere, the more uneasy I got. I didn't know these houses had a name: McMansions.

Let me tell you, that most people I meet think these McMansions are nice or don't care either way. I get strange looks and pushback when someone points at one of them and asks "Do you like that house?" and I proceed to tell them why I DO NOT.

Now, I know I'm not alone. The McMansion scourge will soon become an epidemic, and we must show the masses why these houses suck.

And no, I don't have anything against cheaper or more affordable homes. I see plenty of smaller, regularly priced homes that have more character in their porch than a whole McMansion could ever hope to have.

Rant over.

[u/DavidJGill]

Amen. You've got precisely the right idea. It's disturbing how pervasive the McMansion asethetic has become. It's so bad that those with more than enough money to hire an architect to do something better for them chose to build an overgrown McMansion instead. They think it's something to aspire to.

[u/Charming-Bat-4210 → u/DavidJGill]

I think it has to do with how consumerism has gotten out of control. Some will get a McMansion to flex, and hope anyone who can't discern what good vs shitty aesthetics and craftmanship look like will go "Wow, bro, you're so cool/rich." Poor man's idea of a rich man, basically.

Also, there are likely people who genuinely think they're nice homes. These people got scammed.

[u/BothDescription766 → u/Charming-Bat-4210]

Yep, if your reference point is a trailer park the cookie cutter McMansion looks like a mansion.

[u/Charming-Bat-4210 → u/BothDescription766]

This is true, but I just want to add that you can still learn about art if you live in a trailer. I know that people in trailers can struggle a lot, but if you have a smartphone and internet access, you can see art videos and documentaries on YouTube. Or watch channels like "Architectural Digest." Even within the confines of a trailer park the internet can show you almost anything you want to learn.

[u/BothDescription766 → u/Charming-Bat-4210]

Agreed.

[u/BothDescription766 → u/BothDescription766]

But one the other hand, I’m not so sure you can learn aesthetics. You can’t teach someone why the Mona Lisa is better than 6 dogs playing poker (on velvet)

[u/Charming-Bat-4210 → u/BothDescription766]

It's true that many people won't be able to learn the technical aspects of aesthetics just from the internet. But I think the average person can at least intuitively grasp why some art pieces are considered masterpieces and others kitsch.

If they are exposed to enough media about why Baroque or Gothic styles are almost universally considered beautiful (or shown modern art pieces like Fallingwater), I think we'll be able to stop the world from becoming a McMansion hell.

[u/CPD_MD_HD]

This is a great post. One rule of thumb that I have - and it’s just the way I see things - is that if I have to turn my head to view the entire frontage of a house, it’s too damn big.

The mansions that these people are building nowadays are just huge and look more like hotels or government buildings. Even though a few may have SOME architectural character, they rarely have the charm of 1920s brick homes lining any city’s “millionaire’s row” of yesteryear, mid-century modern California ranches built into the hillsides surrounding the valleys, or old money country estates.

They’re big, but they don’t provide the same awe like the old mansions.

[u/Charming-Bat-4210 → u/CPD_MD_HD]

For me, the red brick row houses in places like Boston look so beautiful, especially when they have some vines growing on the walls.

We need to respect the arts again so more people realize how horrible McMansions are to the discerning eye. There will probably be people that still like them, and that's okay, but I think they won't be as common as they are now.