Let 'em live.

I grew up in a town of 700 residents, a majority of which have lived there for the duration of their lives and for generations prior, and many of them have no desire to leave. Our "village," as it's technically classified, is fairly self-sustaining, equipped with a grocery store, a couple small restaurants, hardware store, two gas stations, a hair salon, and even a Dollar General as of 2013. 

Upon moving to Columbus, I met a lot of people with very opposite mindsets. Many of them were from large cities and don't understand how I ever survived in a town with two traffic lights. For them, the diversity and fast pace of a dense urban environment is something that couldn't be sacrificed for any amount of green space. I currently have friends who have traveled my path, from rural, to urban, to now, who are moving to little neighborhoods 20 minutes from their workplace, looking for a yard for the dog and a quiet life. 

For the most part, people live where they want to live. The types of places we desire to live are heavily influenced by the places we've been, either by holding onto our hearts or driving us to see something different. The suburbs are part of an evolutionary framework of civilization which ebbs and flows with the changing needs of the population. While suburbia isn't my personal cup of tea, are we trying to say that everyone who has lived in a three-bedroom house in a commuter neighborhood was in denial about their preferences? 

This discussion seems more suited to a question of lifestyle than of architecture. Are those living in the suburbs the ones complaining? Or does our generational thinking coupled with an architectural education lead us to believe we have a problem to solve? (Some) suburbs bring up well-founded concerns, but not more so than those of an urban or rural setting. Ultimately, it comes down to what people want out of their home and their community. If a change is truly desired, just as the desire for suburbs arose, then a change will happen.