The New York Times today investigates a trend among some urban youth to search for roommates with the same intensity that one uses to find a lifelong partner.
“What they hoped to put together was a kind of family, but without sibling rivalry or parents...” You don't assemble a family based on deep connections like “gardening,” “yoga,” or even “hula hooping.” Sometimes the people you live with don't have to be carbon copies of yourself. Of course nobody wants to be stuck on a lease with their complete opposite, even though that has been known to bring out the most hilarious results, but searching for your soul mate on Craigslist is also doomed for failure.
Sure, the idea of setting up an urban commune equipped with only fellow Dave Matthews Band lovers sounds good now, but what happens when something goes wrong? Having five people under one roof who know how to compost the best mulch won't help when the house's circuits blow and nobody can recharge their Macbook Pro. For people who speak so highly about diversity, limiting the people who you live with to only those with the same outlook, likes, and hobbies as yourself smacks of hypocrisy.
On the other hand, if you can make it work, would you mind if I came over for some organic dinners?
