Why is the conclusion always "Americans are just ignorant of what's good for them" instead of acknowledging different people have different preferences in life?
It is fine to have different preferences, but American city design has contributed to multiple negative externalities such as the obesity epidemic, lack of social connection, environmental damage, etc. Some preferences can be better, for a commonly accepted definition of better, than others.
Also, American cities bar NYC, DC, and a few others do not allow for people to have preferences; you are forced to live a car-centric lifestyle whether you want to or not.
Because sometime in the mid-00s (last I checked, I wasn't paying much attention before then) anti-americanism became extremely popular among US liberals (where a sizable portion of HN culture comes from). Usually portraying Americans as fat, stupid, violent, extremely religious, etc. It's come and gone in the years since, right now it's not a huge influence on public culture probably at least partially because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but obviously it still has a lot of pull with people who strongly disagree with the prevailing US approach to transit.
I live near Los Angeles and talk to people there. As an outsider the situation seems crazy and impossible. They complain a bit, but they brag more. It works for them, somehow. It’s not for me, but that’s fine.
