Originally Posted by tandempower

Most people accept it as a given. Most people are able to find happiness in the things they don't have control over. They may not be immediately aware that the mundane suffering that comes with driving-dependency in a sprawling area are avoidable. For them to know that, they would have to live car-free for some time, long enough to get used to it as an inevitability. E.g. if an average person had no choice but to live in some Dutch city, car-free, for the rest of their lives, they would ultimately live a happier, healthier, life but there would be nothing preventing their mind from continuing to believe that they preferred the convenience of driving simply because the mind is lazy and ignores the consequences of unhealthy choices until they manifest as health problems, which are then perceived in isolation from the patient's broader lifestyle.

People feel good about making sacrifices to do what they believe is the best thing for themselves and their families. They choose a certain suburb because they believe their property will hold its value and/or appreciate. They do it because they believe they are safely isolated from crime and pollution of other areas. If all these things are only possible in their minds by driving long distances between the suburb and other areas, they will make the sacrifice and be happy about it. The sad part is that it is not a necessary sacrifice.