One big problem with these preferences is that they carry an incredibly high long-term cost for society.
One can't easily switch from a skyscraper to a park or apartment building. Office work culture affects how entire cities are designed.
One can't easily switch from a skyscraper to a park or apartment building. Office work culture affects how entire cities are designed.
You're right to be concerned about this, but I think it stems from a combination of "false dichotomy" and "learned helplessness":
The socializing we do at work is ultimately a side effect of the work environment, not part of the primary goal. We can learn from how non-car-oriented societies structure their settlements. Returning to the previous (and terrible) iteration of the American status quo is not the only alternative.
We don't have to settle for terrible choices simply because they have mildly beneficial side effects.