I tried to review the things in my life that this article might identify as a misplaced goal. Almost all of them are tied to experiences. Maintaining, harvesting, and admiring my garden is a soure of pleasure in my life. I can say the same thing about my bike, my computer, my phone, my guitar, etc.
The example of sacrificing a short commute for a bigger house in the suburbs isn't so clear if people that you care about also live in the suburbs, or the house allows you experiences that you couldn't otherwise have - building things in a workshop, raising a large family, etc.
I’ve said this above but I don’t think this is an incompatible view with what the article says. But the predominant attitude is that everyone just ought to move to the suburbs eventually because it’s just “obviously” so much better, with the bigger living space and the lower density. We’re seeing this attitude pop up with COVID-19 once again.
For me, I so heavily despise the experience of being in a car for even half an hour. So unless I find a neighborhood where everything is nearby or maybe I can bike everywhere (not so easy in the US!) none of these supposed quality-of-life improvements will outweigh the downside for me.
(And yes, I have owned a car and used it for day-to-day stuff. I universally hated every single moment I sat in that car.)
The example of sacrificing a short commute for a bigger house in the suburbs isn't so clear if people that you care about also live in the suburbs, or the house allows you experiences that you couldn't otherwise have - building things in a workshop, raising a large family, etc.