I attribute the desire to go out of their way to spend more money just to live in a cramped box among strangers to be overdeveloped social neurosis. Humans lived for millions of years in large open spaces, owned land de facto, and had ample space (think kilometers) for themselves or their children to run around outside.

If you want to live in a box and own nothing, go ahead. I can't imagine going back to living on less than 8k sq meters. The growing population is a virus encroaching on man's ability to own his kingdom, not something to be applauded and smiled about.