From The Motley Fool

In recent years, Americans have supersized their homes in ever-increasing numbers. The average American home has doubled in square footage since the 1950s, while family size is down from 3.7 people at the height of the baby boom to just 2.3 members per household. As a result, U.S. homeowners now have roughly three times more living space per person than their grandparents' generation.

How is all of that extra space being used? The new "essentials" in larger homes include media rooms, separate rooms for each of the kids, great rooms, gourmet kitchens, bathrooms adjoining each bedroom, game rooms, and offices. In effect, the home becomes like a community -- you can get all of your needs met there, with very little interaction required with the outside world. That's precisely the point, say some big-house owners, who point to Sept. 11 as a turning point in American culture. The big house becomes like a fortress, an illusion of protection against a larger and more unpredictable world.

Ask other folks why they think we Americans love our big homes, and you'll get still more varied answers. Pragmatists may say that it is all relative; we continually strive to top ourselves, not to mention the Joneses, and end up with houses that dwarf the land surrounding them. Critics may say we're a greedy culture that is careless with the environment. Others may take a softer stance, arguing that we're simply trying for a better life than the one we had growing up.