The Truth About Suburbia in Adam Ruins Everything

In this episode of Adam Ruins Everything,  Adam Conver responds to the popular myth that the suburbs are nice, safe neighborhoods that reside within good communities, which are thought to have good schools. He proves this myth to be false, as the suburban dad in this episode keeps making claims that coincide with the misconceptions about suburbia, by telling the dad that he is wrong with facts and statistics. For instance, in the beginning of the episode the dad thinks that mowing the lawn is a positive aspect of suburban life, but then Adam tells him the average costs of mowing the lawn and how foreign imports of vegetation are more expensive to maintain. The episode continues in this format of presenting a myth about suburbia and then Adam sharing the facts relating to that topic. These topics range from social, environmental, and racial beliefs about suburbia. By exposing the truth about suburbia, Adam shows just how impactful an idea, such as the “American Dream,” can permeate one’s mind to the point of ignorance. He introduces the concept of the suburban sprawl, for instance, by showing how the infrastructure of suburban neighborhoods has not only negative impacts on the environment from pollution, but also on national debt, and even cites a doctor to support his claims about the worrisome aspects of suburban neighborhoods for older and sick people. He approaches this episode with humor, however, so that viewers do not feel dismal about their suburban prospects and impacts on society that may not be positive or conducive to their values.