"Why Is America Obsessed with Lawns?" (Michael Pollan) -- The Atlantic, 2018, 2:26 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qev-Nho7p1U

Michael Pollan reflects on the functions of the lawn in American society. What are the symbolic meanings of the lawn? The argument here is that they function as a sort of symbol of solidarity between neighbors. The purpose of the lawn must be largely symbolic because we rarely use them as a social space.

From the video's description:  Michael Pollan explains how front lawns are endemic to America—and emblematic of the country's hypocrisies. “The conceit of the American suburb is that we’re all in a great park together,” Pollan says in the film. “The lawn symbolizes that continuity.” And yet, Pollan explains, despite the fact that lawns are the largest irrigated crop in the country, Americans tend to avoid using them.