“My uncle says the architects got rid of the front porches because they didn't look well. But my uncle says that was merely rationalizing it; the real reason, hidden underneath, might be they didn't want people sitting like that, doing nothing, rocking, talking; that was the wrong kind of social life. People talked too much. And they had time to think. So they ran off with the porches. And the gardens, too. Not many gardens anymore to sit around in. And look at the furniture. No rocking chairs any more. They're too comfortable. Get people up and running around.“

– Ray Bradbury

Book: Fahrenheit 451

”Rockin chair contemplation” by Elise Ritter

In American literature, the porch is a stage where the symbolism is often as thick as the summer air - a transitional space between the cocoon of home and the cacophony of the outside world.

There used to be a time when houses were known for their front porches: . The home and the road came together at the porch.

Very often even people who didn't meet anywhere else could meet at the porch for conversation…or just to watch the world,or to talk things over especially on warm summer nights.

The porch is like a bridge to inner and outer life.

The porch represents a sanctuary where one can enjoy solitude or engage in social interactions with neighbors or passing by people in a very simple and easy way.

The Porch theory states:

If they can imagine themselves hanging out with someone when they are older on their front porch, they will nurture this friendship.

The porch symbolism is:

Community, neighborhood and conversations.

Image credit: Country Living Magazine

Why did architects get rid of front porches?

Just after the Second World War the architecture of the houses drastically changed.

The government said people talked too much, sitting on their porches, socializing and thinking…

The final nail in the coffin for the popularity of the porch were the inventions of air conditioning and television…

Now let's talk a little bit about this:

Psychology

Psychology emerged as a scientific discipline with the founding of Wundt's Laboratory in Leipzig at the end of 1879.

Wundt's method, both experimental and introspective, was directed to the study of an adult's mind and behavior.

In 1920, in America, psychology was dominated by two main currents. The first was a tendency to reduce life to habit and the second was to establish differences between humans by test.

The second tendency, toward testing, had burst suddenly on the scene with the coming of the Binet tests to America in 1905.

On the professional front, psychology’s identity and impact were evolving in response to societal demands and needs. The post-war period saw the field increasingly engage with practical applications in areas such as clinical psychology, counseling, and industrial-organizational psychology. The establishment of ethical guidelines, licensure, and standards of practice solidified psychology’s position as a profession with responsibilities to both clients and society…

But where are the front porches indeed? …

Shared with joy

A.A

Stob, Bulgaria