ABSTRACT
The social and spatial consequences of capitalism together with the process of aestheticization of society produce new spatial forms of capitalism, new commodified forms of social interaction, and new forms of walking. This chapter seeks to explore the genealogy of contemporary aestheticized and commodified forms of walking, in particular walking in the context of walkable urbanism. Indeed, the New American Dream, the promise of happiness through walkable urbanism has stirred up the real-estate market, which shows a tendency for walkable neighbourhoods to be more expensive than others because of their walkability. The young and trendy move out of their parents' suburban homes and into the city for a walkable lifestyle. What became of the yearning for agency through walking? With walkable urbanism, capital returns to the city centre and creates new markets for a budding walkable lifestyle which is fed through conspicuous consumption. Imaginaries of class differences are reproduced in walkable urbanism, as consumption is a means for social distinction.
