Friday Funny: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Tiny Houses

The satirical site The Onion took a break from a busy week lampooning the Olympics to sets its sights on the tiny house movement.

1 minute read

August 12, 2016, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Tiny House

UrmasHaljaste / Shutterstock

The Onion takes a pretty straightforward approach to satirizing the tiny house movement this week. Imagine, if you will, an earnest Portlander sketching out a list of pros and cons, including the following:

Pros

  • "Paints inability to afford a real home as positive life choice"
  • "Allows you to live the simple life your ancestors did everything in their power to escape"
  • "Home comes fully supplied with 20 years of small talk"

You could be laughing or crying after reading those examples. How about the flip side of the coin:

Cons

  • "Spending quality time with family members all but unavoidable"
  • "Lack of diversity in a neighborhood composed entirely of other people whose novels didn’t sell"
  • "Have to live there"

I guess we know what The Onion's staffers think of tiny homes, but to be fair, the idea always did invite satire.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016 in The Onion

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

April 3, 2025 - KERA News

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Green and white interstate freeway signs pointing to Hayward and San Mateo and Half Moon Bay exits in Northern California.

San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project

The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.

5 seconds ago - Streetsblog San Francisco

Kingsbridge Armory, large hangar-like brick building in the Bronx, New York City with brick lower floors and glass/metal curved roof..

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard

After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.

1 hour ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Close-up of white sign with black text; line drawing of bike and 'BIKE LANE'

Houston Mayor Promises Dedicated Austin Street Bike Lane After Public Backlash

Although the one-way bike lane won’t be protected by physical barriers, the proposal is an improvement over the mayor’s initial plan to only include sharrows on the Austin Street project.

2 hours ago - Houston Chronicle