Part of this is propaganda. Home ownership has been encouraged by the government because it drives so much of the economy. Just think of all the items you have to purchase to maintain and beautify a home. And the idea is that if someone owns a home they actually live in then they are going to take greater pride in that home than a landlord would and therefore they are going to buy more stuff for their home: materials for extra living space, extra garage space, the lawn, the garden, the kitchen, beautification items to make the home look better or at least as good as the neighbors' homes, etc., etc. The list is endless, and that's just the way the government wants it, because it provides considerable stimulus to the economy, including lots of money flowing to banks and mortgage companies. A fetish about home ownership is a natural outgrowth of a capitalistic society. And for most people it feels good knowing they own their own property, especially if they get it paid off and do indeed actually own it rather than essentially renting it from the bank while they are taking 20 or 30 years to pay off the mortgage. It's just that home ownership is not necessarily for everybody, so if you decide not to own then you're dealing with that subtle programming that has been placed in your head and the heads of most Americans.