[robocat]

The #1 reason for lawns is status signalling.

  Whether you were a nobleman in 17th century England or a suburbanite today, the lawn is a symbol of success — a reflection of who you are as a person. A good, clean, weed-free lawn is a sign you have the wealth and resources to devote to such a fundamentally meaningless project.

https://www.dailycal.org/2021/03/20/why-do-we-have-lawns-any...

[munificent]

It is no longer the 17th century. When decaying abandoned properties in Detroit are still covered in a mostly even expanse of grass, I conclude that the signalling value of lawns has died.