That's why they're going all-in on mandating infrastructure that requires centralization. Because you're right: a lot of their desired policies (like not traveling so much and staying closer to home) have a tendency to encourage localism and stronger local in-group preferences.

But if you're also dependent on the electric grid that they can cut you off from, and you can't grow your own food because they can shut you off from the water supply, and you can't just buy fuel for a generator because either generators are illegal or you can't buy fuel, then it becomes much easier to tamp down on that sort of thing.

Of course that assumes they can keep the wheels from falling off the global just-in-time supply chain this plan requires, and that's not a forgone conclusion.

Some truth to that. A couple of the 20-somethings I know live with their parents still, but not quite in the "mom's basement" way. Outside of being a bit behind in their life than where I was at that age....say they are at 24 where I was at 20 or so, it's not like I'm talking about deadbeats. The cost for an apartment in an area I actually rented about a dozen years ago they were looking at has more than doubled. It's very much forcing people in with family.