We see beauty in them because of what they represent in our society, not because of their fitness for use nor their contributions to the ecosystems of which they are a part. Lawns are meant to be walked upon, to be sat or lain or played upon, but very little of the millions of acres of turfgrass in the U.S. is actually used this way. No, to us, lawns are used primarily as a void space through which we look to see the house from the street. Lawns are ecologically destructive, not only devoid of biodiversity but requiring great inputs of nonrenewable resources and energy to keep them that way. And though many of us know all this, it is hard to change attitudes both within and outside of the landscape industry.
Sod is money.
Sod is status, as well as status quo. But enough of this. Hope it helps.