"So I can't exactly say I'm eager for even more population density. Some of the problems above could possibly be mitigated (e.g. better sound isolation), but the broader issues of how much personal space is really necessary just seems like it's not on people's radars. Is this just not an issue for other people? Am I crazy?"

A village is a different thing than a city. A village solves different problems and provides different things.

You're not crazy for preferring a village.

VIHKAL: Aspen, Colorado ... Coronado Island, California ... Calistoga, California ... Davos, CH ... Salares, Andalucia ...