Grass really, really depends on location and climate. I literally never water or fertilize my lawn; it looks fine.
The worse thing here is ecological. I keep my mower set to 4", and keep my lawn a bit longer than my neighbors. I see a ton of fire flies in my yard in the summer, and see a fraction as many in my neighbors yard.
Short lawns are terrible habitat, which makes them good for sports or a children's play area. But 80% of my neighbor's lawn is just aesthetic, which is something I really don't get. Lawns are about as visually exciting as a beige wall. They're a waste of space.
Right, grass here in central Europe grows with no effort at all. I would never in a million years water my lawn. People growing lawns in some North American desert however...
You can use native grasses and there's no need to cut them more than like once or twice a year. There's nothing bad about grass! It grows in the wild as well. Lawns are hell though.