| I think this topic could be generalized to say that (a) People are scared of change, and particularly change that doesn't benefit them directly but offers potential risks (this is a rational outlook, of course) (b) Our society tends to operate in a low-trust manner, with this trust level dropping by the year. Maybe once upon a time, communities would feel satisfied that if the schools get crammed, we can expand the school and hire teachers. That if the roads are crammed, we can build infrastructure to alleviate traffic. Nowadays people have no trust that our institutions can handle the rate at which infrastructure is needed. Putting together (a) and (b), as an individual the most rational policy is one of change nothing. The neighborhood was already great, why are you trying to rock the boat? What if you ruin everything? > But that conversation never happens. It is _always_ greedy homeowners who worry only about their house price at the expense of everyone else. As long as the conversation is framed that way, I don't think it will every move forward. On HN maybe, every local forum or town-hall I've seen it's the other way around. |
You may be right! I spend too much time in HN and reddit, and no time at all in forums and town halls. Perhaps my view is warped.