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Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

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Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#3
Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress.

In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept, but this is not the right place - have we considered alternate locations? Can the infrastructure cope with that? Don't we need to build another hospital or a police station first? What about the impacts on the Canada thistle and raccoon habitat?

I'm only half-joking here. I have plenty of notionally anti-NIMBY friends and they, without fail, are collecting petitions and protesting at planning meetings every time someone tries to ruin their backyard tranquility. And I'm sure I'd be doing that too if they tried to put a Costco or a highway off-ramp over there.

Fundamentally, the proposition behind a lot of progress-centric projects is that they will harm some people for the well-being of others, and this is something we stubbornly fail to address. If we're OK with that as a society, we should say so, and we should have streamlined ways to lessen these impacts instead of pretending they don't exist, and it's all just irrationality of the select few. Make it a part of the social contract, instead of the current implicit promise that your cul-de-sac can stay the same forever. And once we have that, just build stuff - without years of reviews, environmental studies, lawsuits, and so forth.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#5
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

No. Many of us are delighted to have high density housing nextdoor, across the street, or on our own property. Many are glad for new rail lines, the closer the better. The people you mentioned are just NIMBYs.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#6
post #5
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

No. Many of us are delighted to have high density housing nextdoor, across the street, or on our own property. Many are glad for new rail lines, the closer the better. The people you mentioned are just NIMBYs.

Yea exactly, OP’s argument is the same as

“if you want the government to pay more taxes you should just personally write a bigger check during tax time”

The underlying optimal game theoretic action is obvious (and therefore common), the problem are the laws that require you to respect the neighbors.

This is why state-wide anti-NIMBY laws can get passed, everyone thinks it won’t come for them so they let it pass. Let’s pass more of those and make em stronger.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#7
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

nimbyism is a perfectly rational market behavior when land is untaxed - as it was with, say, prop 13.

Why on earth would you want your local "historic" San francisco launderette to be turned into apartments? New supply will hurt the resale value of your apartment.

nimbys behaving in a rational way are a nicer target than, say, the Howard Jarvis taxpayers foundation. That one is backed by fine, upstanding billionaires and not filthy middle class homeowners. We all know who is "really" to blame for all of this and it is not the billionaires who set the rules of the game, it is those who play it.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#8
post #5
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

No. Many of us are delighted to have high density housing nextdoor, across the street, or on our own property. Many are glad for new rail lines, the closer the better. The people you mentioned are just NIMBYs.

Indeed, in my country the vast majority of people have nothing against new development near their neighbourhood. It’s always one or two people with way too much free time that are blocking development.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#9
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

> It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress.

I feel kind of the opposite way really. I've even known plenty of people who lease apartment units and don't want other apartments built because newer construction = more expensive (even if it keeps their own rent from being more expensive since it relieves some of the demand).

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#10
post #3

Somewhat tangentially, I think the term "NIMBY" is actually one of the most significant impediments to getting rid of NIMBYism. It reduces the debate to fighting some imagined, small class of property owners who oppose progress. In reality, everyone is a NIMBY when someone shows up and tries to build a rail line or some high-density housing in your backyard. Sure, you support progress as a concept , but this is not t…

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