5 ms·

Soviet bloc housing; no thanks. That is the end result of government policy.

kzcqt 8y ago
This is very classist. Everybody should have the opportunity of living in a big city, especially given that that's where the jobs are (and it's only going to get worse every year).
Cerium 8y ago
I have spent some time living in one of these tall thin Chinese towers. They have benefits that are not at apparent at first glance. Since they are thin every room can have a window and they have good airflow. Since they are high density public transport can be very close, and catching a taxi is easy.
- badpun 8y ago
  Also, if someone 15 floors below or above you is using a jackhammer, your day is screwed. Or, if there's a child who is bouncing a ball against the wall in some appartment. The noises travel pretty well across the structure, that's why I prefer to live in a building which has as few units within a single structure as possible. Mine curently has 25, which is livable, previous one was over a hundred and was much worse in this regard.
mikeash 8y ago
The difference is that nobody would be forcing you to live in one. Note that sprawling suburbs with identical single family houses and lawns controlled to the inch by HOAs are also the end result of government policy.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- reaperducer 8y ago
  HOA's are, quite literally, not government. They're an association of home owners. They sometimes act like government, but are still very limited in scope and power. And a good HOA or condo association (there are some) is even better than a government.
  - tathougies 8y ago
    Of course they are government. If you don't pay their fee, they can evict you. They are the only agency able to do this, despite having no lien on the house. That makes them a government, whether you like it or not
    - reaperducer 8y ago
      If you don't pay their fee, they can evict you. And that's why I wrote that they act like a government. But unlike a government, you can move away from the HOA's project and not be under its thumb. To escape government, you have to buy a ship and anchor it in the middle of the ocean.
      - tathougies 8y ago
        So the government of California is not a government because you can move to Nevada? Have you thought about what you're claiming? Is the government of London not a government because you can move to Birmingham?
        skellera 8y ago
        No need to take it so literally. Moving to the next development or town over is different from moving out of a country or state.
        tathougies 8y ago
        So yes... City governments are not governments because you can just move to the neighboring city. Redefining words is fun!!
wongarsu 8y ago
> That is the end result of government policy. Everything is the result of government policy. Even if the government did absolutely nothing, it would be the result of a government policy not to intervene.
trophycase 8y ago
Having seem them in person in China, they very much resembled bloc houses. 3x3 pr 4x4 squares of identical apartment buildings, and it seemed like there were miles and miles of these

This is very classist. Everybody should have the opportunity of living in a big city, especially given that that's where the jobs are (and it's only going to get worse every year).

Cerium 8y ago

I have spent some time living in one of these tall thin Chinese towers. They have benefits that are not at apparent at first glance. Since they are thin every room can have a window and they have good airflow. Since they are high density public transport can be very close, and catching a taxi is easy.

badpun 8y ago
Also, if someone 15 floors below or above you is using a jackhammer, your day is screwed. Or, if there's a child who is bouncing a ball against the wall in some appartment. The noises travel pretty well across the structure, that's why I prefer to live in a building which has as few units within a single structure as possible. Mine curently has 25, which is livable, previous one was over a hundred and was much worse in this regard.

mikeash 8y ago

The difference is that nobody would be forcing you to live in one. Note that sprawling suburbs with identical single family houses and lawns controlled to the inch by HOAs are also the end result of government policy.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
reaperducer 8y ago
HOA's are, quite literally, not government. They're an association of home owners. They sometimes act like government, but are still very limited in scope and power. And a good HOA or condo association (there are some) is even better than a government.
- tathougies 8y ago
  Of course they are government. If you don't pay their fee, they can evict you. They are the only agency able to do this, despite having no lien on the house. That makes them a government, whether you like it or not
  - reaperducer 8y ago
    If you don't pay their fee, they can evict you. And that's why I wrote that they act like a government. But unlike a government, you can move away from the HOA's project and not be under its thumb. To escape government, you have to buy a ship and anchor it in the middle of the ocean.
    - tathougies 8y ago
      So the government of California is not a government because you can move to Nevada? Have you thought about what you're claiming? Is the government of London not a government because you can move to Birmingham?
      - skellera 8y ago
        No need to take it so literally. Moving to the next development or town over is different from moving out of a country or state.
        tathougies 8y ago
        So yes... City governments are not governments because you can just move to the neighboring city. Redefining words is fun!!

wongarsu 8y ago

> That is the end result of government policy. Everything is the result of government policy. Even if the government did absolutely nothing, it would be the result of a government policy not to intervene.

trophycase 8y ago

Having seem them in person in China, they very much resembled bloc houses. 3x3 pr 4x4 squares of identical apartment buildings, and it seemed like there were miles and miles of these