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Keep in mind that Americans on average have been raised in different environs, and likely different habits from the people you lived with. If you've always live

by ericd 6y ago

Keep in mind that Americans on average have been raised in different environs, and likely different habits from the people you lived with. If you've always lived in close proximity, you've developed ways to cope, which people who've lived in copious space haven't. As an example, people who grew up in the country often find cities to be claustrophobic, impersonal, and uncomfortable. So you can't really say "it works for people in X culture, so it'll be fine for people in Y culture."

noelwelsh 6y ago
I don't understand the point you're trying to make. Culture is not a fixed thing. The majority of present day US citizens do not believe slavery is acceptable, but in the past a majority were prepared to tolerate slavery. Yes, changes to housing will bring about changes of attitudes to housing, but so what? That has already happened---US houses have grown by 40% since the 1980s per the BBC article. Why could this not happen again?
- alistairSH 6y ago
  Culture isn't fixed, but it can be slow and resistant to change. To use your example, ending slavery took a civil war that almost ended the US. And we're still dealing with the aftermath (economic equity, police brutality, etc).
- ericd 6y ago
  My point is that it doesn't seem like you've bothered to put yourself in the shoes of the people that this will affect. You're effectively saying "it's what I do, so it'll be fine for them". The change in housing size that you're talking about encompasses a 40 year period, your slavery example, much longer. Culture can change, but it doesn't happen suddenly, by fiat, it happens on generational timescales.
  - noelwelsh 6y ago
    Do you think every house in Portland is going to be bulldozed and rebuilt inline with the new regulations? More likely it will take decades before the changing regulations are reflected in the housing stock.
    - ericd 6y ago
      I don't think that, but sometimes people want to build their own houses, and they will immediately start butting up against this.

by ericd 6y ago

noelwelsh 6y ago

I don't understand the point you're trying to make. Culture is not a fixed thing. The majority of present day US citizens do not believe slavery is acceptable, but in the past a majority were prepared to tolerate slavery. Yes, changes to housing will bring about changes of attitudes to housing, but so what? That has already happened---US houses have grown by 40% since the 1980s per the BBC article. Why could this not happen again?

alistairSH 6y ago
Culture isn't fixed, but it can be slow and resistant to change. To use your example, ending slavery took a civil war that almost ended the US. And we're still dealing with the aftermath (economic equity, police brutality, etc).
ericd 6y ago
My point is that it doesn't seem like you've bothered to put yourself in the shoes of the people that this will affect. You're effectively saying "it's what I do, so it'll be fine for them". The change in housing size that you're talking about encompasses a 40 year period, your slavery example, much longer. Culture can change, but it doesn't happen suddenly, by fiat, it happens on generational timescales.
- noelwelsh 6y ago
  Do you think every house in Portland is going to be bulldozed and rebuilt inline with the new regulations? More likely it will take decades before the changing regulations are reflected in the housing stock.
  - ericd 6y ago
    I don't think that, but sometimes people want to build their own houses, and they will immediately start butting up against this.