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I totally agree, though I think these primarily stem from one thing, which is that America hasn't been seriously tested for a very long time. When you're not c
by ravenstine 5y ago
I totally agree, though I think these primarily stem from one thing, which is that America hasn't been seriously tested for a very long time. When you're not challenged, you can easily settle into what is adequate, even if you support progress and innovation on paper. America is a great place to live despite its faults, but it's also stuck in the past. Take for instance our major cities; somehow much older cities around the world ironically have more modern elements than cities like Los Angeles and New York, which for all intents and purposes aren't significantly different from where they were in the 1970s (besides greater population and in the case of LA much less smog).
If we want to build quickly and actually begin to address problems rather than just accept things as the way they are, we need to be knocked down a peg. I don't think that means getting nuked or whatever, but it would mean that our "too big to fail" status would need to actually be jeopardized in a meaningful way. Once the current generation of grey-hairs in government finally croak and pass on the torch, then there would be the chance to garbage-collect excessive regulations and better pick and choose what should be regulated heavily or not, rather than regulate with a broad brush. Laws and regulations should be designed with exceptions in mind, and not just for fat cats in the club.
- irrational 5y ago> somehow much older cities around the world ironically have more modern elements than cities like Los Angeles and New York Somehow? Shouldn’t this say “Much older cities around the world have more modern elements than cities like Los Angeles and New York because they were razed to the ground during the world wars and rebuilt in modern times.”?
- renewiltord 5y agoNah, Thameslink beats any US line and it’s from 1988. Lizzie line will be better too. Oedo line too. And Fukutoshin like. Blackfriars is over the Thames. I don’t think there’s a US station that is as creative in use of space. Not to speak of the overground or DLR. I think it’s just trade offs. The US gives individual power, those other places give state power. Former excels in certain places but provides veto when you achieve steady state. So things stall here. Notice that in things which can be done with individual power, like developers making housing developments in Texas, outcomes are good.
- ehnto 5y agoI think power to execute is definitely a big part of it. A neighborhood can't afford a major work, or organize one, so it won't, but when a government entity can afford a major work, the neighborhood often has the power to stop that. Even though the major work is likely part of a larger orchestration of infrastructure, that one neighborhood can put a halt to it. They tried to replace a level crossing with an overpass in my city, arguably good for everyone. Well, they did argue it, and it didn't happen. Even though there is already a train line there, apparently an overpass was too much infrastructure for them.
- dionidium 5y agoThat wouldn't explain why Phoenix and Seattle and Austin and Las Vegas (and other recent-growth cities) lack the amenities of similarly-sized European cities.
- bumby 5y agoFor discussion's sake, can you enumerate the amenities you're alluding to? If it's solely in regards to public transit, I think this is largely due to cultural differences. The US still has the remnants of an individualistic frontier mentality. I don't know, but tend to think it's not by coincidence, that the better public transit systems tend to be near the eastern seaboard.
- bradlys 5y agoIt’s not just public transit. Walkability. Bike paths. High density - potentially mixed use types. No emphasis on lowering noise. Etc. Basically anything you’d normally see in a Not Just Bikes video… It’s not cultural btw. It’s corporational. It’s corporations which are driving these things - which don’t seem to have as significant of a voice in other countries.
- bluGill 5y agoWalkability is the fad now. Just like cars replacing streetcars was in the past. In this case one I'm glad to support.
- cscurmudgeon 5y agoAs a US immigrant with chronic health issues from walking miles to work in a 3rd world country, cars are a boon for me now.
- bradlys 5y agoI think the idea of walkability isn’t that you spend hours having to walk everyday to do menial tasks. It’s that you’re within very short distances of places.
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