5 ms·

The Castle is honestly required viewing if you're Australian. Amazing movie

Gigachad 5y ago
To me it's a pretty good example example of the flaws of private property. A single person can block infrastructure which would have benefited millions for generations.
- bigbluedots 5y ago
  That is fine until it is your house in question
  - nine_k 5y ago
    Pay me 3x the market price of the house, and I'm going to consider it!
    - bigbluedots 5y ago
      Tell him he's dreamin'
- stolen_biscuit 5y ago
  You perceive a person being able to fight back through the courts to prevent their home and neighbourhood from being forcibly bought and demolished a bad thing?
  - Gigachad 5y ago
    Yes. I think that its most of the reason why major cities just can't build proper infrastructure. Because it's virtually impossible to get the space for it. Yes moving house is a major annoyance and the government should compensate you for that (some % over market rate). But the annoyance the entire state suffers for decades if the infrastructure isn't built is many orders of magnitude greater. A single person shouldn't be able to block an airport that will serve millions. I get HN is very supportive of private property above all else, but not everyone thinks the individual comes before the millions of others involved.
    - rendall 5y ago
      Interesting perspective. By this logic it seems, there should be no individual rights whatsoever. Whatever is deemed by the State good for the many is therefore what shall happen. Am I reading this correctly? US city planning history is replete with entire living neighborhoods getting bulldozed for highways and shopping malls, and the cities never recover their vibrancy. If property rights were viewed as immutable as geography, cities would just have to make do. Either buy the owners out at the price they are willing to sell, or find other solutions. The idea of a private owner "blocking" something would never arise.
      - quickthrower2 5y ago
        If property rights were viewed as immutable it would be aboriginal land.
        rendall 5y ago
        Fair point.
    - winstonewert 5y ago
      Most people would agree with you. That's why pretty much every government has the ability to engage in eminent domain or compulsory purchase to take private property for the "greater good." So, whatever is responsible for the lack of proper infrastructure, your explanation isn't correct.
    - gitgud 5y ago
      > "A single person shouldn't be able to block an airport that will serve millions." So how many people should be able to block an airport extension? a hundred people, ten thousand people? What you're arguing is the classic of the trolley dilemma [1], the individual vs the many. Should you harm 1 person to save 1 million. The difference here is that you're not killing the individual, you're demolishing their home, and you're not saving 1 million people, you're making travel a little more convenient. [1] https://theconversation.com/the-trolley-dilemma-would-you-kill-one-person-to-save-five-57111 https://theconversation.com/the-trolley-dilemma-would-you-ki...
- AnotherGoodName 5y ago
  Yes it's an example of progress vs tradition and your point is one side of that balance. The whole movie is a very clear allegory to Aboriginal land rights. "It's Mabo" to quote the main protagonist defending his families right to their home full of tradition.
- daniel-grigg 5y ago
  The airports are private owned so your argument goes either way with the CEO/investors deciding to demolish whole suburbs and plonk an airport with all its detrimental effects on human health in the middle of a city. Crazy how a single/few individuals can do that.
HKH2 5y ago
I'm Australian and I would never recommend it. It's average, like most fiction that comes from Australia.
dkdbejwi383 5y ago
I'm hesitant to declare anything "the best", but The Castle is certainly guaranteed a spot in the top 10 Aussie films ever made. Unfortunately I live overseas these days and can't find it to stream anywhere. Might have to get someone to send me a DVD with some Tim Tams.
NeoVeles 5y ago
You can put that movie straight in the pool room.
marssaxman 5y ago
Also worth watching if you're married to one, as I used to be! One of my ex's favorites and therefore the source of many quips I would otherwise have failed to understand.

To me it's a pretty good example example of the flaws of private property. A single person can block infrastructure which would have benefited millions for generations.

bigbluedots 5y ago
That is fine until it is your house in question
- nine_k 5y ago
  Pay me 3x the market price of the house, and I'm going to consider it!
  - bigbluedots 5y ago
    Tell him he's dreamin'
stolen_biscuit 5y ago
You perceive a person being able to fight back through the courts to prevent their home and neighbourhood from being forcibly bought and demolished a bad thing?
- Gigachad 5y ago
  Yes. I think that its most of the reason why major cities just can't build proper infrastructure. Because it's virtually impossible to get the space for it. Yes moving house is a major annoyance and the government should compensate you for that (some % over market rate). But the annoyance the entire state suffers for decades if the infrastructure isn't built is many orders of magnitude greater. A single person shouldn't be able to block an airport that will serve millions. I get HN is very supportive of private property above all else, but not everyone thinks the individual comes before the millions of others involved.
  - rendall 5y ago
    Interesting perspective. By this logic it seems, there should be no individual rights whatsoever. Whatever is deemed by the State good for the many is therefore what shall happen. Am I reading this correctly? US city planning history is replete with entire living neighborhoods getting bulldozed for highways and shopping malls, and the cities never recover their vibrancy. If property rights were viewed as immutable as geography, cities would just have to make do. Either buy the owners out at the price they are willing to sell, or find other solutions. The idea of a private owner "blocking" something would never arise.
    - quickthrower2 5y ago
      If property rights were viewed as immutable it would be aboriginal land.
      - rendall 5y ago
        Fair point.
  - winstonewert 5y ago
    Most people would agree with you. That's why pretty much every government has the ability to engage in eminent domain or compulsory purchase to take private property for the "greater good." So, whatever is responsible for the lack of proper infrastructure, your explanation isn't correct.
  - gitgud 5y ago
    > "A single person shouldn't be able to block an airport that will serve millions." So how many people should be able to block an airport extension? a hundred people, ten thousand people? What you're arguing is the classic of the trolley dilemma [1], the individual vs the many. Should you harm 1 person to save 1 million. The difference here is that you're not killing the individual, you're demolishing their home, and you're not saving 1 million people, you're making travel a little more convenient. [1] https://theconversation.com/the-trolley-dilemma-would-you-kill-one-person-to-save-five-57111 https://theconversation.com/the-trolley-dilemma-would-you-ki...
AnotherGoodName 5y ago
Yes it's an example of progress vs tradition and your point is one side of that balance. The whole movie is a very clear allegory to Aboriginal land rights. "It's Mabo" to quote the main protagonist defending his families right to their home full of tradition.
daniel-grigg 5y ago
The airports are private owned so your argument goes either way with the CEO/investors deciding to demolish whole suburbs and plonk an airport with all its detrimental effects on human health in the middle of a city. Crazy how a single/few individuals can do that.

HKH2 5y ago

I'm Australian and I would never recommend it. It's average, like most fiction that comes from Australia.

dkdbejwi383 5y ago

I'm hesitant to declare anything "the best", but The Castle is certainly guaranteed a spot in the top 10 Aussie films ever made. Unfortunately I live overseas these days and can't find it to stream anywhere. Might have to get someone to send me a DVD with some Tim Tams.

NeoVeles 5y ago

You can put that movie straight in the pool room.

marssaxman 5y ago

Also worth watching if you're married to one, as I used to be! One of my ex's favorites and therefore the source of many quips I would otherwise have failed to understand.