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Guess he is against private ownership of public infrastructure, because of what experience has shown. Invariably, there is persistent underinvestment to increas

Guess he is against private ownership of public infrastructure, because of what experience has shown. Invariably, there is persistent underinvestment to increase short-term profit, and once the physical plant is so run down that it plainly can't function any longer, it is renationalized at great loss to the public. The current model has led to a persistent underinvestment in housing, especially entry-level housing since at least the late 1990's.

AnimalMuppet 3y ago
OK, but there is still an unstated proposition, that housing is (or should be) public infrastructure. That was not even stated, and if it were stated, there would be very wide disagreement with it. This style of posting - assuming but not stating a controversial position, but stating as given what follows from it - is real bad news. First, it's essentially a dishonest way of communicating. They state as truth something that is very far from accepted, in the attempt to get people to accept something that they don't, without having to go through the hard work of actually persuading them on the real point of disagreement. But even if no dishonesty is intended - they think the controversial point is not controversial at all, but rather something that everyone accepts - it's still bad news, because it hides the actual point of disagreement that needs discussed. It results in a "conversation" that is both sides hurling sound bytes at each other, but never actually talking about where the disagreement is. That's not a good conversation, even in general, but it's a terrible conversation for HN.
- alchemist1e9 3y ago
  It’s a terrible post I agree. The other issue is how basic capitalism is constantly under attack despite the overwhelming empirical evidence of it’s remarkable success. It’s a repeated pattern in history that always ends in darkness for humanity if it gains enough momentum to make changes. https://iea.org.uk/publications/socialism-the-failed-idea-that-never-dies/ https://iea.org.uk/publications/socialism-the-failed-idea-th... How are we even debating private ownership of property and housing. What an incredible failure of basic education systems. It’s like denying evolution or holding some other profoundly unscientific and un-objective emotional belief. Hopefully my comment complies with HN guidelines. It’s can be hard to comply we dealing with such absurd proposals and theories. Unless tinker-bell is real and has fairy dust to build houses and provide basic needs.
breakyerself 3y ago
This. Housing was left up to the invisible hand of the market and the market has fallen on its face at the task of providing housing for all.

AnimalMuppet 3y ago

OK, but there is still an unstated proposition, that housing is (or should be) public infrastructure. That was not even stated, and if it were stated, there would be very wide disagreement with it. This style of posting - assuming but not stating a controversial position, but stating as given what follows from it - is real bad news. First, it's essentially a dishonest way of communicating. They state as truth something that is very far from accepted, in the attempt to get people to accept something that they don't, without having to go through the hard work of actually persuading them on the real point of disagreement. But even if no dishonesty is intended - they think the controversial point is not controversial at all, but rather something that everyone accepts - it's still bad news, because it hides the actual point of disagreement that needs discussed. It results in a "conversation" that is both sides hurling sound bytes at each other, but never actually talking about where the disagreement is. That's not a good conversation, even in general, but it's a terrible conversation for HN.

alchemist1e9 3y ago
It’s a terrible post I agree. The other issue is how basic capitalism is constantly under attack despite the overwhelming empirical evidence of it’s remarkable success. It’s a repeated pattern in history that always ends in darkness for humanity if it gains enough momentum to make changes. https://iea.org.uk/publications/socialism-the-failed-idea-that-never-dies/ https://iea.org.uk/publications/socialism-the-failed-idea-th... How are we even debating private ownership of property and housing. What an incredible failure of basic education systems. It’s like denying evolution or holding some other profoundly unscientific and un-objective emotional belief. Hopefully my comment complies with HN guidelines. It’s can be hard to comply we dealing with such absurd proposals and theories. Unless tinker-bell is real and has fairy dust to build houses and provide basic needs.

breakyerself 3y ago

This. Housing was left up to the invisible hand of the market and the market has fallen on its face at the task of providing housing for all.