3 ms·

I have a fairly obvious theory. NIMBYism is directly proportionate to the amount of capital you can access. More money, more protectionist of the status quo.

I have a fairly obvious theory. NIMBYism is directly proportionate to the amount of capital you can access. More money, more protectionist of the status quo. It's the same reason people say you get more conservative politically as you age. When you have nothing, you don't mind if the system changes, and vice versa. I call it Loughla's Theory of Pulling Up the Ladder.

0xBDB 3y ago
"NIMBYism is directly proportionate to the amount of capital you can access." I tend to think it's more of a bell curve. The lower classes want more housing. The middle classes are NIMBY because the majority of their net worth is tied to their house value. The upper classes don't care, with rare exceptions for people who don't want their views spoiled. If you live in a 20,000 sqft. penthouse in Manhattan with a doorman and a private elevator what do you care what they're building or not building at the end of the block? Safe to say it won't be anything that kills your property values. A lot of vocal YIMBYs to be Silicon Valley tech moguls.
rr808 3y ago
Possibly, I suspect though that most Americans here grew up in SFH and are reluctant to see that lifestyle go away.
- lumost 3y ago
  I'm not so certain, I grew up in a (modular) sfh in a nice suburb. My experience with sfh as a child was that it meant being far from any other friends I could interact with. The only time where this wasn't the case was a brief period where I lived in a dense set of homes near a lake. As an adult, I have no love for the lifestyle.
- ryandrake 3y ago
  Maybe a majority outside of HN, but NIMBYs (and even just people who don't particularly like apartments) are not exactly welcome here on HN, so it's unusual when their comments appear. They are all predictably being downvoted to -4, so it looks like it's temporary. I usually stay out of these discussions because the strong groupthink on this topic tends to keep discussions one-sided.
- CydeWeys 3y ago
  That lifestyle will never go away, but it has no place to be required in big cities that would instead benefit from much more housing in total.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

0xBDB 3y ago

"NIMBYism is directly proportionate to the amount of capital you can access." I tend to think it's more of a bell curve. The lower classes want more housing. The middle classes are NIMBY because the majority of their net worth is tied to their house value. The upper classes don't care, with rare exceptions for people who don't want their views spoiled. If you live in a 20,000 sqft. penthouse in Manhattan with a doorman and a private elevator what do you care what they're building or not building at the end of the block? Safe to say it won't be anything that kills your property values. A lot of vocal YIMBYs to be Silicon Valley tech moguls.

rr808 3y ago

Possibly, I suspect though that most Americans here grew up in SFH and are reluctant to see that lifestyle go away.

lumost 3y ago
I'm not so certain, I grew up in a (modular) sfh in a nice suburb. My experience with sfh as a child was that it meant being far from any other friends I could interact with. The only time where this wasn't the case was a brief period where I lived in a dense set of homes near a lake. As an adult, I have no love for the lifestyle.
ryandrake 3y ago
Maybe a majority outside of HN, but NIMBYs (and even just people who don't particularly like apartments) are not exactly welcome here on HN, so it's unusual when their comments appear. They are all predictably being downvoted to -4, so it looks like it's temporary. I usually stay out of these discussions because the strong groupthink on this topic tends to keep discussions one-sided.
CydeWeys 3y ago
That lifestyle will never go away, but it has no place to be required in big cities that would instead benefit from much more housing in total.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]