5 ms·
The problem is that the "poor" people are asking the wrong question. They are asking, "why can't I afford to live where I grew up?" The question they should b
by nsnick 12y ago
The problem is that the "poor" people are asking the wrong question. They are asking, "why can't I afford to live where I grew up?" The question they should be asking is, "should I live where I grew up?"
- RIMR 12y agoExactly! A lot of people feel that they are entitled to live in the city they grew up in. They feel that the rising cost of living is unjust, and that they are the victims. What needs to be understood is that we cannot force the cost of living to drop, and we cannot force the median income to rise. Either search for a job that pays more, or search for a home that costs less. If that means moving away from where you grew up, then sorry, but that's literally your best option. Is it fair? No - but life isn't fair. If you find yourself living in a place that you cannot afford, then you are the problem, not the world around you. Fix your own life, because nobody is going to do it for you.
- throwaway9324 12y ago"we cannot force the cost of living to drop" That's exactly what rent control does. I guess it's ok to not even try to make an argument on HN these days.
- scott_karana 12y agoRent control doesn't force the cost of living to drop: it just shifts it. The ROI on apartments drops substantially, so investors aren't incentivized to make new buildings, but instead maintain their current ones as cheaply as possible until they're unserviceable.
- throwaway9324 12y agoIt does for the people being discussed.
- scott_karana 12y agoNot necessarily. A poorly maintained, older building may have worse heat insulation or vapour barriers, or problems with mold, or simply less efficient fixtures than modern buildings. Energy and healthcare bills can be substantial, and are borne by the tenants, not the landlords. What you're really describing is a lower standard of living, not merely a lower cost of living.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- emodendroket 12y agoThere is nothing about not having rent controls that prevents this from happening.
- Frondo 12y agoI guess I can't think of a single instance in history where the world was made a better place with the attitude of "life isn't fair, you're on your own".
- emodendroket 12y ago> Is it fair? No - but life isn't fair. If you find yourself living in a place that you cannot afford, then you are the problem, not the world around you. Fix your own life, because nobody is going to do it for you. Come on. It's not as though the circumstances that created "Silicon Valley" were natural and beyond the control of anyone; why should we turn around and pretend the side effects were (well, other than it being convenient)?