We live in an age when the most unobjectionable and necessary ideas for progress can give rise to paranoia and fear. If the most innocuous, unoriginal possible idea can fuel paranoia, how can we hope to have a sensible discussion about the future of our places?
These people all grew up in a car centric world, where dad commuted in to the city from the suburbs and mom drove them to the school everyday. That, to them is the comfortable, natural order of things. Their psychology begs them to preserve that order at all costs.
How are 15-minute cities a threat to them and their way of life? As far as I know, there’s nothing about a 15-minute city that precludes anyone from driving a car in it.
All change to them, can be reduced to something that is being taken away from them. Something that disrespects their forefathers.
What about the changes they themselves are causing? Women in their forefathers’ time had access to legal abortion, and now they have taken that away. That’s a change. A rather drastic and menacing change.
How are 15-minute cities a threat to them and their way of life?
More compact cities tend to have more people on the streets (stranger danger!), less space for the cars in which they feel safe, and often force them to park and leave (!) their car minutes (!!) away from their destination. Let’s not even speak of public transportation, where dozens (!!!) of strangers get crammed into the same box.
Women in their forefathers’ time had access to legal abortion
Ah, but what about their fore-forefathers’ time? Anyway, that’s not menacing… for those who can’t get pregnant (men, and celibate, post-menopausal, etc. women).
More compact cities tend to have more people on the streets (stranger danger!)
I thought that’s why they carry guns?
less space for the cars
Okay, that’s a problem if you need to drive somewhere.
often force them to park and leave (!) their car minutes (!!) away from their destination.
That’s a serious problem if you’ve got a bum knee or something. Not everyone who’s disabled can afford to get a diagnosis and placard, nor will they get one in a timely fashion even if they can afford it.
Let’s not even speak of public transportation, where dozens (!!!) of strangers get crammed into the same box.
That’s also a serious problem if there’s a deadly airborne disease going around. We just had one of those, and another one could happen at any time.
That didn’t stop people from flying during the pandemic, though…
Ah, but what about their fore-forefathers’ time? Anyway, that’s not menacing… for those who can’t get pregnant (men, and celibate, post-menopausal, etc. women).
That, however, I will not sympathize with. They are horrible people if they believe that.
They believe that the long-term intent is to force people to remain within their designated “15 minute” zones.
