Fresh Views on Old Saws

A few things to mull over:

1.  Hey!  Maybe government assistance does trap people into poverty, but not for the reasons conservatives claim.  In fact, maybe the constant series of hoops that the poor are made to jump through and the bizarre incentives to “work” are, in fact, the problems!

2.  It’s only when the garbagemen stop coming that we can easily realize that we’ve got too much crap.

3.  Cars: less cool than ever amongst today’s connected youth.

4.  Dude, even The Economist is questioning how current corporate profit margins can be sustained, and at what social cost — sounds like somebody’s a little dubious of the way the market works!  (Seriously, the illustration says it all.)

5.  Lastly, developers are shocked — SHOCKED! — that an exurban New Urbanist development outside DC, designed around the principle of mass transit, is now rejecting actually building that transit.  All the story does, of course, is reveal that New Urbanism is essentially a giant sham; it’s as fundamentally anti-urban as any fringe exurbia that pulls resources from a central city.  Sure, it might be a little more walkable, but the vast majority of New Urbanist developments retain far more of the traits of city-fearing exurbia than they could ever incorporate.  Let’s stop calling it New Urbanism and start calling it what it really is: Slightly More Walkable, Light-Rail-Adjacent Exclusive Exurbia That Allays White Liberal Consciences While Continuing To Destroy Actual Cities As Well As Damage Society At Large (By Promoting Privileged Retreat As A Legitimate Alternative To Real Social Engagement).  Sure, it’s a bit of a mouthful, but at least it’s accurate!