DT Politics Thread

[CurlsLikeTattie]

24 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

And nor should you. But in the context of why some people might look at the concept with a degree of cynicism it's quite relevant 

 

But then, certain groups of people (and not always the same groups) can look at virtually any set up with cynicism, as no matter how idyllic any system appears there will ultimately be those who get shafted 

In our leafy suburb I'll happily pay an extra penny or two in the pound in taxes if it means those on lower incomes have access to quality services, health care and education.

Bring on Masontown (name needs some work). I'm in.

[manc_don]

Wellington, where I work (not live anymore) is probably more of a 10 than a 15 min city. Everything you need is within walking distance of the city centre a vice versa. The concept makes so much sense and there certainly isn’t anything that would stop you from leaving. Apart from the lack of international flights fuck you air NZ. 

Anyway, given the way the world is going, it provides the perfect opportunity for a less carbon heavy day to day existence. Just need to those petrol lobbyists to do one.

[RicoS321]

2 minutes ago, manc_don said:

Wellington, where I work (not live anymore) is probably more of a 10 than a 15 min city. Everything you need is within walking distance of the city centre a vice versa. The concept makes so much sense and there certainly isn’t anything that would stop you from leaving. Apart from the lack of international flights fuck you air NZ. 

Anyway, given the way the world is going, it provides the perfect opportunity for a less carbon heavy day to day existence. Just need to those petrol lobbyists to do one.

See this is partly the problem. What does "less carbon heavy" mean exactly? It's just a bollocks term that gives the veneer of sustainability, when there's not a single sustainable city on earth and never has been. That you outsource absolutely everything to poor people the world over, and launch your subsequent rubbish into the soil and sea (via the washing of recycling or landfill) is carefully omitted from the middle class utopia. 

"The concept makes so much sense", until you note that it is the most expensive place to live in NZ. That those who are actually responsible for the running of the leafy 10 minute utopia can't actually live there, and are either shipped in or out at the end of the day, or just not invited in in the first place. Because it actually makes zero sense at all, and is just a wonderful professional middle class disguise. If you actually included those that keep the city running in the equation then the whole thing would collapse for obvious reasons. Implicit in the design of any city is the exploitation of those who don't get to participate in its riches. 

I'm obviously a massive hypocrite, before anyone asks. I'm just responding to the initial point about 15 minute cities really. There is an attitude by most middle class people that scoffs at those stupid people who question the obvious idylls of 15 minute cities (those idiots and their conspiracy theories). Yet when you puncture the surface of their superficial ideas, it seems that most haven't actually, really, considered what a 15 minute city (or even just a city) is. Who gets to be in on it, and who doesn't. Why it can never expand to everyone, and why it's really not much different to what we have already. The undoubted benefits of no cars (although for some reason they always seem to want to keep roads?), and low pollution, which in our childish zero-sum economy means that someone somewhere is breathing your fumes and inhaling your plastics for you. In reality those that scoff at the conspiracy theorists have really just insulated themselves within their own bubble, where everything seems to be bloody obvious and common sense too.