machiabelly [she/her]

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  • 48 Comments
Joined 5 years ago
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Cake day: November 1st, 2020

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  • This is assuming that people get advantage from knowledge, expertise, and competency. In reality advantage comes from conforming to social norms, connections/nepotism/networking, race/class/sexuality, being able bodied and neurotypical, and having a personality that lends itself towards being organized, goal oriented, routine oriented, and more easily tolerating drudgery.

    People aren’t going to do this because social connections give more power than knowledge and people are weirded out by this shit. What might actually happen is that certain employers may force their employees to wear similar technology for some reason.



  • You realize there is a difference between derragatory and slur right? Boomer is meant to be an insult. That doesnt mean it should be put in the same category as words like the F, N, or T slur.

    Boomer is used to point out an outdated mindset or way of thinking in an insulting way. Slurs are usually a way of drawing upon a history of oppression or pain to hurt someone. They arent comparable.

    All someone has to do to avoid being called a boomer is to not say some boomer ass shit. By comparison Fa---- and tr---- are slurs that will follow me no matter how successful I am or how insightful and well meaning my words are.















  • You’re right to mention how interconnected it all is.

    • Tenant rights helps to prevent evictions, discrimination, and to ensure good maintenance.
    • Vacancy taxes ensures that landlords can’t artificially shrink supply to raise prices and increase values, and to prevent capital strike.
    • Public housing creates competition that lowers prices for renters.
    • Appropriate volume of supply makes sure that everyone is housed in a basic sense. But only if it is the right kind of supply
    • If any of these categories are off they impact the others

    I see lots of people rush to say that supply is the problem but you have to consider how market forces act upon the supply. “Luxury” developments don’t help most people. And as you said it has to be the right density too. In my city more than 10% of units are vacant at any time. Thats at least 20,000 units. This is why I want vacancy taxes so much. Zoning needs to be improved, and its worth new construction to do so. But in most US cities, idk about Australia, vacancy taxes would be enough increase in supply on their own.

    Its also super important to mention the ramifications are commercial zoning. Vacancy taxes are even more important there. Commercial landlords are all holding out for a big chain to move in so they can jack up prices. Its why there are so few niche stores in US cities nowadays.

    I’m ok with very high density zoning if its paired with expansions to mass transit. But generally speaking row housing and 3-4 story apartment buildings are the bread and butter. However any current city dominated by single family detached housing needs serious changes, seriously quickly. In those situations “spikey” development is worth it.


  • I would love to see vacancy taxes in my city. Its the only way of countering the assetization of housing. People are more concerned about the value of the property than revenue. So they keep rent high to make the property look good. Vacancy taxes are the only thing that solve this directly.

    Public housing can make rent more affordable and improve housing security. For people living in the public housing as well as those in the private properties that are now in competition with the public sector.

    But only vacancy taxes can reign in property investment firms hoping for profit from appreciation rather than revenue. With vacancy taxes they have to actually provide a product and not just hold onto land.