You’re downtown, now behave yourself
Florida’s simplified thesis is that successful cities are about talent, technology, and tolerance. The last point is usually taken to mean a tolerance for gays and various “bohemian” types. But tolerance isn’t about non-discrimination ordinances and it isn’t about gays. Tolerance is a mindset.
The dictionary definition of tolerance is “sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own”. From this is clear that most advocates for “progressive” policies of the type advocated by Florida really aren’t tolerating anything. They might be about allowing differences, but it is seldom about allowing views or actions that are in actual conflict with their own values. Indeed, progressives can be as intolerant as anyone for beliefs or actions that differ from their orthodoxy.
We need tolerance properly so-called. We need an environment where we are willing to put up with things we don’t like in return for the same freedom for ourselves. We need cities where “live and let live” is the motto. Rules that stifle this in order to produce a perpetual suburban style family friendly or least common denominator view of what a city should be are ultimately counter-productive. They sap the city of its animating power.
This explains, among other things, why the contemporary/wacky/WTF (choose one) architecture going up west of MidTown is so important: they stand athwart the “A neighborhood should look like this” concept and shout, “Oh, yeah?” Anyone can build a startlingly-modern house way the hell out at 199th and Whatever, but putting it right smack dab in the middle of town is a serious statement.
Given the tendency to overplan occasionally exhibited in this town — nobody has any idea what Core to Shore will eventually look like, but every office in City Hall has some sort of model — I’m definitely up for some seemingly-wretched excess. Oh, and a few non-discrimination ordinances might be nice.
Dick Stanley »
28 January 2010 · 7:25 am
Accuweather has y’all in for a lot of snow starting overnight tonight. Hope you got your shovel ready. Shovel ready. Get it? Nevermind.
CGHill »
28 January 2010 · 2:07 pm
In the meantime, we get freezing rain and/or sleet. I think I’d rather have the snow.