Having read this thread with interest I just want to get my own thoughts off my chest.
I don't one hundred per cent believe everything I'm about to theorise on. But I do believe in the possibility of lots of what's been stated on this thread and it's concerning.
It seems to me that over the last few years we've had a rise of what we might call conspiracy theorists because we keep seeing those in power putting in place changes to the way we live, big changes, that generally make life much harder, especially for the poor and vulnerable, citing a need to solve a problem. But it doesn't solve the problem, as forcing people to drive twice as long a journey to get somewhere will not solve the emmisions or climate problem.
Those in power are not stupid. So naturally many people wonder what the real goal is.
If I talk to people about this, many seem very apathetic about what this could all lead to. Of course the government must know what they are doing, right? Why would they purposely plunder the economy, cause harm to their own people, effectively cage them and deplete them?
Why indeed. Governments have never attempted to do anything like that before, right?
I guess I think that we've become used to being safe. Of trusting those in power to take the reigns with our best interests at heart. We've lived reletively freely for long enough now to take it for granted. For many, the last few years have shattered that illusion a bit. We've been shown that democracy doesn't nessecarily save us from rogue governments, or bad ones, or stop them from taking that which matters in life away if it suits them while convincing many it's for their own good, so much so that they venemously shut down anyone who suggests otherwise.
The prospect of 15 minute cities worries me, because even if we created a utopia, humans never stop when we've got something good. We keep fussing, keep trying to get more, take more until we've got something bad again, followed by something much worse.
The people who have to drive would continue to drive around these 15 minute cities, were that to be permitted. People needing to get to work, people with disabilities, delivery, taxi drivers all forced to take longer journeys, making air polution worse in the long run. So what, really, could the end game be? That's a question I don't think it's illogical to ask.
Also, if the goal is to get people to walk and cycle more and use public transport, then depleting the services in the way that has been done was not a good idea. In the city where I live, using public transport means getting to your destination quite late as the first 2 buses often don't turn up. You also worry that you won't get anywhere ever again as crime is at the highest it's been for a long time and police presense is lower than ever just to add to the pot. So I find myself wondering why the govt don't fix the things in our cities that make it difficult to walk, cycle and safely travel before they focus on trying to force us to do it. Unless the goal is to cause misery which brings me back to the distrust again.
If we had these utopian 15 min cities I do believe that eventually attempts would be made to keep us there because life would be easier for those in power that way. But life is about more than eating, sleeping and working. Feeling the breeze from the sea touch your face, long walks in the countryside, watching the sun set over a mountaintop, what would life be without the possibility of them and the freedom to experience these things?
It's all just a bit frustrating and sad at the moment I feel. Obviously we all want to do what we can to make the world safer and cleaner for all but I don't believe those in power have that at the forefront of their mind as much as they claim.