I don't think that the idea that a well-tended neighbourhoods breeds more respectful relations, is so very sinister. It's just an argument for shorter work weeks and more public services.
I don't think it's inherently sinister either. I think that the 1982 article is kind of terrifyingly sinister. The bit I quoted in particular as a downward spiral is kind of naively hilarious.
But I like writing about sinister things, so this was about spending some time wondering how one could take the Broken Windows insight, assume it was valid and use that as a weapon.
The argument in the article focuses mostly on police intervention. A kind of discretionary power to remove "undesireables" and maintain order.
The concern about equity is more serious. We might agree that certain behavior makes one person more undesirable than another but how do we ensure that age or skin color or national origin or harmless mannerisms will not also become the basis for distinguishing the undesirable from the desirable? How do we ensure, in short, that the police do not become the agents of neighborhood bigotry
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But I like writing about sinister things, so this was about spending some time wondering how one could take the Broken Windows insight, assume it was valid and use that as a weapon.
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The argument in the article focuses mostly on police intervention. A kind of discretionary power to remove "undesireables" and maintain order.
The concern about equity is more serious. We might agree that certain behavior makes one person more undesirable than another but how do we ensure that age or skin color or national origin or harmless mannerisms will not also become the basis for distinguishing the undesirable from the desirable? How do we ensure, in short, that the police do not become the agents of neighborhood bigotry ( ... )
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(Use this link if you do: http://www.quietbabylon.com/2009/broken-windows-a-terrorist-plot :)
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