Saturday, August 08, 2009

I'm not dead yet!

Greetings!

Hopefully everyone has been having as lovely of a summer as I have been. I'll be back to full posting in the fall.

One thing I've learned this past month is that it's very difficult to have a reasonable discussion on transit in this city. It's not that there aren't any ideas - it's that no one is willing to compromise.

Case in point, I came across this quote:

"The only option that makes any sense is ending both Sheppard and Danforth at STC. End of discussion."

Now you may agree or disagree, but leaving no room for compromise ends up causing a flame war where people who choose to disagree are belittled and ridiculed into submission. I suppose that this is the nature of the internet where no one has to take responsibility for their actions, but, as I have found, being reasonable and being open to compromise tends to get you to a position of influence a lot further than calling people names (marine mammals, for example).

Have a great August!

1 Comments:

At 8/17/2009 10:24 p.m. , Anonymous Northern Light said...

I look forward to your return to regular posting!

AS to the issue of compromise in transit discussions.....

While I fully agree that some people are not open enough to new ideas or respectful of other's ideas....

I also understand that some issues are not easily open to compromise.

If you truly believe, rightly or wrongly that its your god-given right to drive your SUV everywhere (heaven forbid) then you might understandably be resolute in your support of highway widenings and extensions. Similarly if your hold the view that everyone living in a major city should be able to easily choose a car-free lifestyle, presumably you will want what you perceive to be the best transit possible to every corner of town (particularly yours).

OF course that doesn't make such views intellectually justifiable, nor politically pragmatic, nor fiscally responsible.

But it does make them hard to argue with.

C'est La Vie!

But the arguments are good, as any sound argument or theory should be tested, debated, and scrutinized and stand up to the harshest critic.

Which of course, most of yours do! As for those rare occasions where you and I disagree, well, you'll learn to be less stubborn! LOL

 

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