Gentrification and capitalist control are complicated dynamics with many considerations, but I will never stop fighting with my friends over 1) the need to build more housing at all tiers and 2) the fact supply & demand dynamics aren't figments of economists' imagination. https://twitter.com/AntBreach/status/1330850081646518273

My friends hate me because I cannot and will not refrain from interjecting "but more housing is good" after joining them in kvetching about yuppies whenever they see new apartments going up.

We need to be building tens of millions of units. Fuck neighborhood character.

"Ah but we could house every single houseless person with the---"

Yes, sure, putting aside quibbling over those statistics, fine let's slaughter everyone in Laurelhurst and give their mansions to the homeless. But there's still millions of people who want to move here.

The problem is once you remove the truly righteous outrage about landlords and homelessness, so much anti-gentrification discourse immediately boils down to reactionary defenses of culture and community. Sucks to see things change, I don't care, let people immigrate.