sagmag

sagmag t1_j9hnl8o wrote

The sketchy places you don't want to go at night have low rents as a result.

As a result, young people and diverse communities who (traditionally) have less free capital, and start up businesses (particularly restaurants) can afford to live there.

The abundance of young people drives bars and other hang-out oriented businesses to move in.

The new bars and restaurants draw attention from a more affluent community.

"Cool" people recognize the potential in the neighborhood start to move in, driving more investment in the growing cultural scene.

Now a thriving neighborhood with things to do and see and eat, "rich white people" move to be close to, what is now becoming, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city.

Prices go up. Poor people leave. Restaurants cant afford rent and are replaced by national chains. The neighborhood completes its cycle from sketchy to boring.

Such is the way of things. Does it suck? Sure. Am I going to stop looking for the newest ethnically authentic restaurants to try food at? Am I going to not go to the cool new bar my friend heard about? No.

This is the problem with this sort of argument. Unfortunately there are things that just...aren't great. However, there's also nothing you can do about them. Next we'll have an article about how badly designed human knees are. Well...its true. It's not an ideal piece of equipment. That's not going to stop the next generation being born with knees.

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