Apparently, right now in Sydney there is a quiet war raging between the NIMBY (not in my backyard) and the so-called YIMBY (yes in my backyard) over public housing.
The NIMBY are home owners in desirable suburbs who oppose public housing in their area because it makes the suburb less desirable, thus lowering the value of their property.
The NIMBY are painted as the villain, because they are staunchly opposed to letting what Basil Fawlty called ‘the riff-raff’ move in next door.
I know saying this out loud marks me as a robber-barron if not a bloated plutocrat, but rest assured I live far, far away from our coveted harbour, cheek-by-jowl among the most raffish ruffians the ‘riff has to offer.
That’s factoid Number One, and a clue!
But here’s where media reportage of this bogus “war” becomes somewhat cynical and extremely economical with the truth.
Playing victim for all it’s worth, the so-called YIMBY are not in fact altruistic home owners in desirable suburbs benevolently offering to share their harbour views with the riff-raff.
No. The YIMBY are the riff-raff!
That’s factoid Number Two.
Most YIMBY are already in public housing, rent privately, or own homes in less desirable outer suburbs of Sydney. Many if most look nothing like the couple above. They both work, drive a Hyundai Tucson, and have two kids in private schools.
But the fact YIMBY covet the Mosman lifestyle but can’t afford Mosman prices (median $5.9M AUD) is the driving forces behind a false and hysterical narrative about ‘social justice’.
Which I call out as total bullshit — it’s just the everyday entitlement, envy and greed of underachievers — and that’s factoid Number Three.
Let’s say I quite enjoy wagyu steak from Rangers Valley.
But to my dismay I discover that their bone-in sirloin retails for $120 per kilogram, whereas my budget only stretches to Woolworth’s beef chuck steak for $17.50 per kilo.
Solution?
Shrilly demand the government subsidise Ranger Valley wagyu so that I only pay $17.50 per kilo, and call it “social justice”!
Here’s factoid Number Four, and it applies to everything you will every do in your life without exception:
You can’t always get what you want,
But if you try sometime,
You just might find,
You get what you need.