Monday, 09 March 2009

Not through the back door

'Britain’s hardcore contingent of active NIMBYs (those that have actually objected to a development project in the last year) has increased to 21% of the population.' This is an increase from 13 per cent in 2007. The UK Saint index. Via Planning daily.

I'm not sure it's desirable to let go of 'NIMBY' as a derogatory term of self-interested resistance to change. Here it seems to be used to include people who may have the most collectively-minded and socially-motivated reasons for objecting to development.

It may be worth keeping an eye on this semantic shift: getting meanings changed through the back door, as it were, might just suit some NIMBYs nicely.

9 Mar 2009 14:05:24

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