Utopian urban plans fail without social psychological realism about people

Evidence

But how does the individual learn to gauge his own abilities without risk? And how does he even develop them without going to new places where he may feel uncomfortable? The answer seems to be that he does not, and this is perhaps one of the greatest ironies of city living. … In doing so, however, one increases one’s vulnerability to disorganization in the face of change. Or, one can take risks, rushing headlong into new places, new people, and new situations, thereby increasing one’s self-knowledge and one’s skills and, in the long run, finding the city not to be risky at all (see Chapter Eight). — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 638 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Modern urbanites defuse situational ignorance by avoiding unprepared places; Urban competence develops only through exposure to risky new places — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 638; Avoiding fearfully-labeled city areas costs urbanites movement and home feeling (+6 more)

Related

• Urban competence develops only through exposure to risky new places (similarity 0.86)
• Urban spatial literacy varies enormously across individual mental locational maps (similarity 0.84)
• The hardest part of urban adventuring is the initial step into public space (similarity 0.84)
• Playing it safe in the city increases vulnerability to later disorganization (similarity 0.83)
• Ethnic neighborhoods can shelter inhabitants from ever learning to navigate strangers (similarity 0.82)
• Urban strangers can avoid situational incompetence by avoidance and instruction. (similarity 0.80)
• Avoiding mislabeled dangerous areas strips urbanites of freedom and belonging (similarity 0.79)
• Routine risk-taking makes the city feel less risky (similarity 0.78)
• Urban danger warnings need not be accurate to be rational (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Avoiding fearfully-labeled city areas costs urbanites movement and home feeling #corroborates (0.75)
• Modern urbanites defuse situational ignorance by avoiding unprepared places #corroborates (0.72)
• Urban competence develops only through exposure to risky new places #corroborates (0.70) — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 638