no it doesn't
since I only offered one reason it was stupid, and I'm not trying to put forward a step change in housing policy, so I'm not obliged to back up the shite statistics that are being put forward to do so.

However, if you want some back up, I will gladly bet you my next pay cheque that the single greatest driving factor in preventing familes getting the space they want is the cost-location balance and that "old people not wanting to sell their big house" is about 12th on the scale, after whether the bedroom carpet matches their current bedding. Would you care to take on that bet?
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Oct 2011, 11:07, 1 reply, 14 years ago)

Don't you think your massive and angry reaction kind of proves the point I was making.
That this is a report that should be thought about sensibly but it never will because people will scream about their mothers being thrown into the street.

And it doesn't matter where it is on the list they should be looking at the whole list.
(PsychoChomp, Wed 19 Oct 2011, 11:10, Reply)

I am really very angry today, aren't I?
perhaps I'm manstruating. However, that report should not be thought about sensibly, because it's horseshit. It's drawn a loose and tangential conclusion from some statistics that aren't relevant and then they are attempting to present that as a coherent housing policy.

An equivalent mis-use of statistics would be to suggest that, statistically, we should have anti-shark measures in all UK canals because a shark attack happens once every billion litres of water on the earth's surface per year, on average. Yes, some people want bigger houses. Yes, some people have spare rooms and yes, some people are old. You can't, however, just randomly connect the three and go "Well, fuck me, I can solve this RIGHT NOW".
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Oct 2011, 11:39, Reply)

you can't tell people what to do with their own homes
my dad is 68 and lives by himself in a 5 bed house. fine, sometimes he rattles. but he regularly has me, both brothers, wives, and all kids round. at which point the house bursts at the seams. my older brother and kids live in essex. so if they couldn't stay over, they'd hardly see him. when my younger brother sprogs up, it'll be even more full.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 19 Oct 2011, 11:45, Reply)

that's true as well, but a more minor point to the one I'm trying to make
which is the idea that encouraging older people to "downsize" is going to make the tiniest shit of difference anyway.

They'd have been much better employed spending the money they undoubtedlty invested in that horseshit report on building a couple of big houses and then giving them away, thus at least doing something that would have some effect.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Wed 19 Oct 2011, 11:55, Reply)