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Comment by gizmo | Hacker News Reader

Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism. Toxic fumes and noise are both significant and harmful externalities, and the "free market" is really bad at curtailing externalities like these.

This might be dull and boring to you, but that's probably because these externalities do not significantly affect you. If you want to seek (loud and dangerous) thrills you have almost unlimited opportunities today to pursue them.

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There are “significant and harmful externalities” to authoritarianism, too. Have you considered them?

> Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism.

of course they are, but we accept them because of the negative effects that you mention.

> Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting.

From Wikipedia. Not sure how limits on pollution are anything like that.

That’s true, but you also can’t discount the fact that people choose to live in expensive urban areas like New York, after only sure fire way to get away from the problem would be to move.

Actually, those assholes are everywhere. I was raging to my brother about a modified bike that ripped a giant fart right next to a bunch of houses, and he was saying he gets those on his street all the time.

Oh please. I'm living on the other side of the planet in a city that can't be any farther from New York in just about every way, and can relate to everything I'm reading here.

I live in a suburb and still relate to the complaints 100%. The only way to get away from people riding loud, stinky motorcycles/sports cars/monster trucks seems to be to live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere.

> Pollution limits aren't authoritarianism. Toxic fumes and noise are both significant and harmful externalities, and the "free market" is really bad at curtailing externalities like these.

Woah now, why is there anymore “toxic fumes” than any typical exhaust? Are you confused and think the louder the exhaust the dirtier the exhaust? While this can certainly be true, the muffler has nothing to do with emissions. That’s the catalytic converter. A loud exhaust simply removes some sound baffles so the air moving has less restriction. It should not pollute more if they’ve not modified the catalytic converter.

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