What IF Teens Designed Cities?

One of the reasons I became a planner was that I was hooked to the computer game Sim City as a kid. Although it has gone through a number of changes and variations, teh premise remains simple. Design and run a city. It makes you play City Manager, Finance Director, City Council, City Planner, and Public Works Director all at one time. The concept is brilliant in its simplicity and in the complexity in which you can let your imagination succeed. the advent of internet connections and fan sites have led to the increase in collaboration and filesharing of unique architecture and concepts. It's like the players programming for the programmer. In essence, SimCity accomplishes many of the objectives that grind actual municipalities to a halt.

There is no political game to play in that game, you want a building built, it gets built. Re-zone a property, it gets rezoned. Build infrastructure and amenities, while at the same time knowing that there is a responsibility for maintaining and paying for all these facilities you created.

Given this simple system, teenagers can accomplish anything. They have the intelligence to master concepts without being brought down by all the naysayers who say you can't do things. They have can-do attitudes, and could design a thriving metropolis if we let them. But our system makes sure that doesn't happen. I often feel bad for teenagers who come to our City Council meetings, becuase they have such good ideas and then routinely are shot down because of "budgetary concerns" or "neighborhood opposition" or my favorite statement these days of "liabilty issues." Bless their hearts for wanting a voice in government, and hope that in the future they work together to make the positive change.