“The city’s approach to drug use and homelessness is distinctly San Franciscan, blending empathy-driven progressivism with California libertarianism.” Nellie, thank you for helping a wider audience make sense of the decline of San Francisco with your beautiful writing and for getting it published in the Atlantic. It is not often in these…
“The city’s approach to drug use and homelessness is distinctly San Franciscan, blending empathy-driven progressivism with California libertarianism.” Nellie, thank you for helping a wider audience make sense of the decline of San Francisco with your beautiful writing and for getting it published in the Atlantic. It is not often in these hyper-partisan times that an essay like yours would even reach progressive readers. You take great care in building the story to help people understand how empathy, carelessly applied, can unwittingly destroy a city from within. Some Common Sense readers seem frustrated that there is not more outright criticism of San Francisco’s failing policies, but my take-away is that your essay was meant to speak to progressive San Franciscans who love, mourn and question the direction of the city. There is subtlety in your approach; I think you’re right to meet those readers where they are.
“The city’s approach to drug use and homelessness is distinctly San Franciscan, blending empathy-driven progressivism with California libertarianism.” Nellie, thank you for helping a wider audience make sense of the decline of San Francisco with your beautiful writing and for getting it published in the Atlantic. It is not often in these hyper-partisan times that an essay like yours would even reach progressive readers. You take great care in building the story to help people understand how empathy, carelessly applied, can unwittingly destroy a city from within. Some Common Sense readers seem frustrated that there is not more outright criticism of San Francisco’s failing policies, but my take-away is that your essay was meant to speak to progressive San Franciscans who love, mourn and question the direction of the city. There is subtlety in your approach; I think you’re right to meet those readers where they are.