the reason there are private gyms and nobody has to talk about the need for public gyms is that people actually want to go to the gym unlike libraries which nobody wants. it's not even aspirational. it's an aspiration for an aspiration: if I was a different better person I would want that
NIMBY but only wrt public libraries
there may, for some, be an element of “I love that this exists, for other people, even though I don’t personally partake”
My neighborhood also has public gyms that get pretty crowded. The closest one even has an indoor lazy river
“nobody wants libraries” lol my neighborhood library is often crowded and the books I want are often already checked out across the city system with long wait lists
In the UK we have "leisure centres" and these are primarily local government run. Not free, though. Also there's some outdoor gym equipment in parks. And a lot more fees in the libraries (i.e. fees for reservations and any multimedia.) Also our library is crowded with people studying/ working.
same with fire departments
it’s part of a narrative of meritocracy. it should be available even if poor because if it wasn’t available even if poor, it would be fucked
I agree. Children under 10 and their parents aren’t people,
Except adult playground equipment exists (those fitness machines they set up in public parks). ✌🏻