Rationality and Power

Let me first start off saying, this weeks reading over 100 pages long, I debated how to start my memo as it was hard read, trying to follow the people and understand why so much conflict.  Flyvbjerg attempted to show a case of difficulty of striking a balance in between both rationality and power; he also suggested at the end of the book not to use this model as conflict of interest gets in the way but to use it as a guide of not to attempt.

I have to hold my feelings back for this book as I feel the situation is not always the case for every cities, maybe for some but I do feel this is a good guide for future administrators. Perhaps can reduce the “to much powers” can simmer other problem planning scenarios. I honestly as a potential planner worry about Public Policy majors as I wonder what they are getting out of the policy making and I feel this should be bible for them to understand how power can do more harm than good.  I know I can be stubborn but I do think of the outcome and how that can be reflected in future. I am curious of Public administrator major’s role as a policy maker would flexibility be something that they will consider?

So is it, 'Rationality over Power, or Power over Rationality?  To be Rational is to be logical but if we are not being logical it can potentially harm any relationship we have left. For instance, My frustration of reading was for the residents being in the loser situation here by not them participate and the city taking control of this project. The power over rationality brutalize every ethic or beliefs of every planner hold. Our morals shift like our last week discussion of leaving position to conflict of interest and how that can determine if our job is neutral or not.

Using Aalborg scenario displays a detail how authority and power relationships influence or fractures the connection of individuals who are part of organization.  It almost becomes a "push pull relationship" as power has a large role than of using rationality as a tool. This results in relationship being fractured and changed which this should not be a good thing when it comes to planning as it can hold up projects. Our jobs are to take each others opinions and see if they benefit for the good, now if they don’t we can take them away or use them for another situation, project or the future.

This can be a situation for Cherry as land use is a situation here, you have residents that have been there for decades and feel the 1995 plan was not good.  You also have the city who feels land use is not as important topic compared to the whole. We have to show how power creates its own reality that influences logic to rationalize its decisions. Then use of both political and expert debates as needed to CCM neighborhood get a better outcome to Aalborg situation.