Sir Thomas More’s book, Utopia created a perfect society through deception. The benefits of conforming to specific rules lead a hoodwinked society to happiness. Lesson learned: when we follow a prescribed system and are not privy to the freedoms we are missing, sure we’ll be happy.

Flash-forward.

Jennifer L. Dorn, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration in Washington, wrote an opinion piece in the Charlotte Observer, today. In it she describes the oh-so-wonderful things to come with the expansion of light rail in the Queen City. According to her, no one really wants to live in the suburbs with a home and a yard. They’d rather live next to a light rail stop.

The inclination to do so is so strong that she refers to it as the American Dream. I’m personally so confused. Enter shoulder demon and angel.

*Poof*

On the one hand, Smart Growth principles are awfully appealing. I can walk everywhere, don’t have to worry about gas, have a great community right down the hall. It’s like freshman year at college, only without the college. And, because we’re all one chummy family, someone will be able to provide us with whatever any one of us could possibly want.

But on the other hand, what I want may not be what you want. What if I want a backyard? What if I want to be able to visit a backyard, but can’t because the convenient light rail doesn’t take me to one? What if light rail and Smart Growth aren’t about what I, or any of us really wants, but is instead about what everyone else wants us to want? If that’s the case, then light rail’s nothing more than a ride with Wonka down the chocolate river where we have no control over the ride.