Love is infrastructure

In this piece of speculative fiction by Charlie Jane Anders, published by MIT Technology Review, the narrative explores the personified relationship between two cities, Mainspring and St. Barnabas. The story uses the metaphor of urban infrastructure to examine human-like rivalries, insecurities, and the complexities of civic identity. Mainspring, a self-proclaimed industrial titan, and St. Barnabas, an artsy and enigmatic neighbor, compete for the attention of visiting geographers, highlighting their contrasting characters and social dynamics. As the cities navigate their mutual disdain and internal pressures, the narrative delves into the mechanics of their daily existence, where residents participate in constant, high-frequency voting processes. This imaginative work blends urban planning concepts with character-driven storytelling, offering a unique perspective on how cities function as living, breathing entities shaped by the people who inhabit them and the infrastructure that binds them together.