a brief history of telephone poles

A fascinating little article by Eula Biss in Harpers-- originally published in Iowa Review...

Biss details the origins of telephone poles (in 1876) and their early NIMBY problems (described as a "War on Telephone Poles" by the New York Times).

It's a common private property problem in tandem with what economists call "public goods". In a word, I own my land (mostly), but "we" need parts of my land to do big infrastructure projects. This leads to the "free rider problem": I want phone service as well, but have an incentive to more fully exercise my property rights while simultaneously shirking my public responsibilities.

Early on, people would cut down poles and otherwise (physically and sometimes violently) oppose their erection.

Then Biss takes a very different turn, soberly describing the use of telephone poles as a lynching mechanism against African-Americans, starting in 1898.

The poles, of course, are not to blame. It was only coincidence that they became convenient as gallows, because they were tall and straight, with a crossbar, and because they stood in public places. And it was only coincidence that the telephone poles so closely resembled crucifixes.

Given the depravity of man, people will find all sorts of ways to kill each other-- particularly when it's made easier through or with the backing of government. Prohibiting telephone poles is not the answer. The Law should constrain and God can/does change hearts.

Finally, Biss' essay underlines the uneasy marriage of economic blessings and social curses that often arise with technological advance.