Ahh! I just realized, I read about the New York broken windows situation in Malcolm Gladwell's excellent book (in my layman opinion) The Tipping Point.
From the original article in 1982:
Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside.
Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out restaurants there or even break into cars.
Broken Windows, The Atlantic Monthly, March 1982
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The way I would put it, based on my visits to my home town of Zagreb, Croatia:
From the original article in 1982:
Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside.
Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out restaurants there or even break into cars.
Broken Windows, The Atlantic Monthly, March 1982
--
The way I would put it, based on my visits to my home town of Zagreb, Croatia:
Apathy is contagious.