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Growing and developing, one and the same?

I've been finding the relationships between words engaging and interesting. Looking at blame/responsibility and excuse/explain has led me to another pair of words recently often on my mind.

Growth and development

One can have growth without development which eventually will come crumbling down upon itself for the stagnation. Like an 8 foot tall 2 year old! One can have development without growth and likely will reach limits that impede the development. Like with technologies that are more and more developed to the point the company hasn't grown enough to support the development and so they are sold or closed down.

There is a fine point, that sweet spot, that tipping point, where the balance between growth and development is at its best.

Many would argue that urban development is a current example of this kind of imbalance - in most any place. We certainly see it here in Israel as our town is looking to fill each and every space that can take an apartment building, without necessarily thinking about how that growth will impact the rest of the city and further, without doing the necessary development planning to provide the needed support for that growth. Do we have enough roads and are they big enough? Is it time to install more traffic lights instead of traffic circles? When should a new school be opened? A new sports facility? A new shopping center? A new medical facility? And do we have enough staff to support this growing and developing community.

Obviously the impact on the environment is a significant area where we can see the negative impact of growth, especially when done in the absence of development.

Tangentially, this gets a little complicated and potentially confusing when one considers that the word development is also used in construction - as in, we're building a new development of houses. But that's really growth and using the word development here, I would argue, is disingenuous to the real meaning of the word and the true intent of the efforts to build.
Perhaps this is what is at play in Yokneam at the moment that we are building all these developments of houses and apartments but in fact not doing any of the necessary development to support to growth. 

It is worth noting and considering further that observing such a disconnect as what is happening in our town can also transfer to evaluating ourselves and how we are growing and developing personally, in relation to others, and in relation to our community as it grows. Food for thought for tomorrow...


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