Warmth of the collective can suffocate

In his inaugural speech, Mayor Mamdani prophesied, "We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism." I criticized earlier his straw man (false) version of individualism, which came from socialists, not capitalists. Today I want to ask if collectivism is always warm? 

F.A. Hayek, a Nobel Prize winner and the second greatest economist of the 20th century behind Ludwig von Mises, wrote in his last book, The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism, that we live in two worlds. One is the family, church, or tribe in which everyone knows everyone else, their needs, weaknesses and strengths. The other is the larger world of the nation in which few people know each other.

Socialist mayor of New York City is not a threat

Republicans are hysterical about Mamdani's victory in New York City's mayoral race and predict a meltdown for the city. But he will be a small threat to the city and none for the nation. Just look at what he has promised:

Affordable Housing: Freezing rent on rent-stabilized apartments and implementing city-wide rent freezes.

Public Transit: Making buses free and faster for all New Yorkers.

Economic Measures: Creating city-owned grocery stores in each borough and increasing the minimum wage to $30 by 2030.

Social Services: Implementing universal child care services.

Public Safety: Establishing a new Department of Community Safety to respond to certain emergencies with mental health care workers instead of police.