OK. I could start debating about HOAs and skyscrapers but I won't. I think people who read that metaphor understood what lays under it... Which is, the idea that you cannot take 28 countries who have a different History, different values, different interests, different language, different way of thinking, and ask them to all obey to the same rules and put them under the same constraints.
The metaphor is extremely poor because you can't "do whatever you want" with your house. In fact you are extremely limited with what you can do with your house.
Real life example: I can't put an extension on the front of my house because it's prescribed that my house must be set back from the road X feet. I can't build a third story because the max is two stories in my neighborhood. I can't bulldoze my house and build a duplex as my lot, as well as entire neighborhood, is zoned single family. I can't buy a 3000 square foot lot and build a house, my city says all houses have to have at least a 5000 square foot lot. I can't even leave my garbage can outside unless it's garbage day.
And I don't even have an HOA!
There's no "debate," you can't come even close to doing what you want to your house and you never could. And you know what, for the most part, everyone who lives here is happy with it.
