In today's polarized world, a common theme I experience is noticing smart people ignoring the possibility of unintended consequences. People get so focused on one potential solution to a problem - say rent control keeping some units affordable - that they fail to even consider that it might do more harm than good - for instance rent control causing people to take rentable units off the market. In relation to the rent control debate, one question I ask is does rent control actually make housing more affordable overall? Based on some recent reading, I think the answer is generally no, when you look at the macro affect it has on housing markets.