Mainspring and St. Barnabas grew up an hour apart but kept to themselves, each carrying on livelier conversations with distant, richer neighbors. When both came into their own, they saw each other properly and began to compete. A group of geographers planned an annual gathering, and both cities vied to host them. Mainspring boasted of space and practical applications of research, while Barnabas countered with artisanal experiences and fresh croissants praised in the Times.
The rivalry escalated until Mainspring, backed by their city council and mayor, offered a lavish deal that Barnabas could not match. Barnabas’s boasts fell silent as defeat sank in. Meanwhile, residents of both cities voted constantly—often a dozen times a day—blurring the line between civic duty and personal obsession.
The story explores self-aware cities, direct democracy, and the intimate entanglements that shape infrastructure and identity.
Source: MIT Technology Review · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing