__NOTOC__
CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything), sometimes known as BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone/Anything) is a
pejorative term for citizens who regularly oppose any changes in their community, organization or workplace.
The phenomenon is linked to the so-called
NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) attitude. In NIMBYism, residents generally support a
policy in principle, but do not support it being applied in their particular area. A common example is
wind turbines, where most people are supportive, but do not wish to live near one.
On the other hand, CAVE/BANANA people do not support the policy in any form, regardless of what local residents or stakeholders feel. This attitude is manifested in opposition to changes in
public policy as varied as
tax levies
A tax levy under United States federal law is an administrative action by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under statutory authority, generally without going to court, to seize property to satisfy a tax liability. The levy "includes the power o ...
,
sewer rates,
public transportation routes,
parking
Parking is the act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied. Parking on one or both sides of a road is often permitted, though sometimes with restrictions. Some buildings have parking facilities for use of the buildings' ...
regulations and
municipal mergers or
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
s. CAVE/BANANA people often express their views publicly by attending
community meetings,
writing letters to the local newspaper, or calling in to
talk radio shows, similar to NIMBYs. This can sometimes create an effect where those who oppose a policy are more vocal than those who support it or are indifferent, however, exact rates are often difficult to identify.
Examples
The terms "CAVE people" and "BANANAs" were used in a 2022 op-ed to describe the populace of
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
. The op-ed was written by a former municipal employee and described CAVE people as seeing "no issue simultaneously arguing conflicting points so long as nothing changes."
Origin
A reference to the term "CAVE dwellers" can be found in the September 30, 1990, edition of the ''Orlando Sentinel''.
The term apparently existed before the publication of the article.
References
External links
Mention in the ''Orlando Sentinel'', September 30, 1990Definition at Word Spy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cave People
Activism
Pejorative terms for people
Political terminology