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James Howard Kunstler: THE TRAGEDY OF SUBURBIA
- Thread starter LowPolygon
- Start date
Redroom Studios
Senior Member
that was wonderful and entertaining too. Wisdom is a tough sell in the consumer society... get ready for some Darwinian natural selection on a massive scale!
urbanfan89
Active Member
I love how the video is sponsored by BMW.
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Hydrogen
Guest
How so?
LowPolygon
Senior Member
that is rather ironic.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
Why is it idiotic? Maybe Howard should have avoided TED because of the corporations that sponsor it?
LowPolygon
Senior Member
who said it was idiotic? wow. a four word post and you misread one of them?
man let me say something: you are way too ready to ramp up the aggression.
it said ironic.
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Hydrogen
Guest
LowPolygon
Senior Member
apology accepted
junctionist
Senior Member
I'm still wondering how it's ironic that it's sponsored by BMW.
He was needlessly harsh on the actual structure of Boston City Hall, but he ultimately had a worthwhile message.
He was needlessly harsh on the actual structure of Boston City Hall, but he ultimately had a worthwhile message.
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Hydrogen
Guest
The talk was given at TED, which was sponsored by BMW. Ironic? In light of what he had to say, yes. In any way intentional on Kunstler's part? No.
A good talk, though. With respect to Kunstler, there is much to both agree and to disagree with, but the main message about building poor suburbs on ever more land is worth repeating. His acidic attitude makes it kinda fun, too.
A good talk, though. With respect to Kunstler, there is much to both agree and to disagree with, but the main message about building poor suburbs on ever more land is worth repeating. His acidic attitude makes it kinda fun, too.
junctionist
Senior Member
He was more focused on efficient land use and public space rather than modes of transportation. He pointed to old Europe as an example, yet car ownership is high in Europe.
Sure, the modern suburb's existence is encouraged by cars, the industry where BMW makes its profit, but they're not incompatible with urban life either. I gathered that he was saying that we should build better communities and spaces focused around people not cars. That doesn't mean that the cars will need to disappear completely.
Sure, the modern suburb's existence is encouraged by cars, the industry where BMW makes its profit, but they're not incompatible with urban life either. I gathered that he was saying that we should build better communities and spaces focused around people not cars. That doesn't mean that the cars will need to disappear completely.
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Hydrogen
Guest
I agree, cars are not going to go extinct any time soon. But we need to try and build (or rebuild) communities where there is an option other than using just a car.
doady
Senior Member
There is probably a difference between car ownership and car use...
LowPolygon
Senior Member
Kunstler is a hard core anti-car guy, because its obvious that those desolate suburbs are the direct result of decades of cheap oil. and all that is at an end.
here's a bit from an interview a while back:
Why is suburbia now threatened?
"Cheap oil is what made suburbia possible. But we'll run into problems with spot shortages. As we get into trouble with these supplies, our economy will suffer. Major instabilities in the system will present themselves much sooner than we are led to believe. And by that I mean the way we produce food, the way we conduct commerce, and the way we move around."
When will all that happen?
"The rise and fall of oil production is asymmetrical. In other words, it'll be a steeper, rockier tumble down than the steady increase going up. My own sense of things is that we will be in very serious trouble inside of five years."
Won't it help to cut back on gas?
"I get people who come up to the podium after a speaking engagement to tell me they've just gotten a Prius, expecting brownie points. It's not that we're driving the wrong cars. It's that we're driving cars of any size, incessantly."