[Culturechat] Jim Kunstler's Thoughts, upon returning from Europe
WesTexas@aol.com
WesTexas@aol.com
Fri, 17 Dec 2004 16:14:42 EST
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In a message dated 12/17/04 10:27:36 AM, hmmcleod@msn.com writes:
> It must be depressing to live somewhere in American where the culture is=20
> like Mr. Kunstler describes.=A0 Don't know where he resides, but perhaps h=
e=20
> should visit some other sections of the USA.=A0 We always enjoy our trips=20=
to=20
> Europe=A0but we are also always glad to come home, in spite of all the pro=
blems we=20
> have!
>=20
Jim lives in upstate New York. I attended a presentation that he gave here=
=20
in Dallas to the Greater Dallas Planning Council. His comments that I post=
ed=20
give you an idea of what his presentation was like. He is savagely=20
disdainful of contemporary American architecture, city planning, etc. He i=
s also=20
quite funny. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, I highly recommen=
d it.=20
=20
He calls suburbia the biggest misallocation of capital in the history of the=
=20
world. It is a way of life that is totally dependent on cheap energy. Wh=
at=20
makes sense are densely populated, walkable urban areas with mass transit,=20
like some areas in U.S. and like most areas in Europe. Jim believes--and=
I=20
concur--that the suburban WalMart/Home Depot lifestyle is deadening to the=
=20
soul.
The End of Suburbia DVD covers all these issues in considerable detail. Ji=
m=20
has a hilarious comment about suburbs. He said the dirty little secret=20
about suburbs is that they memorialize that which they kill--if you live in=20=
the=20
Quail Run subdivision, you can bet that all of the quail have been killed or=
run=20
off. =20
J. Brown
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In a message dated 12/17/04 10:27:36 AM, hmmcleod@msn.com writes:<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;=20=
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE=3D"CITE"></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#0=
00000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">It must be depressing=
to live somewhere in American where the culture is like Mr. Kunstler descri=
bes.=A0 Don't know where he resides, but perhaps he should visit some other=20=
sections of the USA.=A0 We always enjoy our trips to Europe=A0but we are als=
o always glad to come home, in spite of all the problems we have!</FONT><FON=
T COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSE=
RIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR>
Jim lives in upstate New York. I attended a presentation that he gave=
here in Dallas to the Greater Dallas Planning Council. His comments=20=
that I posted give you an idea of what his presentation was like. He=20=
is savagely disdainful of contemporary American architecture, city planning,=
etc. He is also quite funny. If you ever get a chance to hear=
him speak, I highly recommend it. <BR>
<BR>
He calls suburbia the biggest misallocation of capital in the history of the=
world. It is a way of life that is totally dependent on cheap energy=
. What makes sense are densely populated, walkable urban areas with m=
ass transit, like some areas in U.S. and like most areas in Europe. &nb=
sp; Jim believes--and I concur--that the suburban WalMart/Home Depot=20=
lifestyle is deadening to the soul.<BR>
<BR>
The End of Suburbia DVD covers all these issues in considerable detail. =
; Jim has a hilarious comment about suburbs. He said the dirty littl=
e secret about suburbs is that they memorialize that which they kill--if you=
live in the Quail Run subdivision, you can bet that all of the quail have b=
een killed or run off. <BR>
<BR>
J. Brown<BR>
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2"><BR>
<BR>
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