[Culturechat] What does Jim Kunstler know--that most Americans don't know?
Samovar9@aol.com
Samovar9@aol.com
Thu, 23 Dec 2004 19:50:20 EST
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Hear, hear! I agree completely and it ISN'T un-American to say so.
Paul
In a message dated 12/23/2004 2:55:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,
WesTexas@aol.com writes:
Jim Kunstler: <<The process of making America an alienated land of
solitary, obese driver-shoppers has been very profitable for predatory
corporations. They have systematically disassembled the public social infrastructure and
repackaged pieces of it for sale -- starting with the single-family house
isolated on its lot from all the normal amenities of culture and society.>>
This above quote is Jim Kunstler's principal cultural point. In addition
to the cultural point, Jim has accurately described suburbia as the biggest
misallocation of capital in the history of the world. It has no future. Our
system of widely dispersed home, retail and commercial sites--connected by
fuel hogging mega-SUV's-- makes sense only so long as we have cheap energy.
What makes sense after the end of cheap energy are small towns and densely
populated urban areas with homes, retail and commercial spaces in close
proximity, in culturally rich walkable communities. If we spent more time
walking, rather than driving land barges, we would probably lose our distinction of
being the fattest people on the planet.
In regard to the question of "what does Jim Kunstler know?" I would
rephrase it somewhat. A better question is, "what does Jim Kunstler know that most
Americans don't know?"
Almost no one likes to hear the message that the current energy intensive
American lifestyle is doomed, but it is surely doomed. Whether we like SUV's
and large suburban McMansions or not, we are going to have to reduce our
energy usage. Another huge looming issue is food. Partly because we have
covered over so much prime farmland with concrete and asphalt, the U.S. will
become a net importer of food next year.
A good place to learn about alternatives to our car centered culture is to
visit Europe and see how Europeans get by without one car per person.
J. Brown
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<DIV>Hear, hear! I agree completely and it ISN'T un-American to say=20
so.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Paul</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 12/23/2004 2:55:45 PM Eastern Standard Time,=20
WesTexas@aol.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><=
FONT=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=
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face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF">Jim Kunstler: <<The process o=
f=20
making America an alienated land of solitary, obese driver-shoppers has be=
en=20
very profitable for predatory corporations. They have systematically=20
disassembled the public social infrastructure and repackaged pieces of it=20=
for=20
sale -- starting with the single-family house isolated on its lot from all=
the=20
normal amenities of culture and society.>><BR><BR>This above quote i=
s=20
Jim Kunstler's principal cultural point. In addition to=20=
the=20
cultural point, Jim has accurately described suburbia as the biggest=20
misallocation of capital in the history of the world. It has no=20
future. Our system of widely dispersed home, retail and commercial=20
sites--connected by fuel hogging mega-SUV's-- makes sense only so long as=20=
we=20
have cheap energy. What makes sense after the end of cheap ene=
rgy=20
are small towns and densely populated urban areas with homes, retail and=20
commercial spaces in close proximity, in culturally rich walkable=20
communities. If we spent more time walking, rather than=20
driving land barges, we would probably lose our distinction of being the=20
fattest people on the planet. <BR><BR>In regard to the question of "=
what=20
does Jim Kunstler know?" I would rephrase it somewhat. A bette=
r=20
question is, "what does Jim Kunstler know that most Americans don't=20
know?" <BR><BR>Almost no one likes to hear the message that the curr=
ent=20
energy intensive American lifestyle is doomed, but it is surely=20
doomed. Whether we like SUV's and large suburban McMansions or=
=20
not, we are going to have to reduce our energy usage. =20
Another huge looming issue is food. Partly because we have cov=
ered=20
over so much prime farmland with concrete and asphalt, the U.S. will becom=
e a=20
net importer of food next year. <BR><BR>A good place to learn=20
about alternatives to our car centered culture is to visit Europe and see=20=
how=20
Europeans get by without one car per person. <BR><BR>J.=20
Brown</FONT><FONT face=3DGeneva color=3D#000000 size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSER=
IF"></FONT>=20
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