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Where are we?
How does context determine interaction?
In particular, how has our movement out of densely packed cities, towards a poor imitation of country life changed the way our culture functions? How can we reverse the trends?
Single family homes, suburban sprawl, division, isolation. The death of public space. The "Greatest misallocation of resources in History" An asteroid belt of architectural garbage. a cartoon, a place that "induces anxiety and depression in children" places not worth caring about, a nation not worth defending, a nature bandaid slapped on bad buildings, DVD player construction, a place where "skippy is loading his uzi in the basement getting ready for homeroom and his sister is turning tricks upstairs to pay for her drug habit."
As I hope this list indicates, I think the speaker begins with a sound premise: the suburbanization of American life has had negative effects on the ways we interact, and at some level threatens the rend the fabric of our society. I think however that he does however overshoot the mark. Blaming suburban sprawl for school shootings and prostitution is a bit of a stretch. His argument is one of condescension. I couldn't get over the feeling that he was insulting me.
Ok that's enough. I agree with much of what he said.
Our culture is becoming one of isolation, of separation, of dislocation. Place is central to who we are and the places we choose to inhabit help to define us. And I think that we have chosen poorly in the public spaces we have built in the last fifty years. Shopping malls are not places you go to meet people after middle school. Strip malls are even worse. I've been to Boston and that square he showed is as bad as he said it was. The city spent a lot of good money building a place that nobody wants to be. I think this is why Starbuck's has been such a hit. Howard Schultz saw a need in our society and exploited it to make a lot of money. Coffee shops are in a sense the new downtown block and front porch rolled into one.
So what can be done to reverse this trend. Build more public spaces that "people will go to simply because it is pleasurable to be there?" yes. Create outdoor rooms with "permeable membranes" that feed foot traffic onto the street? yes. invest in quality urban planning? yes. Design and assemble human habitats to serve a specific purpose while keeping mind that they are living organisms? yes I think one additional thing is moving toward the center of the city. Living in places that foster public space and relational living. Choosing to move towards the center rather than away from it.
The village has taught me that as Christians we have a responsibility to engage the culture. We should actively pursue relationship building as a fundamental life practice. That can mean a lot of different things, but I think that as much as we are able we should try to inhabit places that build healthy public life. When such places are absent we make them. In reality, there aren't a lot of public places near me to frequent. I would love to live on a downtown street like the one he showed. Unfortunately I can't.
So here is what I try to do.
My home is not an island. My home may be a refuge, but it is also a place of relational engagement. A place I encourage people to inhabit with me. And I want people to come into my home, and engage me because it is pleasurable for them to do so.
I spend lunch in the student lounge. You might think this would common. But really only a handful of us can be found there on any given day. It is a place where we play games, talk, get to know each other and avoid school work.
I try to do a lot of my studying at a coffee shop. There's one near our house with free internet and one dollar coffee when you bring your own cup. It is a rare day that I go there and don't see someone I know.
that's just me though.
There is one thing I vigorously disagree with in his speech. I like the integration of nature into the city. In fact I think there should be a lot more than his little band-aid. I think one of the major dislocations of our time is our separation from the land. For most of human history, humans have worked the land and even if we don't realize it, our near total separation from the land has a major disorienting effect on our society.
too much disorganized thought. must stop now. end transmission | 
