James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia
http://www.ted.com In James Howard Kunstler’s view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life and the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about.
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Duration : 0:21:41
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Riverside, …
Riverside, California.
More than …
More than unsustainable, the way of life in urban USA is unlivable. The “places” we have created in the usa are among the ugliest on earth.
Hi 303playa from …
Hi 303playa from the UK. I have visited your beautiful country and I wholeheartedly agree with you. I have lived it two major US cities and visited dozens of smaller ones and you are absolutely right – these places have no soul and their structure makes it expensive and inconvenient to be social. I’ll be leaving as soon as I can. But at the same time I’ll be working toward positive change while I’m here.
Great talk…North …
Great talk…North America can learn from European cities, in terms of City planning, public spaces (Plazas), down sizing (e.g. cars), awareness towards environment (public transport system) and energy (fuel efficient, green energy), supporting local economy, organic food…
omg what a preacher
omg what a preacher
Nice to see the …
Nice to see the elite still likes to get their undies in bunch and fabricate reasons for not liking something…. okay, we get it, you don’t like suburbia. The other 80% of us do so please bugger off.
Cars require …
Cars require massive parking garages, massive highways, and they erode the street making it unpleasant to be in. They take up too much space.
I don’t own a car, never have.Human beings have these great transportation devices built in, theyre called legs! they’re great!
eldery people often cant drive because they fail the renewal test after a certain age, so its better for them to live in a ground floor apartment within a couple blocks of dense retail.
As a visitor from …
As a visitor from the UK I find what has happened to all these towns in the US & Canada so demoralising and depressing as they seem to have no centre and no soul – all these people seem to do is live in their homes & cars with no intention to congregate with other people – even if they wish to there seems little hope of ever doing so – were these places deliberately built to crush the human spirit and keep them down by pumping them full of the opium of consumerism … ?
Shmuckfeatures: I …
Shmuckfeatures: I agree, just like abled people have stopped driving.
Believe me, i’m all for getting rid of cars, but there’s got to be a replacement in it’s place. Most canadian(& american) cities dont put “transit” first on their agenda which is why we produce more carbon emitions. If we had an alternative for personal vehicles, we’d be solving a huge problem.
I’d like to point …
I’d like to point out that some disabled folks have already had to stop driving due to oil prices becoming as high as they are.
I agree with most …
I agree with most of Mr. Kunstlers views on urbanism. Two things i “don’t” agree with are the future of cars and skyscrapers. First, humans will NEVER go without a “personal vehicle”(*electric OR gas) Does he think that the elderly and disabled just won’t drive in the future? With skyscrapers, they serve their purpose in an “already” dense city. Basicly, he’s imagining a world that’s COMPLETELY covered with buildings and homes. What about the sky? We’re not looking at the sky anymore?
sorry but all this …
sorry but all this “new urbanism” is basically authoritarian high modernism with a sexy new name. every time the radical left wing architects have had there way they have built vast empty plazas and urban decay.
Suburbs are Stupid. …
Suburbs are Stupid. Google Suburban Stupidity, and you’ll find more hits than you can imagine.
JHK’s message is …
JHK’s message is sobering and likely true and, if so, we all have much work to do if we hope to save even a part of our once-great democracy.
The irony of this talk being framed between (sponsored by?) ads for BMW automobiles is simply amazing. Consider how you responded to these ads as a indicator of where your inclinations and sympathies truly are vested.
That’s in America. …
That’s in America. Check out cities in other countries. The setup is different. Core areas in most developed countries are usually the most expensive to live in. The further away from the core the lower the income. The outskirts of cities are normally where slums would be. Often times you get cities like NAgasaki that don’t have slums because they don’t have the social problems that other cities and countries tend to have.
its not my dream. I …
its not my dream. I am tired of this whole the american dream that people try to shove down the masses throat. My dream is to be in a profession that allows me to continue my cosmopolitan lifestyle. Yea growing up I moved around from city to city sometimes to different countries. Parents jobs dictated it XD. I enjoy it. I find it boring and mundane to stay in 1 spot for anything longer than 4 yrs. That McAmerican dream would be my nightmare.
haha yeah.
haha yeah.
very well said. now …
very well said. now when can I go to this great place he talks about? I’m so ready.
nahoum cohen
not …
nahoum cohen
not precise enough. There is bad planning, which is then followed by bad design. To repair a situation, one needs planning, a definition of the plots belonging to the public.
Pity that the lecturer mixes planning and design. These are separate moves. However his sense of humor is valid on its own.
I have respect for …
I have respect for a smart, clean guy that will say “fuck” every now and again. Shows character.
Australia and New …
Australia and New Zealand are inflicted with these same urban travesties. Huge areas of once attractive natural beauty just decimated to make way for many soulless, ostentatious and grossly ill-concieved developments/suburbs.
Australia and New Zealand especially are poorly insulated from dwindling oil supplies… And dwindling they are ’cause America and her allies are engaged in a war obstensibly for democracy, but surrepticiously for oil. Research and prepare now while things are stable-ish.
“Topography, zoning …
“Topography, zoning, planning, and budgets will always play a major role in these sorts of developments ” THAT’S HIS POINT!! The zoning and planning are ALL WRONG! Topography, and budgets are of course not so controllable. Better Codes, Better Zoning, Better Planning, Better building Practices are required. “impossible to create public spaces for gathering across the country.” he never said do it everywhere right now. He said we need to START 2 days before yesterday. Listen before commenting.
Being sponsored by …
Being sponsored by GM or Hummer would have been ironic, BMW is producing very fuel efficient cars today.
Nevertheless, it’s still a tragic that a automaker is presenting something that is an argument against the McAmerican dream
Its ironic BMW is a …
Its ironic BMW is a sponsor for “tragedy of suburbia”
Shhh! Listen you …
Shhh! Listen you can hear the foundation of an empire crumbling.
Reclaim the public realm, NOW!