Trying to sustain an unsustainable culture
Our nation and our so-called leaders are paying scant attention, but in every moment, Reality is teaching the lesson of the day: We cannot sustain a culture that’s unsustainable. So the consensus trance prevails as we continue to disregard the magnitude of our challenges and futilely search for illusive signs of the much-anticipated economic recovery that lives only in our dreams.
I’ll have more to say about this topic in the weeks and months to come, but for now hear the words of James Howard Kuntsler:
What’s going on in the US economy is a slow-motion convulsion from which we will emerge as a very different nation with a different economy. The wild irresponsibility of the media in pretending otherwise is only going to make the convulsion worse, more painful, more socially and politically destructive. The convulsion can be described with precision as one of compressive contraction. Historic circumstances are requiring us to change our behavior, to make new arrangements for everyday life in all the major particulars: capital accumulation and deployment; food production; commerce; habitation; transport; education; and health care. These new arrangements must be organized at a smaller and finer scale, and on a much more local basis.
[ . . . ]
If we don’t attend to the transformation of American life by downscaling our activities and changing the way they are carried out, and re-localizing them, we will see our society disintegrate - and I use the word “dis-integrate” with purposeful precision. Everything will come apart - our political arrangements, our households, our health and well-being.
You can read the entire essay by visiting Kuntsler’s blog, but if you’re offended by the F-word, then I suggest you satisfy yourself with Kuntsler’s thoughts contained in this post. And though this is way off topic, if you’re interested in the many uses of that controversial word–as a verb, adverb, adjective, command, conjunction, exclamatory, noun and pronoun–click here for a thorough explanation by Tom Wolfe in his novel I am Charlotte Simmons, a book that Shonnie and I just finished listening to.
Monday, November 23rd, 2009Speak out about Horizon Urban Village project!
Tonight the Asheville City Council takes up a request from Horizon Urban Village project for a 12-month extension on the Urban Village rezoning that is currently in process. Below is the message regarding this matter that I sent to Council this morning. If you are so inclined, I urge you to send a similar message today to all Council members at AshevilleNCCouncil@ashevillenc.gov.
Thanks for your consideration of my request. You are invited to send this along to your friends who might have concerns about this project.
I wish you well.
Bruce
Dear Mayor Bellamy and City Council members:
I am writing about the Horizon Urban Village project request for a 12-month extension on the Urban Village rezoning that is currently in process.
First of all, I oppose this project since, if completed, it would be excessively out of scale to other buildings in that part of our city. In addition, it would block sunlight from a number of residences in that area. Moreover, it would create an even more challenging traffic situation than currently exists in that vicinity.
Secondly, I see no reason why this project should be given an extension by what is essentially a “lame duck” Council. If this matter is to be taken up, I strongly suggest deferring action until the newly-elected Council members take office.
Finally, though this may have no bearing on your decision, I think it should be noted that Chris Peterson, one of the principals of the Horizon Urban Village project, was deeply involved in a smear campaign against two incoming Council members. Ineffective and amateurish though it may have been, I don’t believe such disrespectful behavior should be rewarded.
Thank you for taking the time to read and, hopefully, consider my concerns.
Respectfully,
Bruce Mulkey
16 Spears Avenue, #19
Asheville, NC 28801
