RE: [GBlist] monster houses (swelling/shrinking)

[Alan Courtright <acourtri@linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us>]

On Fri, 4 Jan 2002, Ralph Bicknese wrote:

> Agreed, lots of people understand and love the urban experience. Lots of
> people do not understand or appreciate it.  

Add one category: those who understand and appreciate it, but personally
prefer another way of living.  I'd go nuts living in a city, but I
nevertheless think well of those who enjoy doing so for their own reasons.

OTOH, I'd also go nuts living in a suburb; I have less empathy with those
who go that route, because they never seem to try to keep some of what
they went there for, but turn suburbia into something that's neither city
nor country.

> The Italians do not tear everything down and start over as we have
> often done in our cities so called "urban redevelopment schemes of the
> 60's, 70's and 80's.  But it will take many years of sustained effort
> to realize the virtues of our cities and make them livable again.  
> Then we will really have realized a true treasure of culture and
> hopefully sustainability.

In many places, much of what's there is very much worth keeping; in other
places it's very much worth getting rid of and starting over.  Once we
have a couple hundred more years of experience, I expect that Americans
too will be reluctant to tear down and start over.

                         -|//*Alan Courtright*\\|=   
                                Poulsbo, WA
                             acourtri@krl.org
                       



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