Wow. Good rant.

[electricland]

Compromise, Hell!
Environmentalists have given up too much by not being radical enough
By Wendell Berry

Look carefully, if you doubt me, at the centers of the larger towns in virtually every part of our country. You will find that they are economically dead or dying. Good buildings that used to house needful, useful, locally owned small businesses of all kinds are now empty or have evolved into junk stores or antique shops. But look at the houses, the churches, the commercial buildings, the courthouse, and you will see that more often than not they are comely and well made. And then go look at the corporate outskirts: the chain stores, the fast-food joints, the food-and-fuel stores that no longer can be called service stations, the motels. Try to find something comely or well made there.

What is the difference? The difference is that the old town centers were built by people who were proud of their place and who realized a particular value in living there. The old buildings look good because they were built by people who respected themselves and wanted the respect of their neighbors. The corporate outskirts, on the contrary, were built by people who manifestly take no pride in the place, see no value in lives lived there, and recognize no neighbors. The only value they see in the place is the money that can be siphoned out of it to more fortunate places -- that is, to the wealthier suburbs of the larger cities.

Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of God? Perhaps some of us would like to think so, but in fact this destruction is taking place because we have allowed ourselves to believe, and to live, a mated pair of economic lies: that nothing has a value that is not assigned to it by the market; and that the economic life of our communities can safely be handed over to the great corporations.

There's lots more. Enjoy.

Comments

[nellisir.livejournal.com]

Those older buildings were also built at a time when labor was cheap. :-/

I loathe box buildings, modern design, and modern housing, but the only way to make good design commonplace is to make it affordable. It doesn't have to be expensive, but then you need a good, intelligent carpenter, and them's in rare supply.

The rise in pvc & plastics as a trim material should help make things prettier and cheaper.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

I don't so much mind modern design, as long as it's good design. So much of it is just depressing. I want things that are built to last, with some care and thought to their surroundings -- both in their design and their construction and contents. I keep meaning to find out more about the Grow Home (http://www.mqup.mcgill.ca/book.php?bookid=624), for instance.

(I guess getting it out of the library would be a start -- OK, just reserved it.)