James Kunstler

While watching the TED video I agreed with some points James Kunstler was making, while disagreeing with one main one. In the beginning of the video he shows pictures of what he calls, "places not worth caring about" like intersections and the backs of buildings. I think that those spaces are necessary in order for people to get to these permeable spaces that he talks about. Of course it would be nice for every building to be eye pleasing, but I feel like it is almost impossible for every building like that. There are different functions for every building and a architecture isn't going to make a self storage building a beautiful space for boxes to be stored in it. On the other hand restaurants, town centers, and shops should be elaborate and eye pleasing because it is a recreational space that people use daily.

He also brought up the point of consumer vs. citizen. While we are both at the same time there is a difference between the two. The consumer is the everyday person in the economy, buying, spending, saving, wasting, exhausting resources. The citizen is the person in the community who is making a difference, and who is an active member in the community trying to make a difference. There is no way for people to not be consumer's but we can be smart about how and what we buy. But people can choose to be a good citizen by becoming involved in the community. Going to town functions, parades, fundraisers, etc... and trying to make a difference.

What if there was no "what if"?

If there was no "What if?" then we would have all the answers. There would be no questions, there would be no hypothesizing. There would be no imagination or creativity because people wouldn't know how to think outside the box. Nothing new would be invented because people wouldn't wonder how to create something. There would be no contemplation of to do something or not. The only reason why we contemplate now is because of the "what if". What if I broke the law?, What if I didn't go to work?. Would there be any consequences if there were no "what if" or would people know what is right and what is wrong? Would there be such a thing as wrong because people would never think of anything besides the right thing to do? If there was no "what if" there would be no regrets in life. What if I said something different?, What if I said bye one last time?. If there was no "what if" would there only be definitely in life and no maybes, because people wouldn't think of the "what if I did this instead of that?" Would there really be anything? What if the caveman never wondered what would happen if I took these two stones and made a spark? Would there be anything? I could go on and on if there was no "what if", but the one thing I do know if there was no "what if", I wouldn't be writing this blog.