James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia

In James Howard Kunstler’s view, public spaces should be inspired centers of civic life — the physical manifestation of the common good. Instead, he argues, what we have in America is a nation of places not worth caring about. Reengineering our cities will involve more radical change than we are prepared for, he believes, but our hand will be forced by earth crises stemming from our overconsuming lifestyle. “Life in the mid-21st century,” Kunstler says, “is going to be about living locally.” Passionate, profane and funny, this talk will make you think about the place where you live.

3 Comments leave a comment below

  1. Funny that a talk on suburban sprawl and wasted resources is brought to you by BMW. Knustler is a peak oiler.

  2. Thanks for posting these videos. The Ken Robinson one was really great, as well.

  3. if you have an interest in the subject of ‘good places,’ i’d recommend reading suburban nation (if you haven’t already).