Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs....

[GumboYaYa]

I finished reading this book last night. Jane Jacobs is a visionary in our society. Her book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" revolutionized civic planning and remains one of the best books ever written about the importance of community in American life.

Her newest book, Dark Age Ahead, takes on the broader issue of the decline of American culture. Ms. Jacobs posits that five pillars of our society are in decline. Education has turned into credentialization. Science in many cases is abandonong the scientific method. Learned professional are failing in policing themselves. Family and community are being devestated by the flight to suburbia. The tax and spending policies are to far removed from the communities that they are intended to benefit.

While I think that Ms. Jacobs underemphasizes the impact that our addiction to oil has on the loss of our humanity, the book and the author are too important not to take seriously.

Has anyone else read this book and care to discuss it?

[indigobusiness]

1. Haven't read it.

But, thanks for the heads up. Would you elaborate on points you found especially interesting?

[GumboYaYa]

3. The reason Jacobs is so compelling to me is her focus on

community and cities as the driving force in culture and our economy. She notes that the car culture where people see cities as event destinations from the suburbs instead of vibrant and full communities is destroying America.

The most chilling part of the book is the last paragraph. At the risk of ruining it for others, she states that America's salvation is in clinging to the basic principles that made it strong initially. That principle she says is best stated in Lincoln's quote (which I will now misquote) "Government by the people and for the people, shall never perish from the Earth." As long as we hold to that principle there is hope for our culture. That chilled me to the bone in light of our trend toward corporatism and the questions over the integrity of our elections.

[BurtWorm]

2. I believe she's right.

Without even reading her book. :evilfrown: But it does sound like an interesting, important read, so thanks for the recommendation.

[H2O Man]

4. It sounds interesting ....

and I will be looking for it on my next trip to the bookstore.

[soupkitchen]

5. I finished "The Death of Life,," just a few weeks ago

certainly an eye opening expereince.
And now you have me very interested in Dark Ages Ahead
I may be wrong about this but I think Ms. Jacobs died earlier this year. And what a loss she is.

[GumboYaYa]

6. Oh no, that would be terrible. I had not heard that.

[welshTerrier2]

7. numerous Jane Jacobs links

including a bunch of audio clipped interviews

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs
http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/Urban_Studies/Urban_Theorists/Jacobs__Jane/

[Ready4Change]

8. Does she suggest solutions?

The signs of Americas decline are obvious to me. I wonder what learned people think may fix the problems?

[GumboYaYa]

9. She says that bright people in our society need to wake up to

the fundamental principles of our culture and hold tightly to them. Chief among those is ensuring taht government is by the people and for the people. I think Ms. Jacobs would strongly endorse the efforts that people make to preserve democracy here at DU.

She notes that there can be no certainty that the problems of America are signs of decline or merely another challenge to hthe spirit of the American people that we will overcome. Ultimately the answer lies in individuals doing things to preserve our culture. Every small thing adds up to a whole. The first step is awareness of the problems we face.