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Several years ago, after finishing The Long Emergency, I sent James Kunstler a short email asking if he was aware Itulip was back. He wasn't, but was grateful for the heads-up. It was clear he'd been a reader of the original site. As events have unfolded in the last six months, I was sure his name would be showing up on these pages more often.
Readers unfamiliar with his books should pick up The Geography of Nowhere. It is history, not "doomer" predictions. His description of how life changed in four or five cities is especially poignant if you grew up in one he describes. The story of car companies buying up the trolley cars in L.A. has been told often, but Kunstler tells it best. Joan Didion's Where I Was From is a companion piece.
After a heavy diet of techno, economic, and political commentary, I'm always left craving the polemic from a renegade chef. Will the obvious belt tightening and stricter environmental standards only happen in a severe economic downturn? Will rallies for a new direction only be mounted at the local level and then fizzle?
After Hurricane Katrina, a common thread in eulogies for New Orleans was that America was losing one of its truly walk-able cities. The rewards of not owning a car and living in a place where that's possible extend far beyond financial savings. I got my best taste living outside Tokyo.
Read The Long Emergency. Whether you believe the emergency is now or never, enjoy Kunstler's mockery of the American consumer's expectations and the squandering of energy. The days of the "3,000-mile Caesar salad" are numbered.
My wife and I own a house in Virginia. Our neighbors run their heat pump 24/7, 365 days a year. They only use the house eight weeks a year. I wish they would winterize when they're gone and open the windows when they are there and I suspect they soon will, but I would be gob-smacked if they did so because the US government forced their hand by taxing oil up to 300 dollars a barrel. Actually, it's more likely they will sell, complaining they can't afford the utilities, rather than change their habits.
I've been recommending Itulip and Kunstler for years with only minor cognitive dissonance.
P.S. My wife and I will soon repatriate after living in S.E. Asia for 20 years. Where's a warm, walk-able, small city?
Readers unfamiliar with his books should pick up The Geography of Nowhere. It is history, not "doomer" predictions. His description of how life changed in four or five cities is especially poignant if you grew up in one he describes. The story of car companies buying up the trolley cars in L.A. has been told often, but Kunstler tells it best. Joan Didion's Where I Was From is a companion piece.
After a heavy diet of techno, economic, and political commentary, I'm always left craving the polemic from a renegade chef. Will the obvious belt tightening and stricter environmental standards only happen in a severe economic downturn? Will rallies for a new direction only be mounted at the local level and then fizzle?
After Hurricane Katrina, a common thread in eulogies for New Orleans was that America was losing one of its truly walk-able cities. The rewards of not owning a car and living in a place where that's possible extend far beyond financial savings. I got my best taste living outside Tokyo.
Read The Long Emergency. Whether you believe the emergency is now or never, enjoy Kunstler's mockery of the American consumer's expectations and the squandering of energy. The days of the "3,000-mile Caesar salad" are numbered.
My wife and I own a house in Virginia. Our neighbors run their heat pump 24/7, 365 days a year. They only use the house eight weeks a year. I wish they would winterize when they're gone and open the windows when they are there and I suspect they soon will, but I would be gob-smacked if they did so because the US government forced their hand by taxing oil up to 300 dollars a barrel. Actually, it's more likely they will sell, complaining they can't afford the utilities, rather than change their habits.
I've been recommending Itulip and Kunstler for years with only minor cognitive dissonance.
P.S. My wife and I will soon repatriate after living in S.E. Asia for 20 years. Where's a warm, walk-able, small city?
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