James Howard Kunstler on Main St. America

James Howard Kunstler, author and civic gadfly, shares his views on Main St. America. Using slides, he spotlights the flaws in the architecture of some buildings, placing the blame on the regulations which don't allow for any "standards of excellence." Kunstler also warns that the national economy can't run forever on cheap oil and that the country should prepare to downscale.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• James
• Howard
• Kunstler
• Loyola
• College
• Cities
• Oil
• Economy
• Baltimore
• William
• Hughes

[CrazyHorseInvincible]

Religion is poised to make a huge comeback. Ask yourself what's easier, taking responsibility for your actions and working hard to find a solution to the crisis, or getting on your knees and praying?

[gtar100]

Part of the problem, too, with the dark ages was also a scarcity of knowledge. A dark religion was in control and scientific inquiry was demonized. It may make a difference in this day and age because our science has been developed much further than 2000 years ago.

[GSfreebooks]

JHK is a gas! I have read & will read everything he writes. Thanks for putting this up.

[crazything117]

Wait a minute. This video is about sustainable development, and the highest rated comments are about science v religion?

[Beeza2996]

@brin3535 Realist.

[brin3535]

Fear monger.

[raptorkiller2k5]

@coreolis7. What he's suggesting is what big business seems to be supporting as well. Roughly fifty cities in US are going to be heavily downscaling and light rail systems are being built at a rapid level. On top of that, we're seeing more commuter services extended such as the Ann Arbor-Detroit line, CalTrain electrification and what not.

What Kunstler is asking for is for a more intensive funding package. It's rather ironic that we're being forced to downscale, and it's quite obvious.

[raptorkiller2k5]

@klined. I like skyscrapers as well. However, he does have a point about the costs associated with re-cladding the unit. It would be possible to maximize the households in skyscraper condos (and offices) and reduce per capita cost. That's the only issue at the moment. The way condos are arranged are very costly, vs a medium rise, high density arrangement.

[klined]

Ten stories or under? Sorry, this NYC native loves skyscrapers. Not everybody wants to live in a fake hipster urban core 'market space'. Skyscrapers might not be energy efficient(no idea), but they are efficient in terms of Square-footage versus cubic-footage, which is why they are built. These kind of concerns don't matter to academics that only spend other people's money.

[klined]

@CrazyHorseInvincible

Don't be such a cynic.

[RpKingman]

Mr Kunstler has a great website. If you haven't seen it I recommend visiting it. There are humourous mp3 broadcasts on there.

[Barklord]

@CrazyHorseInvincible

good luck with that. i hope you feel better soon.