[lbo-talk] CJR praise for the Kunstler Cast

Dwayne Monroe dwayne.monroe at gmail.com
Fri Dec 19 16:25:32 PST 2008


Shane Taylor asked:

Whose take on this subject would you recommend?

....

Kunstler is considered to be a critic of urban design and a resource on the issues of climate change and 'Peak Oil'.

That's a lot of ground to cover.

As far as I know, there's no single writer/thinker who successfully takes all that on (including Kunstler, though not for lack of trying).

So let's divide his areas of concern into separate works.

Regarding modernity and its discontents:

The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change

by David Harvey

<http://www.amazon.com/Condition-Postmodernity-Enquiry-Origins-Cultural/dp/0631162941/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229731348&sr=1-9>

All That Is Solid Melts into Air: The Experience of Modernity

by Marshall Berman

<http://www.amazon.com/All-That-Solid-Melts-into/dp/0140109625/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229731771&sr=1-1>

Regarding 'Peak Oil':

The Myth of the Oil Crisis: Overcoming the Challenges of Depletion, Geopolitics, and Global Warming

by Robin Mills

<http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Oil-Crisis-Overcoming-Geopolitics/dp/0313354790/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top>

The comments at Amazon for this book are interesting. Several people accuse Mr. Mills of wanting to hide "The Truth". On the contrary, he acknowledges that hydrocarbons are a finite resource and that climate change is both man made and quite serious. He just doesn't accept the 'Peak Oil' crowd's description of our current state and future prospects. Anything less than Kunstlerian doom is unacceptable to most Peakists.

Regarding urban design (and design in general):

The BLDGBLOG Book

by Geoff Manaugh

<http://www.amazon.com/BLDGBLOG-Book-Geoff-Manaugh/dp/0811866440/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229732131&sr=1-1>

Architecture and Nihilism

by Massimo Cacciari

<http://www.amazon.com/Architecture-Nihilism-Theoretical-Perspectives-Architectura/dp/0300063040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229732187&sr=8-1>

In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World

by John Thackara

<http://www.amazon.com/Bubble-Designing-Complex-World/dp/0262701154/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229732250&sr=1-1>

Regarding paths to de-carbonization:

Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air

by David JC McKay

<http://www.withouthotair.com/>

Regarding our relationship with 'Nature':

Ecology without Nature: Rethinking Environmental Aesthetics

by Timothy Morton

<http://www.amazon.com/Ecology-without-Nature-Rethinking-Environmental/dp/0674024346/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229732530&sr=1-1>

.d.



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