Kunstler, on a roll

I have been a fan of Kunstler since reading his New Urbanism writings ("Geography of Nowhere", etc). His "Eyesore of the Month" is also an entertaining feature on his website. Underlies the sadness I feel about the lack of design and craftsmanship in current architecture, especially at the residential level...

Kunstler's latest post fills me with dread at what awaits the USA once we reach a breaking point, a sort of "perfect storm" of oil shortages, bitter and perhaps futile wars abroad, an economic depression, and domestic terror attacks. Almost none among our politicians have the nerve and the guts to speak the truth about the dangers that we face. Who can hope to be elected president who does not promise more economic growth, lower taxes, and protection from Muslim fundamentalism? The people want to be deluded, and our leaders are more than happy to oblige.

The way in which we are fighting this war against Iraq has never stopped astonishing me - it proves that the Bush administration in the end prizes lower taxes over not only the well-being of its soldiers but also the prospects of their success. Why doesn't anyone in the mainstream media talk about how perverse this all is - tax cuts in a time of war? I am reminded of Gibbon's account of the fall of Constantinople.

Gibbon tells of the desperation which overtook the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine Paleologus, when he sent out a call for volunteers among the citizens of the city to defend it against the onslaught of the Sultan’s forces. In spite of the direness of the situation, his appeals made little impression upon the great majority of his able-bodied male subjects, who, as Gibbon notes, lacked the will to defend their families and their property. The hapless emperor was left with fewer than 7,000 soldiers, mostly Romans, Genoese, and other Italians, to hold off the more than 80,000-strong army of Mohammed II. After the Sultan took the city, an enormous amount of treasure was laid at his feet. Far from becoming overjoyed at taking possession of the riches which he had long coveted, Mohammed instead grew irate and indignant. “And why did you not employ these treasures in the defence of your prince and your country,” he demanded of his highest-ranking prisoner, the Duke Lucas Notaras. “They were yours,” came the captive’s answer, “God had reserved them for your hands.” Mohammed, in this instance gave a sober and discerning reply, “If he reserved them for me, how have you presumed to withhold them so long by a fruitless and fatal resistance?”

It has happened before in history that entire societies not only have refused to fight the forces seeking their doom, but also have perversely chosen greed over survival when given the choice.

What do otherwise intelligent people find intelligent or persuasive about Kunstler?

I mean, no matter what happens, his message is: We're going to hell, and we deserve it.

Only, he can't say it in eight words; he has to use 8,000.

No matter how intelligent a reader may be, those 8 words are insufficient to explain how and why, and that's why the 7992 other words are needed.

I read Kunstlers web blog, and enjoy it. His vulgarity makes me wince at times, but I get the uncomfortable feeling that he is going to be proved right, sooner or later. I do like the fact that he get everybody in his sights. No one ever accused Kunstler of picking political sides. Everybody gets it in spades. Nobody is better at pointing out how ugly our public spaces are, and how to fix them. His books should be required reading for public planners.

pyp's history lesson doesn't make pleasant reading but he's right. I'd only add that Constantinople was rich in politicans, lawyers, bureaucrats, clerics, and financial types--basically the readership of the New York Times. Constantinople was poor in fighting men. Nonetheless when it was too late, the defenders fought and died like heroes. Had they only stopped their silliness in time. Heartbreaking.