New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is telling small towns there that they need to merge to get bigger, because they're too inefficient. Small-town Jersey boy Jim Manzi has written an extraordinarily moving essay about why small is not only beautiful, it's also important. This one's a keeper.
In defense of small town life
Saturday June 7, 2008
Categories: A Sense of Place
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Rod Dreher is an editorial columnist for the Dallas Morning News, and author of "Crunchy Cons" (Crown Forum), a nonfiction book about conservatives, most of them religious, whose faith and political convictions sometimes put them at odds with mainstream conservatives. The views expressed in this blog are his own.
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Something to keep in mind: most of America was not nearly as affluent fifty, forty, or thirty years ago as it is today. I have a passing familiarity with Spring Lake, N.J. I'm not familiar with Jim Manzi, but if he was a young child in the mid-to-late 1960s, Spring Lake, although pleasant, would not have been nearly as well off as it is today.
Cuchulain, you write very well, but I'm surprised that you think this site is pro-urban. That's not my perception at all. From what I can tell, only a handful of commenters (including me) actually live within the limits of a large city. I think many readers here idealize small towns, and the majority appear to live in suburbs or medium-sized towns.
Cuchulain- I think most people on this site are probably pro-small town. I think , however, several of us, myself included, were taken aback by Spring Lake. It's kind of like saying let's discuss what normal suburban life is like by starting with life in Beverly Hills. My town of 2500 has never had a house sell for a million dollars. When we last visited Spring Lake in the mid 90's there were a bunch for sale over that much. Google Spring Lake realty and check the prices.
In my experience small town life is quite variable. Small towns that are economically secure and relatively homogeneous are often wonderful places to live. A real sense of community often prevails and people will do absolutely anything for you. Small towns that are not doing well economically can be pretty miserable, especially with all the kids growing up and leaving for jobs elsewhere.
Manzi contends that towns are most economically viable at 10,000. I guess I would like to see the data on that, but if true, then what do you do with towns 1/4 that size? Assuming that they are using state or federal money to make up the inefficiency, then it is a valid taxpayer issue to address.
Steve
Cuchulain, That fact should be no rebuke to you or any cause for hostility on your part toward those who have been luckier than you in some regards.
Huh? You don't get me at all. I'm quite aware of people who have had positive life experiences and America, don't begrudge it, and never even even implied I did.
I'm merely warning that based upon my assessment of the situation, the percentage of peoople with my life experiences is growing, and has been for some time. And in my opinion, people who can't see this need to get out more, or look at the statistics. Either should suffice.
What's a "peoople"? Do they like Bailey's?
From a shooe, my friend, from a shooe. Creamy.
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