Re: New book

[curley@CYPHER.TURBONET.COM]

Ken:

I appreciate your thoughts.  Could you elaborate a little on the 
points you made that are set out below by ***?  

Mike

Subject:       Re: New 
book Date:          Tue, 8 Sep 98 23:29:50 -0700 From:          Ken 
Medlin <dev-plan@moscow.com> To:            <rforce@uidaho.edu>, 
"vision2020" <vision2020@moscow.com>

One has to wonder "which West" he was genuinely interested in, that 
overlaid with eastern urban culture, or the one that has roots in 
wholesome (there are some) human relationships with the natural world. No 
urban society in history has been able to sustain itself for long without 
predatory domination over the resources of other, "less developed" 
communities. How are we different? We have yet to prove that our 
insatiable energy needs can continue to be met and that our material life 
styles lead to perpetual survival. We have no goals other than productive 
and consumptive expansion and freedom to exploit the earth. Culture forms 
shaped by sensate and narcissistic values are non-fulfilling. These 
features are well displayed in the series, "Cadillac Desert"  about the 
rape of California resources (I grew up there) -- Cf. KCET, CVP 
Documentary (1-800-343-4727). No, Tuscon and Orange Co. are the epidomy 
of urbanism/suburbanism's self-centeredness and insensitivity to society 
at large.

*** Moscow-Pullman offer far superior models for quality of life 
and are feasible if major community reinvestment policies could ever gain 
ascendancy in a power-hungry world. 

***Small, highly interactive communities 
with strong particpatory habits offer the only hope for a sustainable 
future. 

***But it's probably too late.

 This merits an open forum for full 
discussion.

------------------------
William K. Medlin
dev-plan associates
930 Kenneth Street
Moscow ID 83843
208/892-0148

Mike Curley
reply to: curley@turbonet.com
208-882-3536