The Downside of Planning

[N Judah]

I know everyone around here likes to talk about planning, and here is one person's take on some of the cultural differences.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../carollloyd.DTL

[dbigtex56]

Good article!

As rps324 mentioned in another thread, the built environment doesn't always determine the lifestyles of its residents (or words to that effect...he said it better).

[SpringTX]

I know everyone around here likes to talk about planning, and here is one person's take on some of the cultural differences.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../carollloyd.DTL

I visited Carmel about 15 years ago and The Woodlands reminds me a lot of Carmel. I see a lot of parallels in that article with recent discussions about the quality of life in TW, or in well-planned suburbs in general.

I found that article interesting. I was surprised, however, to hear an African town described as an idyllic utopia of loving commoners living in perfect harmony...compared to an America as a society of the violent, the brutal, and the perverted. From everything I've heard about Africa, rape and murder and war are everyday events over there. But maybe that's just parts other than Ghana (or her particular section of Ghana in the 1960's). I'm not saying that America doesn't have a dark side; it does. Being one the richest countries in the world comes with a big price. We are one of the coldest and most brutal societies...in our own way. Happiness has nothing to do with money or urban planning or "civilization" or "advancement". It's sad that the author had to learn that at 8 years old.