I was not sure if I wanted to get on the blog here and start talking about this project until I was further along but I am beginning to think that the benefits of including everyone in the process outweigh the risk of humiliation if this thing were never to get published.
Its a tough thing writing a book and even tougher for someone like me with bad grammar and writing skills (come on, don’t even try and pretend you didn’t notice). But I feel that I have something that needs to be said, and there isn’t any way something like bad spelling is getting in my way. There are plenty of good editors out there who I am sure would agree with my beliefs and want to edit my book for me. (I hope)
I want to write about community, about the kind I think we could have if we tried and what its going to take to get us there. I have seen so many faceless sprawling ticky tacky rows of boxes we are trying to pass off as places to live and have witnessed degrading quality of life and community that I feel something needs to be done and I choose to stand up as someone who is willing to try to make a difference. I know I am far from perfect and can only hope affect change in a few lives but if by writing what I believe I am able to help just a few more people build lives for themselves that are richer and more fulfilling and they in turn can contribute to better places for more people to live. Then I will stand up and take that challenge. Bad spelling and all, I am going to take on the goal of describing a better way to live.
For centuries society has ebbed and flowed in and out of cities as we have continually modified our view of what we felt important but never before in history has such a terrible excuse for life as the suburban tract home been so widely accepted and unquestioned. And it’s time that someone stood up and call out a better way. I am not going to spend all my time attacking the lifestyle and people who chose to live it, much has been said on the topic and I have little more to add. Instead what I feel needs defining is the right way, the way things should have been and what we should be striving for today. I want to help people see that what we truly crave is community and strong community does not happen on its own without intentional effort, nor will it thrive in places where we drive straight into our garages and march to our couches to watch TV. Community – the true earthy raw version – that we all deep down crave as people comes when we admit that there are other people out there and that they matter to. And we give up the sense of need for personal space we have developed in this country and start seeing other people as part of our world not little planets all their own.
I know that there are many people who are far from understanding what it is I have to say but its just that fact that makes me so driven to start the conversation about the way things should be.
We live in a world with 6,841,253,083 (as of September 6th at 1:47 PM) people in it and to think that every one of those people is entitled to the suburban lifestyle we have created for ourselves here in America is a by product of our self absorbed mindset in this country. The reality is that if everyone in the world tried to live the way we do we would need more than 8 earths just for how many people there are here today. Not to mention that the population we have today is double what it was when Kennedy was elected president.
So from now on you are going to start seeing posts on here from the yet to be named book. I am going to be flushing out ideas and concepts in the hopes that you will join in the effort and help me understand what should go in here. Because the last thing I am trying to do is say that I have all the answers. I am just a person who wants to see us find a better way and my guess is that I am not alone.
Please, if I can ask one thing of you through this is that you be honest with me. Tell me when stuff I am posting is off topic or irrelevant and should be omitted. I need you in this and am asking for your honest opinion, even if it hurts a little.
I have lots of ideas and very little of it is in chapter format yet so for a while things that I post will be all over the map but I am going to be honing it down into the proper format and with a little luck we might even have a book when this is all done here..
Although I don’t have a title yet here is what I am thinking the tag line should be.
-How people fed up with the myth of the suburban dream are finding real community in the heart of the city.
What do you think? Are you with me?
Levi
15 responses so far ↓
1 dustin // Sep 8, 2008 at 11:23 am
Let’s do it!
2 William Burg // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:16 pm
well, yeah.
3 Andrew // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I love the idea.
4 M // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Where do you need us? My hope is that you will take this idea and really run with it. Your timing could not be more perfect and judging by the last year that I have followed this Blog your ideas are right on. Are you thinking of hosting idea sessions to bounce the concepts off of real people or just here on the blog.
Are you going to post chapters?
5 Sam // Sep 9, 2008 at 4:56 am
I am thrilled to participate! Great idea. Good things come from collaboration.
6 Levi // Sep 9, 2008 at 6:34 am
M,
Thanks so much for your support. I am thinking of posting chapters. I really think this will be a better book in the end with as much collaboration as possible (stole that word from you Sam)
I had not thought of idea sessions but should give it some consideration. It certianley would be a good time.
7 Phillip G // Sep 9, 2008 at 10:54 am
Bring it!
8 Levi // Sep 9, 2008 at 10:57 am
I plan on it!
9 AJ // Sep 9, 2008 at 1:42 pm
You could install a wiki and post the chapters there. Then you’ll really be at the web 2.0 forefront.
10 Ian M. // Sep 10, 2008 at 12:03 pm
How about “Unsuburbia: The story of the great migration back to the City.”
I ran into the term “unsuburbia” with last year’s CCA Solar Decathalon Studio. It is spot on with your work.
You can find real community wherever you are. Some are more sustainable than others. It’s not just a question of being wasteful, it’s about reconnecting with neighbors and being conscious of living on the earth.
Please don’t fall into the trap of writing a book for your entire life. My mother in law died before finishing her novel and it was the most depressing thing to see the piles of unfinished manuscripts and notes. Limit your research, seek a publisher and make it personal. I want to read your book in my lifetime. I’d be happy to help.
11 Levi // Sep 10, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Ian, Thank you so much for your advice. So far I have not hit a wall and its been flowing quite well. I am almost ready to post a rough version of the first chapter here. It feels a little like I am putting my heart out there but that is sometimes the case when you do things such as this. I will try and avoid making this a lifelong project.
I love “unsuburbia” I had not heard that one before.
12 Writing today | LJUrban.com // Sep 11, 2008 at 5:28 am
[...] There Is Going To Be A Book (but Not Without You…) [...]
13 brs // Sep 12, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Have you ever considered the Hutterite communities? I realize that they are a farm-based community (and more than 400 years running!), but perhaps the model could offer some ideas. What seems to make them work is the community kitchen (idea for another of your projects), and the mud oven could be the center piece for that (think BIG!). BTW, the idea of a “community kitchen” seems to work well (and is BIG!) in retirement communities all around us. If it works for old folks and farming families, it may have merit for up and coming urbanites. Can’t wait for your first chapter.
14 John Rivett // Sep 16, 2008 at 10:49 am
We just recently moved to West Sacramento from Milwaukee, and I was helping out with a similar book for a company called Pragmatic Construction. Is the focus of the book on practical applications, philosophical, advocacy–or all the above?
I think being preachy turns people off–better to point out the benefits and show how everything isl connected.
The newer suburban developments in West Sac are so uncreative–same old development formula. We need more sustainable living–less of the :United States of Generica.” The American Dream is turning into a nightmare for everyone.
I’d love to help. I love the work LJ Urban is doing!!
15 Co-mu-ni-ty | LJUrban.com | Dream Big. Live Small. Do Good. | LJUrban.com // Sep 23, 2008 at 10:52 am
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