- #1
honestrosewater
Gold Member
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- 6
Strengthen America - build a church! :)
I have an old book on civilization aptly titled Civilization by Kenneth Clark. He suggests that the key to a successful civilization is confidence - confidence in a bright future for the society, a sense of energy, vigor, vitality, and permanence. It's permanence that most interests me now.
He names three explosions of civilization: ~3000 BC - Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley; ~600 BC - Ionia, Greece, India; ~1100 AD - World, esp. Western Europe. To me, the architecture of these civilizations, their grand pyramids, temples, and cathedrals, screams confidence and permanence. I find Greece's ruins and Europe's cathedrals especially moving. (Has anyone here actually visited any?)
In my part of Florida, there's nothing anywhere near that. Everything is built for the moment, economical, cookie cutter, they throw them up and tear them down. I can't imagine any buildings around here still being here a thousand years from now, not even a few hundred years from now. This isn't something that I've just now noticed either - and it's depressing.
Have you noticed this where you live? Do you think that the quickening pace of technology (or other things) has made us not want to invest in those built-to-last projects? I notice this kind of thinking in other areas. Why invest in a new car, computer, cell phone? A better model will come out next year, month, week.
I think that a sense of permanence from our architecture could make up for a lot of the other disposable things in our modern lives. Just imagine having something of this magnitude in your town. I think it's inspiring. What do you guys think?
(Just kidding about the church thing; the cathedrals just happen to be a very impressive example.)
I have an old book on civilization aptly titled Civilization by Kenneth Clark. He suggests that the key to a successful civilization is confidence - confidence in a bright future for the society, a sense of energy, vigor, vitality, and permanence. It's permanence that most interests me now.
He names three explosions of civilization: ~3000 BC - Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus Valley; ~600 BC - Ionia, Greece, India; ~1100 AD - World, esp. Western Europe. To me, the architecture of these civilizations, their grand pyramids, temples, and cathedrals, screams confidence and permanence. I find Greece's ruins and Europe's cathedrals especially moving. (Has anyone here actually visited any?)
In my part of Florida, there's nothing anywhere near that. Everything is built for the moment, economical, cookie cutter, they throw them up and tear them down. I can't imagine any buildings around here still being here a thousand years from now, not even a few hundred years from now. This isn't something that I've just now noticed either - and it's depressing.
Have you noticed this where you live? Do you think that the quickening pace of technology (or other things) has made us not want to invest in those built-to-last projects? I notice this kind of thinking in other areas. Why invest in a new car, computer, cell phone? A better model will come out next year, month, week.
I think that a sense of permanence from our architecture could make up for a lot of the other disposable things in our modern lives. Just imagine having something of this magnitude in your town. I think it's inspiring. What do you guys think?
(Just kidding about the church thing; the cathedrals just happen to be a very impressive example.)