a g-zillionth wake up call from Kunstler

I always enjoy reading this righteous pessimist, with keen observational skills, a quest for knowledge and a very sharp intellect. He levels the g-zillionth wake up call, hoping we will be our best selves and go optimistically in search of a new way of living that offers future generations a home on planet earth. Oh, did I say quick wit!

Reality Receding
By James Howard Kunstler
on September 14, 2009 6:33 AM

........American perestroika really boils down to this: we have to rescale the activities of daily life to a level consistent with the mandates of the future, especially the ones having to do with available energy and capital. We have to dismantle things that have no future and rebuild things that will allow daily life to function. We have to say goodbye to big box shopping and rebuild Main Street. More people will be needed to work in farming and fewer in tourism, public relations, gambling, and party planning. We have to make some basic useful products in this country again. We have to systematically decommission suburbia and reactivate our small towns and small cities. We have to prepare for the contraction of our large cities. We have to let the sun set on Happy Motoring and rebuild our trains, transit systems, harbors, and inland waterways. We have to reorganize schooling at a much more modest level. We have to close down most of the overseas military bases we're operating and conclude our wars in Asia. Mostly, we have to recover a national sense of common purpose and common decency. There is obviously a lot of work to do in the list above, which could translate into paychecks and careers -- but not if we direct all our resources into propping up the failing structures of yesterday.

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