I'm not saying that we build caves. I'm only saying that we spread out a little. Let's face it, we now have much of the communication technology needed so that we don't require to be so concentrated. We can even drastically cut down on oil dependence if we simply become more 'communication-oriented'. We don't need to be in offices every day. We don't need to visit stores as much. We don't need to see others in our work as much (video communication will do just fine).

We are unnecessarily extending the life of large cities perhaps mainly out of habit. That is, we are still living in the industrial age and have not fully grasped the information technology available. We don't need large cities for the most part. They are going to be increasingly dangerous not only from terrorists but possibly from a global change in temperature as well as other environmental impacts. These changes of 'small is beautiful' is a better society.

Being spreadout also helps to solve the epidemics that biological contagents can cause simply because they require human contact to spread. But, the whole idea of an information society that is not so reliant on travel and direct contact in business is that we don't need to be close together. Disease is much harder to spread under those conditions versus a major metropolis of 40 or 50 million (or more). Perhaps within the not-too-distant future cities will have populations near 100 million. Just possibly.

We should start preparing now. At least that's my opinion.

Warm regards, Harv

• A political forum here would be interesting - stormcrow - September 13, 2001 - 01:46 UTC
  • Oh GOD - rggarfinkle - September 13, 2001 - 04:25 UTC