Source: http://denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9690226
Quote: "Across the nation, the realization is taking hold that rising energy prices are less a momentary blip than a change with lasting consequences. The shift to costlier fuel is threatening to slow the decades-old migration away from cities, while exacerbating the housing downturn by diminishing the appeal of larger homes set far from urban jobs."
Discussion Questions:
1) How have you adapted to account for rising energy costs?
2) Suburbs in the United States are largely a result of the seemingly unlimited resources and a confidence in humanities ability to create the perfect community following World War II. Obviously we are incapable of creating an idea society and resources are proving to be limited. How should this change American society?
3) If there is a return to urban areas, how should those behind gentrification handle urban blight?
the economy and the heart
I ran across this article today which focuses on the scope of the impact that fuel prices are having on people.
One of the interesting factors to me is that, while people are adapting, they also seem to be determined to go back to their old ways if prices were to drop. I guess it just goes to show that you can force someone to make positive changes, but that doesn't change the heart.
Change Is Tough
I think this highlights how hard change is for people. One of the goals of the American Dream is to be comfortable. That's a primary goal for many people. Change is not comfortable for most people.
An opportunity for the church is to show the opportunity, the community, and the good that is happening and to move towards something better through all this. But, this is going to take some good leadership that seems this and jumps on it in the church. Are church leaders seeing this?
need a bigger Gospel
I think this is one example of an area where church leaders need a bigger Gospel. In this case, with the death and resurrection of Christ, all of creation is set up for restoration. As people who already have the foretaste, the appetizers of what's to come, we as Christians should seek to do our part in restoring now and living restored lives.
Practical Examples
I really think this comes down to practical examples. Many people (most I think) are not gifted with seeing creative examples in this. They need practical examples.
I think other parts of life show this to be the case. What are some of the most popular books on learning. The kind that give practical examples. What are some of the most popular methods of teaching? The kind that have practical examples.
Leaders in the church need to not just give a message of missional living. They need to show people who can envision it in their own lives what it looks like to your average joe in their personal life. Practical examples.
a second
I'll second that. I know when preaching, one of the things I always try and do is give a very practical illustration of how the Gospel could / should impact everyday life.
I think this is really the weakness of how we talk about the Gospel. It's always so nebulous and people can never really get a handle on it practically.
3 Questions
I'll attempt to answer those three questions for myself.
1) These things that I have changed are also a response to being a steward of the earth. But...I now drive to work only 1 day a week. The rest of the time I ride my bike. When I go downtown to do the 'cast with Joe, I am now taking the bus (by the way it's great!). Sure I don't think I'll be riding my bike in winter but I figure something out.
2)Anything to shake and change the suburban idea of establishing a perfect community is good in my mind. I think people we begin to look at the 'values' of suburban life...drug use, meth, crime...all on the rise in suburban communities. I think they will reach a point that suburban life becomes more 'real' or least recognizes that this is not the perfect community.
3) As for an suburban to urban shift of living, I don't know if that will be possible. Can you imagine the large groups of people in the urban area...where will they go? I do see this a good thing, many of the urban areas will get cleaned up. But I don't think that we will loose the suburbs.
Suburban Loss and Gentrification
I certainly don't think that we'll lose the suburbs in the purest sense, although, as I watch new suburban developments appear, they aren't nearly as traditional and are taking on much more of an urban village type vibe (increased density, basic services located within walking distance, etc.)
As for displacement of urban people, this is a huge issue on my place because I live in the city and, honestly, don't want an all out gentrification and yuppie-ification of my artistic, historic, gritty, alternative community. At the same time, there's some evidence that gentrification isn't all about trashing the old and building the new: http://time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1818255,00.html
Live Within, Not Define
I think a general thing to come to grips with is living in a world we don't define. That's seems to be hard for a lot of people. Why do people tear down the old to build the new? So they can define the space the way they see fit. It's about control. We (in America) are control freaks.
Another example can be seen in the way we talk about living eco friendly. In many cases and contexts the talk is about climate control. It's about us manipulating the climate to get the conditions we want.
This type of thing is happening all over. We seem to want to be in control and dictating the tone for the world around us.
this is huge
I love your approach on control there ... really, it's a huge 1st Commandment issue, we want to be God.
Sounds Familiar
Hmm...."urban village type vibe"...sounds familiar to me. Can't quite place it? I will say that I am living in a strange enigma (that is for the next couple of weeks...then it's all suburbia).
As for the displacement of urban, I agree that it is a huge issue. My hope would be that those going to the urban areas are restoring the historic look and feel of the urban area; at the same time building new apartments where ones could not be built in the current buildings. I'm thinking the LoDo area (that's in Denver for the non-Colorado crowd).
I also ran across an interesting problem in St. Louis. I lived downtown and at the time it was experiencing a revival, which was great. But the bad thing was that landlords were selling their properties to others, causing the current residents to leave. The property would be purchased renovated and then sold/rented out at a much higher rate than the previous tenants. This forced a large population of impoverished people being dislocated. They couldn't afford the old neighborhood and couldn't afford the newer or other neighborhoods. I don't know if St. Louis solved the problem or not.
An interesting question would be "Who will be displaced in this move?"