Responding to Global/Local Readings

It is a common belief that you have to learn from the past in order to prevent mistakes in the future, otherwise history is doomed to repeat itself.  Frampton and Berry discuss in their writings how architecture cannot really exist independent of its roots - much like in our architecture history classes, it all really begins with the innovations of classicism.  Frampton talks about how architecture, as a critical discipline, must somehow stay balanced between staying in touch with its sources and looking only forward to the global culture.  Our increasingly global culture, where everything is connected by a "series of tubes", satellites, and radio waves, is developing at the expense of the richness of regional cultures.  Because of our movement toward commonality, the profound nature of our individual cultures is being cut off at a substandard level where everyone from the United States to China is stunted at a bland cultural common ground.

I like Berry's idea about agrarianism, that our point of view should stem from the land.  It kind of reminds me of Pocahontas -
 "You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name"

I feel supremely ridiculous for just posting Disney lyrics to make a point.  But the truth of the matter is that nature, the land, the streams, the mountains, all existed before us and will continue to exist after we're gone provided we don't destroy the world with industry.  Today's culture focuses too much on the latest hot commodities and really not enough on our very first resource: Earth.  Unless you happen to choose the Earth wallpaper on your iPhone, you probably don't think of our planet's natural beauty in its entirety on a regular basis.  When your thoughts begin to be shaped based on the land, rather than monetary capital and technology, you necessarily have to root your thoughts to a local standpoint.

These readings increasingly make me want to go live on Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau-style, and live a natural, resourceful, self-sufficient lifestyle.  Too bad I'm so lazy.