Believe Quote by James Howard Kunstler
“Because I believe a lot of people share my feelings about the tragic landscape of highway strips, parking lots, housing tracts, mega-malls, junked cities, and ravaged countryside that makes up the everyday environment where most Americans live and work. A land full of places that are not worth caring about will soon be a nation and a way of life that is not worth defending.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Geography of Now, James Howard Kunstler, 2015
Monotonous, low‑quality built environments erode cultural value and civic pride.
In simple terms: Bad design harms community spirit.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for thoughtful, human‑scaled urban planning.
Themes
urban design
environment
culture
community
Mood
concerned
optimistic
Type
activist
urban planning
When to use this quote
- city planning
- neighborhood revitalization
- public policy
Key Concepts
architecture
sustainability
social cohesion
Questions to Reflect On
- What design elements foster community identity?
- How can citizens influence local development?
A Different Perspective
Change is slow and faces economic constraints.
![“I had no idea I was part of what was going to be a big mega-hit. I thought I was doing a B sci-fi movie [Independence Day]. And, actually, it was Jeff Goldblum who looked at me one day and said, "You know, I think this is going to be really something." And I said, "Well, I hope you're right." And…” quote by Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f7d/brent-spiner-2999_bigs_i-had-no-idea-i-was-part-of-what-was-goi_671195.jpg)
![“The ideas of [ Le Corbusier ] that actually found their way into practice were deeply destructive - for instance, the tower-in-a-park, which mutated into the vertical slums of the late 20th century.” quote by James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/439/james-howard-kunstler-2886_20th-century_the-ideas-of-le-corbusier-that-actually_106405.jpg)
![“On my way out of [Atlantic City] at quarter after seven in the morning, a young pump jockey at the gas station [...] mentioned that another man had lost $20,000 at Trop World a few hours earlier and had to be dragged out of the casino kicking and screaming. I asked if this happened a lot. "Man,"…” quote by James Howard Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/601/james-howard-kunstler-2886_another-man_on-my-way-out-of-atlantic-city-at-quarte_118435.jpg)
