Alinsky (Book #38)

In preparation for my research paper on technology as a basis for participatory and "healthy" urban design, I picked up one of the classics on community participation and organizing: Reveille for Radicals, by the late, great Saul Alinsky.

Those of you that first heard the term "community organizer" in reference to President-Elect Obama, as I did, should be happy to know that Alinsky was one of the most successful organizers as well as a model for Mr. Obama. Whether Obama has what it takes to push a real progressive agenda has been questioned but, if this book is any indication, I would say I think it's more likely than I did last week.

Alinsky defines the radical as someone who truly loves and cares for the great masses of people and is so identified with them that he shares their injustices and sufferings (at this point, I was thinking that I'm definitely too judgemental to be a radical). Alinsky continues to say that the radical is "completely concerned with fundamental causes rather than current manifestations" (I believe I fit into this category, so maybe I'm half radical?).

As the book progresses he asserts that the real problem with democracy is the focus on the form and structure rather than the content, i.e. the people. He continues with tactics to organize people, form a social program, involve natural leaders from established groups, and so on. Many case studies are related that show the true details of bottom-up, or grass-roots, social action.

Two of the most poignant points he makes are that true change come from an active and informed base and that all problems are interrelated. The former leads the reader into methods of involving and educating and the public by doing things with them, rather than for them, and encouraging personal "discovery" as education; the latter idea is especially useful when trying to organize groups that were formed to address smaller issues, such as labor, religion, public health, etc.

I've never thought of myself as radical and this volume has not convinced me otherwise. I think I lack the faith in the common man and the patience to ever fit within the parameters Alinsky has set. But, at the same time, I can identify with what he is saying and know that he is describing the apotheosis of a radical, rather than one you might find living on your block. After reading this book I can look back at the excitement surrounding Obama, and the grassroots movements that helped him win the presidency, in a new light. Maybe there really is something special about these community organizers from the windy city...

And in closing, I suspect that Norman Mailer read Alinsky and that's one why he hated to be referred to as a liberal (Alisnky says "Liberals dream dreams; radicals build the world of men's dreams.")

Equal Rights March

A Book, A Real Book!

In the past 48 hours I managed to make my way through a real book, The Image of the City. It is a seminal work in the field of urban planning and was written in 1960 by Kevin Lynch. The whole premise is to understand how people "read" the city, visually. He and his team studied Boston, Jersey City, and Los Angeles with the help of residents who participated in interviews and drew mental maps (a map drawn of your city from memory). From all this information, he breaks cities down into constituent elements that designers can focus on to create more "imageable" (or "visually legible") cities. It's a classic and even though it was written almost 50 years ago, it would serve the design community, especially the developers, well to read it in earnest.

So, since someone at the library has Pelham on hold, I'm going to return it tomorrow, unfinished, and call Lynch's book number 36. Issue 7 of n+1 comes out next week so that will likely be 37. And if I can get to the final book in McCarthy's trilogy, Cities of the Plain, that will be 38. Maybe I'll get to 40 by years end...especially if I can find another copy of Pelham.

I've already committed myself to a fresh start on new years day. On the recommendation of Jabiz, I've decided that I'll start 2009 with a new author: Gore Vidal. His Narrative of Empires is a collection of seven historical novels which span from the dawn of our nation to 1950, and then with a final chapter at the start of the 21st century. Think I can make to fifty books in '09? I doubt it too.

Famous

I made it to the website of Ebony and Jet Magazines. I'm serious.

Scroll down to Seattle to see my youtube video from Tuesday night, after the election.

Or you can watch it below (but I recommend Ebony's version).

McCain "Party"

Did anyone else notice the parade of primped up white frat boys at McCain's concession speech, as opposed to the diverse crowd at Obama's speech in Chicago? I wish I could find some photos online but I don't think anyone really cared what was going on at the Biltmore in Phoenix.