I think a lot about my natural (and un-natural) surroundings and I firmly believe that the stress and violence in our world stems from our lack of peace and QUIET. It seems we can no longer enjoy the natural beauty around us unless we are plugged in to a portable device: cell phone, earphone, car stereo, boombox or something else to turn a simple walk into multitasking. When does our mind get a chance to rest?
Recently I read Beachcombing at Miramar by Richard Bode and was struck by a passage in his book that echoed the same feeling.
He writes about a radio antenna that is an ugly blot on the beautiful beach landscape where he lives. While not opposed to progress, he writes; "But I am convinced that we know not what we do when we assign a higher priority to the products of our technology that to the natural beauty of the land. It seems to me as if ugliness is a social disease, one we inflict upon ourselves, and it consumes us in our entirety a little at a time. We have been given this Garden of Eden, this land of milk and honey, and bit by bit we are letting it slip away.
I believe the desire for beauty is built into me, as it is built into everyone, and that our lifelong quest for it is our greatest and most important morality play. Beauty is the anonym of violence, the antidote for all the pent up rage in the world....If we choose beauty, we will create a bower of quiet for our children, and for ourselves a sleep full of sweet dreams."
Do you suppose developers take this into account when they squeeze more and more homes into less and less space? Where will the quiet space be? The soulful space?