Danger Quest Mysteries

If you click the link below, you can listen to a recording of the broadcast interview. We talk about Dangerous Bicycle Mystery Quest and related topics. I was the second guest, so I start about halfway through the recording.

I would like to make a point here is that when we measure the pros and cons of our methods of urban growth, we should measure it against alternative growth methods, not a frozen moment of perpetual no-growth, not magical thinking, and not a reactionary “when I was young” statement of natural human nostalgia. In other words, for Portland, it’s not Infill vs Yesteryear, it’s Infill vs. Sprawl.

You can’t tell me sprawl doesn’t also increase costs, cause problems and inflict pain. I am interested in your ideas about how to have a decent, modern civilization without growth, but I haven’t heard a single one. (Here’s a good point to read some Schopenhauer about the remorseless striving of the Blind Will of nature.) This problem, the problem of growth, is what my novel tries to explore. I don’t know if there is a solution. Until then, I vote for conscious, intentional humane growth that seeks economies of scale that make urban resources work best. As far as I can tell, this leads to a fun place to live.

Click here if you want to hear the crackle of my dry leaf of a voice:

https://portlandtransport.com/archives/2018/03/kboo-bike-show-green-riders.html

Here’s a picture of me at KBOO waiting my turn… sorry for the shades. My lenses hadn’t yet cleared.

Big thanks to my hosts Alon and April!