If only more people would seek to look inside themselves so as to try to create a better, more equal order in society. Equal treatments for people, equal opportunities. Walked through a part of Hackney the other day, and was appalled by what I saw. Council estate after council estate after.. You get the picture. None of the houses appeared to have actual frontages onto the street - who would want their frontage onto a bleak, lifeless street with potential crime around the corner? All that I saw was brick walls, buildings set back from the road and boring, under-utilized lawns littered with plastic bags and candy wrappers. Actually, I fear that a lot of the council estates in more peripheral locations in London are in a much worse state of upkeep. Anyway, my point is that continuing to place people in utterly uninspiring and disjointed urban settings is not a fair nor equal thing to do. Yes, I do realise that they get a place to live for a cheaper price than the rest of us on the private market. But can we as a society really afford to have people living in a physical environment that restricts their social mobility? Maybe in stead we ought to subsidise people that need the help (god knows London's an expensive place to live in) in a manner that allows them to be a part of the city life around them. Spend the subsidies on topping up what they pay in rent in a "normal" flat. Mix people of different social classes, so we can potentially get rid of this horrid term, or at least not have a bad taste in our mouth when thinking of the way the lowest in society are treated.Naturally I think in urban design terms. It is my profession. This is just one small, but important thing that can be done to alleviate the troubles of an unequal society.
Gandhi went to my uni. Look at what he achieved. Perhaps if you put your weight behind your good thoughts...
5 comments:
owh, so this is the statue that kayien was talking bout. it looks awfully tranquil. id love to be there. and read a book next to him. sigh
have u watched mahatma ghandi the movie? its awesome.
Ha! Try taking the train from London to Liverpool and feast your eyes on the five hundred kilometres of terraced houses and backyards strewn with old cars and corrugated sheds.
and what exactly were you doing in Hackney again? hehe.
During my first few days in London back in September, I actually took a bus ride from Walthamstow to central London, and went through Hackney on the way. Let's just say that what I saw made me feel glad that I was sitting on the upper tier of the bus, and that I wouldn't have to get off until I reach London Bridge. Having just arrived, it made me question my choice of London as the place to study.
It's a bit disconcerting though, to be in the middle of an urban ghetto, and yet being able to see the Gherkin in quite a close distance. The Gherkin being located in the Square Mile which is the business district of London, where people make an obscene amount of money, actually has Hackney as its neighbour. talk about ironic huh?
Kishie, no, haven't seen the movie, but I read his memoirs once. Very long and written in a dated style, but none the less interesting and impressive.
Moif - 500 km is a long way. But maybe if you keep wishing hard enough things can change? I am an idealistic optimist, I am not afraid to come clean about that. I mean, if no-one tries, then how will things ever change?
Nurul, I was out for Sunday walk, believe it or not. Enjoying the bright spring sun, however tarnished by the maddening winds we've been feeling lately. Today it snowed!
Oh things will change, eventually. Its just a question of having the patience to wait for it to happen.
Of course, you might run out of time first... Better to live in the countryside and feel the weather on your face.
=)
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