  Gdub Member Username: Gdub Post Number: 1031 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.38.29.148 |
from a lengthy journal meditation on Mayan culture at http://journal.davidbyrne.com/ about half way down. Seems to have come to a conclusion similar to Lowell's... "Ogling ruins is way of meditating on our own inevitable deaths, and also, one assumes, of acknowledging our own hubris and that of our own civilizations. A humbling reminder that, yes, it all does return to dust, no matter how tall, massive or impregnable the buildings might be. There is, I admit, impressive survival — the tombs of Egypt — but it’s all for nothing in the end. The collapse, one senses, is always inevitable, despite leaders’ claims to eternal good and greatness. I asked myself, 'Where are the contemporary ruins? Where are the ruins in progress? Where are our once great cites that are being abandoned as these ones were?' I came up with Detroit. (Sorry, sports fans.) Vast stretches of the city are already uninhabited, crumbling. The central temples, yes, are still in use — the temples for sports, conventions and ritualistic music concerts — but for how much longer? Will the beautiful deco buildings erected as working shrines by what were once the largest companies in the world (GM, Ford) soon be abandoned? They’re already surrounded by a no man’s wasteland; it seems only a matter of time. And then how long before people wander into that zone and ask themselves, 'Who built this incredible building?' | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 1481 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 208.44.117.10 |
Ever get the feeling that David Byrne was actually singing those questions to himself? And you may ask yourself How do I work this? And you may ask yourself Where is that large automobile? And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful house! And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful wife! | ||
220hendrie1910 Member Username: 220hendrie1910 Post Number: 20 Registered: 02-2006 Posted From: 20.137.2.50 |
Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was... | ||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 3734 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 141.217.119.145 |
So what David Byrne is saying is that I live in a wasteland? Or is he saying that he hopes Detroit becomes a wasteland for his own amusment? | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 248 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 68.43.107.72 |
David Byrne from talking heads? | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1118 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 136.2.1.101 |
No, the other one. (Yes, the one from Talking Heads.) What he's saying is thought-provoking, but I think he is ultimately incorrect in the case of Detroit, for this reason: Detroit is a part of the United States, a generally stable and wealthy country. Sure, it's a neglected and scorned corner of the country, but for a city this large to truly become ruins, there would have to be something much more serious going on, such as a war with another country or a destabilized national government. I am certain that the center of the city with its beautiful deco buildings will be in better shape in 50-100 years than it is now. (Of course, I live here, which may make me more of an optimist.) Detroit may end up something like Vienna, a city past its prime and perhaps longing for the old days, but not ruins. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 794 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
Don't worry about the government. Or David Byrne for that matter. He's failed to take into consideration the changes which can occur within a community over extended periods of time. Rome, for example, was once a pretty bleak place to be. It survived and thrived again. There's no telling if Detroit is down and out or just down and drunk until morning. (Message edited by 1953 on May 03, 2006) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 2467 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.43.15.105 |
Is Al_t_publican, David Byrne? | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 252 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 68.43.107.72 |
I can't believe this is a post! David Byrne is just some musician, granted Talking Heads are good but his opinion is not important. Maybe the Heads can do a Detroit revival show if he is so concerned | ||
Gdub Member Username: Gdub Post Number: 1032 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.38.29.148 |
It is notable for the similarity to Lowell's notion of modern urban 'ruins', and shows that other people out there, when coming up with a contemporary equivalent to what happened to the Aztecs, thinks foremost that Detroit fits the bill (or post-industrial urban America in general). Granted, one of the photos on his site is of the Madison section of the M-L while it was being torn down, thus looking more 'ruin' than it really was. Incidentally, David Byrne did ride a bike, not too long ago, from downtown out to Alter Rd. and back. Not a typical sightseeing method for people from out of town to embark on. He does at least consider this an interesting place, and not in the flippant way that out-of-state people/celebrities usually remark on (or joke about) Detroit. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 796 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
He rode a bike here? Fantastic. I love the idea of a Detroit benefit show. We could get all of the hometown artists and their friends, plus concerned artsists like Byrne, to play for the municipal budget! | ||
Gdub Member Username: Gdub Post Number: 1033 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.38.29.148 |
Okay, cynical jerks. I try to introduce some discourse on comparing the ruins of one culture to those of another, but as usual everyone drags it down to ripping on celebrities. Should I have made up a fake name and put "Dr." in front of it instead? | ||
Ray Member Username: Ray Post Number: 686 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.42.220.37 |
You know, why is it that Detroit is a "no man's wasteland" that "nobody lives in" when there are 900,000 people there. I think it's just disrepectful. | ||
Thecarl Member Username: Thecarl Post Number: 748 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 69.14.30.175 |
"six cities" by supersystem... The forest has trees the mountain has snow on its peak And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep Like a language everyone knows how to speak But forgets each morning when waking There was once a city that was made of steel All the Buildings were shiny and clean The people wore the same clothes and ate all the same meals They knew black and white and little in between There was once a city that was made of glass All the buildings you could see right through Each and every person there had opinions there And each and every one of them was true There was once a city made of plastic All the buildings were flimsy and sheik The smoke from a fire there made everybody sick So they all left town with the few things they could keep There was once a city made of marble All the buildings were beautiful and cold The people had solutions for anything that fell So they spent their lives being helpful and alone The forest has trees the mountain has snow on its peak And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep Like a language everyone knows how to speak but forgets Each morning when waking from sleep There was once a city that was made of stone All the buildings were smooth and gray The people living there all felt trapped and cold Even on a pretty warm spring day There was once a city that was made of wood All the buildings were sensible and sound Everyone there did what they wanted while they knew they could Because one day a storm would knock their buildings down The forest has trees the mountain has snow on its peak And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep Like a language everyone knows how to speak But forgets each morning when waking The forest has trees the mountain has snow on its peak And the earth has secrets the ocean helps keep Like a word explaining how all this should be That’s forgotten the moment we first learn to speak | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3642 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
One can't but help see his desire for his idea of the city to be completely fulfilled. Too many people have a morbid fascination with Detroit as a city that's already died. | ||
Al_t_publican Member Username: Al_t_publican Post Number: 84 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 66.146.173.34 |
David Bryne isn't me. I'm wondering what happened to my take of a few days ago about Detroit as a potential Angkor Wat. I visited the Cambodian ruins in Feb and thought of my birthplace Detroit as I took in the ruins. I'll say one thing about Detroit, and that's it doesn't take twenty dollars to get in like Angkor. I don't think Detroit will ever be a Macchu Pica(sp), do you? |
