Ep. 386
The Messy City Podcast features solo commentary from Kevin Clinkenberg, who reflects on a recent discussion with college students regarding time-tested approaches to city building. He argues that many aspects of our current urban landscapes, often perceived as immutable, are in fact the result of relatively recent human decisions and are not inherently fixed. Clinkenberg uses examples like the development of urban freeways, the shift from private to public transit, the evolution of zoning regulations, the changing nature of planning commissions, and the decline of children walking to school to illustrate how societal norms and institutional structures have dramatically shifted over the last century. He contends that these changes, often made with good intentions, have had significant unintended consequences and encourages a critical re-evaluation of these systems, suggesting that substantial and even radical changes are possible and necessary to create better, more humane cities. Ultimately, the podcast advocates for a mindset that challenges the status quo and recognizes the agency we have to reshape our communities.