A couple of weeks ago I submitted this infographic to a GOOD contest. As infographics go, I am relying a lot on text, I could have done more to graphically represent different pieces of information, but the idea is some what confusing to explain, so I wanted to keep it pretty simple. And anyway, that's the part I'm most proud of, the idea, one which I originally had on my lunch brake during a sunny afternoon in Brooklyn. The initial what if question just popped into my head. I'd say the odds I win are pretty low, but it's been fun to see the piece take on a life of its own; I'm loving the comments about it via cartophilia and strangemaps. It was also posted by Mr. Andrew Sullivan on the Atlantic and of course Brooklyn is picking up on it too.
And for the record I know the idea of that many people living in such a small area is pretty crazy, and would beget all kinds of problems and challenges. And I'm not saying that we should do it, but I would never say it was impossible. In my submission I included the following "I hope it surprises us just how small an area that (New Hamp.) turns out to be, and causes us to examine the current ways and repercussions of how we're currently spread about." Here it is on GOOD.
Um, yeah, but then we'd all be living in BROOKLYN.
ReplyDeleteFuck that. I'd rather shoot myself. Check that. I'd just shoot my nearest 10 neighbors. Assholes. They never shut up. And they're always complaining about my dogs. My hunting dogs. The ones I use to hunt in the... park.
Jesus. Do you really, I mean REALLY, think that those folks in Brooklyn are living "comfortably"? Really?
ReplyDeleteI don't. I think they are all miserable assholes. Living like rats in a cage.
Do it again, with the population density of Texas, or Montana, or hell, even Tennessee. You know, the states where people are actually happy.
I grew up in small town suburbia, and lived in Brooklyn for 8 years. And I love aspects of each. Brooklyn is one of the most dynamic places one can live in the entire country. But can it be intense of course, and expensive. I think there are happy/unhappy people everywhere, not sure that urban vs. rural matters in increasing or reducing "actual happiness".
ReplyDeleteDon't know if this was your intent but be aware that this infographic is strikingly similar to one here:
ReplyDeletehttp://overpopulationisamyth.com/overpopulation-the-making-of-a-myth
This website is a front for the Population Research Institute, which itself is a front for conservative Christians who want to outlaw abortion. FYI.
I've always found this idea silly because such a high population density would present enormous issues of food production, land overuse, water production/conservation, etc.
Thanks DG, I hadn't seen that site/video. It seems that the figures they're using are already out of date: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6038
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I wasn't at all trying to make the case that the USA/world isn't overpopulated. And your right, it is a silly idea, I was merely throwing it out there because I thought it was interesting, and hoped it would spark debate/thought/discussion. I would say though, that the amount of resources we use, (including land and water) to support suburban lifestyles is currently unsustainable. But I think there are a lot of ways which we can retool and improve both the suburbs and cities. On the one hand some people have taken it too seriously, and on the other hand I think others have probably dismissed it to quickly.