| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : DECEMBER 6, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
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| BOOKS
Techopolis E-TOPIA Urban Life, Jim--But Not As We Know It By William J. Mitchell MIT Press 184pp $22.50 Rather than ask how the Internet Age is affecting individuals, William J. Mitchell's e-topia: Urban Life, Jim--But Not As We Know It tackles a much more intriguing question: How will the the Internet Age shape life in cities? Mitchell, dean of the School of Architecture & Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, begins his thoughtful book with eulogies for three traditional social patterns: the desert village centered around a water well; the house in a northern climate with a fireplace at its heart; and the holy place where a community of believers arises. All three provided a focus for interaction, enlightenment, and sustenance. As Mitchell describes each of these, he cites major transformations of technology and suggests the kinds of change just now beginning: Diminished by the Net, he says, is the need to travel anywhere. So how can we redesign society's central meeting points, its urban centers, to accommodate a newer, decentralized digital landscape where social interaction, commerce, and enlightenment can all be downloaded via a laptop? The well, the fireplace, the shrine are now all virtual, Mitchell suggests, accessible via the Web regardless of geography. ''The old social fabric--tied together by enforced commonalities of location and schedule and need--no longer coheres,'' Mitchell says. ''What shall replace it?'' A provocative question, to be sure. But Mitchell's book, though suggestive and insightful, doesn't answer the question. Mitchell does say that since new technologies always interact with established ones and the customs that surround them, the future will be far from homogeneous. Unlike many tech writers, Mitchell thankfully avoids utopian visions, as well as dire, dark scenarios. Well-chosen historical examples give his work credibility. Yet Mitchell fails to provide a clear picture of transformed urban landscapes. And he glosses over some basic changes that are already under way. Past scenes of rapid technological change--England in the early 19th century, America in the later 19th century--have usually featured tumultuous social conflicts involving severe urban distress. What will be needed to avoid a repeat of such upheaval, this time on a global scale? Throughout the book, Mitchell suggests the potential for a growing digital divide, in which the richer and more educated harness technology first and control it for all others. But he is nearly silent on prescriptions for easing such chasms, and he avoids exploring the divide and its impact thus far on neighborhoods, rural areas, and regional economies. Ironically, one of e-topia's strengths is its frequent suggestion that there are multiple possibilities--numerous choices facing groups joined either by geography or interest. Yet Mitchell rarely says what's needed to realize these possibilities. Despite these flaws, e-topia offers an important way of looking at the future and a fresh starting place for contemplation. Just prepare to encounter more questions than answers. By MARCIA STEPANEK _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP |
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