Search results

The accounts usually given of the causes of the "urban crisis" are not satisfactory: congestion is decreasing, not increasing; the flight to the suburbs has not left the central cities on the verge of bankruptcy; the urban housing supply is on the whole much better than ever; "white racism" has long been on the wane, and blacks are making rapid income and other gains; and the fragmentation of local government does not account for its ineffectiveness. Changes in the state of the public mind are the main cause of the "crisis." Set in motion mainly by the ideas of philosophers, these are reflected in the attitudes of elites and of the middle class with respect to authority, the self, rational egotism, hedonism, egalitarianism, and consumerism. It follows that the "crisis" will not be ended by either government programs or by exhortation.

The accounts usually given of the causes of the "Ur crisis" are not satisfactory: congestion is decreasing, not increasing; the flight to the suburbs has not left the central cities on the verge of bankruptcy; the Ur housing supply is on the whole much better than ever; "white racism" has long been on the wane, & blacks are making rapid income & other gains; & the fragmentation of local gov does not account for its ineffectiveness. Changes in the state of the public mind are the main cause of the "crisis." Set in motion mainly by the ideas of philosophers, these are reflected in the att's of elites & of the Mc with respect to authority, the self, rational egotism, hedonism, egalitarianism, & consumerism. It follows that the "crisis" will not be ended by either gov programs or by exhortation. Modified HA.

A rebuttal of critics of his book, THE UNHEAVENLY CITY (see SA 1218/F6394), on the grounds that it made no claim to be a work of soc sci but rather 'an attempt by a soc sci'st to think about the problems of the cities in the light of scholarly findings.' Critics cited are: R. L Lampman (see SA 2757/ F6755), P. H. Rossi (see SA 1218/F6419), S. Greer (see SA 1218/F6403), C. B. Stokes (see SA 2757/F6757), & R. E. Agger (see SA 1019/F6313). There was no desire to manipulate the reader into a policy position, not to mention an ideological one. The critics' viewpoints are distorted by their pot. It is the use of soc sci methods & theories, not as they suppose the expression of conservative or reactionary prejudices, that led to the conclusions they deplore. The task of a soc sci'st Is to clarify certain kinds of intellectual problems, not to make judgments as to the pol'al consequences that may follow from their clarification. If pol'al bias is to be charged, it ought to be charged against a sociol'st who maintains that the outlook & style of life into which the individual has been soc'ized can be greatly changed in a short period of time merely by changing his job, income, & other material circumstances. Such changes may be necessary conditions for changing the individual's outlook & life style but they are not likely to be sufficient ones. M. Duke.