“A new extension sets up a new equilibrium among all the senses and faculties leading, as we say, to a “new outlook” —new attitudes and preferences in many areas.” With a new equilibrium among all our senses and faculties, what would a new outlook look like in terms of housing?

Homework from Andrew McLuhan’s Understanding Media intensive, quote from UM

When I read this line I think of the song “Little Boxes.” “Little Boxes on the hillside…they’re all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same…” the song goes on to explain the lifecycle of the boxes inhabitants – the best part of upper-middle class: summer camp and careers. I think of the aesthetics of I Love Lucy or Dick Van Dyke show. That there’s a feeling of who we should be as a society and we know how houses should smell and look.

Conversely, too I think of huge slums, and how even with new government- buildings there’s still a combination of smell and sight that doesn’t change the outlook too much.

An equilibrium may not exactly be a balanced ratio of senses, but a moment where they are no longer in conflict, where none are growing or shrinking.That is what most neighborhoods are like – stuck in some sense equilibrium.

The outlook can be positive, and stay positive: I know this is true in all the fancy neighborhoods in austin.

But the ones that are changing, up or down, — there isn’t an equilibrium yet (or anymore). Just tension and uncertainty. Most of my city is filled with that: hence our murder rate is going up. The back and forth buying by new development companies messes with identity of the street, the neighborhood, the city.

So until the buildings and the neighborhoods change, the outlook is uncertain and that puts us all on the look out.