Once again I've been reading about the expanding influence of exurbia, which is defined relatively simply as a residential area outside the city and beyond subrurbia. It emerges that liberals have ignored exurbia for too long, to their electoral detriment, while socio-cultural exurbia's mix of evangelicals, urban refugees, Wal-Mart fan club devotees and reality television aficionados represent the apogee of the GOP red-state political aspiration.
Previously I've noted that in this event, and as a permanent member of America's most downtrodden minority (the thinking, drinking class), I choose to retain my contempt for exurbia and its anti-rationalist worldview.
It now occurs to me that the rise of exurbia actually is a liberating force for those of us who to continue to embrace urban values. While Philistinism thrives in the churches and strip malls (the same thing, really) of exurbia, diversity and human interaction can flower here in the old part of town.
As the sainted Hoosier bard John Mellencamp once noted, likely in a context far different from mine, you gotta stand for something - or you're gonna fall for anything.
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In response to "expanding influence of exurbia", does this mean you will likely be moving the the Public House or facsimile of, downtown away from its now location in exurbia minor, away from the Wal-Mart's, K-Marts and soon to be Applebee's of Southern Indiana? The new town locations of New Albany and for that part Southern Indiana in general,have indeed forgotten their past areas of the City Centers. Jeffersonville is making grand strides. When will Garnerville and others make the plunge.
That's a very good question, Ed, and it's too bad that to play the capitalist game correctly, one needs a fairly large stash. I'm intrigued by the possibilities downtown with reference to potential sites, but with everything tied into the current acreage, any conceivable move would have to be coordinated with the sale of the current property. So, I continue to sniff for the odor of opportunity to establish something small, a taproom of sorts, and a laboratory for downtown presence.
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