Eleanor Herrings unique study of street furniture in post-war Britain considers how objects which are now familiar parts of our urban environment were designed to populate public spaces. Herring explores the design of lampposts; post boxes; parking meters; and signage in the context of a government backed by various bodies keen to propagate good modern design; in a Britain whose towns and cities had been laid waste by bombing and the privations of war.She also considers the innate conservatism of local communities and councils; wary of a standardised street design imposed from above. She traces how the design of street furniture became the site of a fierce struggle which exposed deep-seated anxieties about class; taste and power. Herrings original research draws on archival material and on interviews with leading figures in urban design; including graphic designer Margaret Calvert and industrial designer Kenneth Grange.
#598823 in eBooks 2016-05-20 2016-05-20File Name: B01FVDEBIM
Review
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Effortless Read that Unlocks Modern MediaBy BoldlyAssertedAlissa Wilkinson and Robert Joustra take us on a tour through contemporary apocalyptic TV and movies. They also discuss why apocalyptic themes have become ubiquitous in modern media. The sensibility is not limited to material apocalypses but also what they refer to as moral ones - the complete destruction of moral mooring points.They begin the book with a brief introduction to Charles Taylorrsquo;s framework and his idea of the social imaginary. the ldquo;series of pre-theoretical understandings and practices we acquire from the families. communities. and countries into which were born.rdquo; And his idea of "The Secular age" where human flourishing is the only conceivable goal of life. In this age meaning must be created. it is not lsquo;out there.rsquo; Another key concept Alissa and Robert do an excellent job explaining is the buffered self in contrast to the pre-modern porous self. A porous self is an identity that is not fully distinct from the environment. Hierarchy. place. family. spirits. and institutions play a defining role in creating identity. The buffered self places a layer between the environment and the self and inserts the idea of choice of identity.They then proceed with a summary of apocalyptic stories as stories that ldquo;expose hidden truths. wipe away the veneer. push past the superficial ... and get to the reality of things.rdquo; Apocalyptic stories blow up contemporary conventions and recreate a world without institutional restraints. These settings allow the raw human condition to be explored.The heart of the book is a discussion of different contemporary media that fits these descriptions. We visit Battlestar Galactica. House of Cards. Game of Thrones. Hunger Games. Scandal. Breaking Bad. Mad Men. Her. World War Z and other Zombie films.Along the way we see how identity is formed in relationship with others. The drive to recognition is pulled out as a key motivator. We see the all too tragically. not just in fictional media. but when crazed gunmen initiate their own apocalypse for the sake of recognition.These apocalyptic films explore moral territory. What is right when all restraint is removed? Is raw self interest? Are others nothing more than tools for my own survival? Apocalyptic stories are inevitably political. How should society re-form itself? ldquo;Abstract solidarity of humankind is a tough sell in the zombie apocalypse.rdquo;The last chapter explores how Christians can faithfully engage with the Secular Age. The Age of Anxiety has migrated from ivory towers into the suburbs. The question of ldquo;Who am I?rdquo; is on everyonersquo;s mind. But identities are not created from scratch. A better question Alissa and Robert propose is ldquo;What story or stories do I find myself a part.rdquo; We can choose the story. we can choose to eliminate some stories we donrsquo;t want to be a part of. but we are forced to chose from an existing set of stories.In faithful witness. we must first look at what stories we have chosen to be a part of. which ones have we rejected. What repeated gestures have become our postures (Andy Crouch). What cultural liturgies are we participating in that are shaping our desires (James K. A. Smith)? Where is our love disordered? We need to examine ourselves and our institutions first.Using Daniel as a model. Alissa and Robert propose ldquo;faithful compriserdquo; as the best option to engage culture. This oxymoron simply means supporting society. supporting the exploration of questions of meaning in a pluralistic environment while remaining a faithful disciple.In summary. this book is a valuable tool to decrypt modern media. It provides a guide to the multitude of questions raised by the Apocalypse. Zombies. Cylons. Faith. and Politics. To top it off. the book is transparently written. Most books at the intersection of faith. politics. art. and culture are cryptic. confusing. and halting. With this book. you get more meaning with less effort. because of the smooth writing.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. The Apocalypse never felt so goodBy William ThorntonThis is a weighty book. but it doesnt feel that way while youre reading it. thanks to the authors easy style. gentle humor and pacing. Though we get a brief tour of pop culture. this book doesnt feel lightweight because it offers individuals a way forward through a culture unaware of what its popular images seem to be saying. At first. I was skeptical of why shows such as "Breaking Bad" or "Mad Men" should be included. until it realized the apocalypse can be an individual moment. Everyone experiences "the end of the world" in their own way. The world they build in its place may feel like their own creation. but it is still dependent on the "world" around.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Thoughtful interplay of the current cultural narratives of the apocalypse ...By J McNeilThoughtful interplay of the current cultural narratives of the apocalypse as expressed in movies and television icons and a Christian worldview.
