“In a world where the peddlers of invention dominate progressive discourse, a willingness to acknowledge–let alone heed–the lessons of history and tradition is a truly radical act.” –Scott Doyon
Check the wiki-hip Urban Dictionary (or watch an episode of Community on NBC) and you’ll find the term meta’s common usage on the street is “to characterize something that is characteristically self-referential.” Consult a more conventional dictionary and you’ll see this derived from its earlier (as well as current) use as a prefix meaning “beyond, about.” That is, taking a subject to a higher level.
As a stand-alone term now, it’s typically applied to works of culture — television, music, film and art. But I suggest we expand that usage because, to me, it’s also the best means of expressing the challenge facing anyone concerned about our urban future.
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Filed under Planning and Design, Public Policy
Tagged as Aurash Khawarzad, AuthentiCity, Charles Marohn, CNU 19, CNU NextGen, community, Dan Bartman, Generation Y, meta, Mike Lydon, Next Generation of New Urbanists, Original Green, planning, Ronald Woudstra, Scott Doyon, steve mouzon, Strong Towns, Tactical Urbanism, urban planning