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Ecology
of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster,
by Mike Davis.
Davis begins his thoroughly-researched
study of Los Angeles's environmental and social conditions
with an obvious topic: earthquakes. Many outsiders see L.A.
as a place destined to fall off into the ocean when "the
big one" hits. Davis may even be adding ammunition
to this unfounded and unrealistic view by establishing that
the region is in an earthquake drought when compared to
previous millennia. Framing these, and other natural disasters
within the social structure of L.A. is the author's unique
take that permeates the book. Further chapters examine wildfires,
wild animals, even tornadoes, finishing the book by looking
at the literary destruction of the city and how the city
is destroying itself from the inside out. Throughout, the
overriding thought is that this "ecology of fear"
can't be blamed on earthquakes and other natural phenomena
alone, but rather by an irresponsible overtaking of the
natural lands that make the region unique and the irresponsible
treatment of different races and incomes in an area with
a very polarized mix of inhabitants. These irresponsibilities
are a recipe for disaster, according to the author, if things
keep their course. Davis doesn't offer any solutions but
he definitely makes a strong argument for rethinking the
way we live together and the impact of our actions on the
environment.
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