Toynbee: "To Blob or Not to Blob"

[James Brody]

Popular culture reflects the long term coherence of a society and its resistance to apoptosis. I'm intrigued by Prague and the scientific possibilities in comparing it to Brataslava. For example, secular organizations do the silliest things merely to do them. The design for the new Czech National Library is a fine example.

JimB

"To blob or not to blob

"21-10-2007 By Jan Richter

"Citizens of Prague, and probably of the entire Czech Republic as well, are enjoying a rare moment of what pioneers of civil society came to call the public debate. In spite of the fact that in its recent history the country has had to consider some crucial decisions - joining NATO, becoming part of the EU, sending troops to Iraq, and more recently the possible positioning of American anti-missile radar base and Czech candidacy to host the Olympic Games - none of these truly serious topics seemed to have captured the public imagination as much as the design and the location of a planned new National Library building, also known as 'the blob'....It is supposed to be erected ...right on the edge of Prague's historical centre and across the Vltava from the Old Town and about one kilometre from the Prague Castle as the crow flies.... President Vaclav Klaus...would prevent its construction with his own body."

More at http://www.radio.cz/en/issue/96623