Wednesday, November 07, 2007

The Moron Building as Metaphor

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," promoting a plethora of deities who won't inspire people to kill other people! Hey, would you One God types quit Crusading, maybe plant a tree or pet a puppy or something? Because fighting isn't nice.

Today is International Anne Johnson day. So if you're one of the 341,000 American women named Anne Johnson, enjoy yourself. As for me, this is the first time I've been home alone with no chores to do since August.

I actually got to read the newspaper today. Say what you want about Yahoo news, it's not very inspiring. (As a matter of fact, say what you want about Yahoo. The dude who runs that shop is really reeeeaalllly sorry he's helping to put Chinese dissidents into jail by selling them out to their government. Would someone help me pick the bored god to mete out eternal punishment to this guy? Because he reeks.)

Back to our main story. Look at this building.








It is called the Stata Center. It sits on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its architect, Frank Gehry, was paid $15 million to design it. The building cost $300 million to construct.

Now M.I.T. is suing Gehry's firm because the structure is leaking, there are drainage problems, there's mold growing on the exterior, and snow and ice fall off of it in huge chunks.

Would this information surprise anyone who's ever built anything more sturdy than a sand castle? I mean, look at this monstrosity! It's leaking? Gosh, I'm so shocked!

Let us use this leaky, moldy building that spews blocks of ice at whim as a metaphor for our great nation, the US of A.

Just because something looks expensive, and sophisticated, and innovative, and eye-catching, doesn't mean that it's practical and created for the long haul. Right now our democracy is tilting like this building. It's leaking, and there's mold growing on its most visible parts -- its leadership. The big blocks of snow and ice falling off at random might hit some criminal passing on the street below, but other pedestrians will also be damaged in the process.

So, who can we sue for unspecified damages?








It's just a thought.

8 comments:

Rosie said...

I heard both of these stories on NPR today, I think. That Yahoo guy needs to be deported to China. What a dooshbag. And that building...you know...I heard about it on the radio and I thought...how bad could it be? Indeed, that photo is the first time I've seen the building. I'm not sure how much crack cocaine was involved on both sides of that commission...but I'm guessing..a lot.

BBC said...

I think that the next ten years are going to be very interesting. And ugly, there will be plenty of things to worry about.

“Vacancy of justice” …. I spotted those words in some of my notes. Don’t recall why I wrote them, they mean anything to you?

Anonymous said...

Wow, when I saw the first picture I immediatly thought "earthquake damage". What a waste!

Thalia said...

I don't think that building looks particularly "sophisticated" or "innovative," just really freakin' ugly. And I'm an Aaaaaahhhtist, who went to a real sopiticated Aaaaaaaaahhhhhht School, so I know.

It actually kind of pisses me off that this kind of design is considered a good thing. We've really left the concept of "beauty" behind, haven't we?

Anne Johnson said...

Yep.

Anonymous said...

I live in Brooklyn, where Gehry is supposed to be designing a similar building for us. They are calling it Miss Brooklyn! the only good news for we who live in this neighborhood is the revelation about the design flaws in that earlier building may help us defeat the proposed one.

yellowdoggranny said...

'Now M.I.T. is suing Gehry's firm because the structure is leaking, there are drainage problems, there's mold growing on the exterior, and snow and ice fall off of it in huge chunks.'

No Shit?!.....surprise surprise surprise...
i'd like to kick that yahoo guys ass...hard

Anonymous said...

ummmm... is is SUPPOSED to look like it's about to fall down and crush innocent passerby?