New Ruralism

New Urbanists would probably be upset to learn that their style, er...prophecy has spawned something called "New Ruralism," a "new set of concepts" that is essentially a clever marketing campaign for exurban living, and in its shamelessness exposes New Urbanism for the sham it is. Here is a "white paper" from the CEO of The St. Joe Company, a huge land development company in Florida, proclaiming the emergence of this new philosophy, replete with a quote from Henry Thoreau.

Look forward to RiverCamps, WhiteFence Farms and Florida Ranches, "three imaginative new real estate products" that capture the feeling of New Urbanist dogma without any of the pesky social engineering or moral content attached. Thank God we can choose a way to be ethical without having to live 10 feet from our nearest neighbor. Here is a sample sentence from the part of the "paper":

"As the pace of day-to-day life quickens, many people are seeking a different way to live, work and raise their families. They are seeking a retreat into a world of their choosing." 

Oh really?

The author proclaims that a critical difference between New Urbanism and New Ruralism is that in a New Urbanist development, people are choosing to be in a place that affirms relationships between people, while in a New Ruralist development, people are affirming their love of "the land." God Bless America.

All in all, quite a funny read. They've even got the academic tone down.

Comments

[Rob Lamb]

The New Urbanist manifesto is inclusive, and as such it is easily bent by developers or anyone else. Developers typically want to produce something that is proven in the market, but they also want their product to be something different enough to get consumers' attention. When the analogy no longer fits, you can simply pun on the original and create your own manifesto.

Both the weakness and strength of New Urbanism is its ability to function in the marketplace. Here's a bit of the former.

My favorite part of the New Ruralism is: Community Interaction by Choice...

[chris]

My favorites:

"Like-minded neighbors, but only when desired"

"Rise with the sun, fish with the tides, and rest with the moon."

"Technology provides a way to reconnect with the world, but at a safe distance."