Moody Center
We Are a Pack Animal
RECEIVED Tue., July 6, 2004
Dear Editor,
I was driving from East Austin down Sixth Street today, and I couldn't help but notice the number of bars. Now I've been here for a while, as I'm sure you have, but have you ever really looked at the massive number of bars on Sixth?
Sixth Street isn't novel (well, there's the "Austin, Texas" version to consider). But just compare this strip, or "district," to other cities in America: French Quarter, Beale Street, Adams Morgan, Deep Ellum. Putting these bar locales side to side, the similarities are striking.
In my opinion, that's the beauty of it. Analyzing their historical transition, it is easy to track how they have been bar districts for some time; only the caliber has changed. As these respective cities increase in size, so do their "zones." Sixth Street is to bar districts what shopping malls are to Historic Main Street. Human nature is to congregate, and removing transportation influences for just a moment, we design our habitats in relation to our population.
Nomadic Tribes. Villages. Towns. Cities. States. Nations. Continental blocks. Globe.
We are a pack animal, which is a major reason why we have dogs and cats as pets. Our nature drives us to seek spousal love. We raise children to sustain our pack. Unfortunately, all too often we stereotypically associate with only a familiar socioeconomic class or pigment. Fortunately, we live under natural laws like do unto others what you would have them do unto you, and don't kill anybody, stupid.
There is a larger consciousness to the world than self; perhaps that's one definition for God. Time will determine if these congregations sustain at the rate of human growth. All that is certain is that Sixth Street will get a few more bars while we're still here.
I was driving from East Austin down Sixth Street today, and I couldn't help but notice the number of bars. Now I've been here for a while, as I'm sure you have, but have you ever really looked at the massive number of bars on Sixth?
Sixth Street isn't novel (well, there's the "Austin, Texas" version to consider). But just compare this strip, or "district," to other cities in America: French Quarter, Beale Street, Adams Morgan, Deep Ellum. Putting these bar locales side to side, the similarities are striking.
In my opinion, that's the beauty of it. Analyzing their historical transition, it is easy to track how they have been bar districts for some time; only the caliber has changed. As these respective cities increase in size, so do their "zones." Sixth Street is to bar districts what shopping malls are to Historic Main Street. Human nature is to congregate, and removing transportation influences for just a moment, we design our habitats in relation to our population.
Nomadic Tribes. Villages. Towns. Cities. States. Nations. Continental blocks. Globe.
We are a pack animal, which is a major reason why we have dogs and cats as pets. Our nature drives us to seek spousal love. We raise children to sustain our pack. Unfortunately, all too often we stereotypically associate with only a familiar socioeconomic class or pigment. Fortunately, we live under natural laws like do unto others what you would have them do unto you, and don't kill anybody, stupid.
There is a larger consciousness to the world than self; perhaps that's one definition for God. Time will determine if these congregations sustain at the rate of human growth. All that is certain is that Sixth Street will get a few more bars while we're still here.
Rad Tollett