Purpose of the essay.
The key purpose of Carle’s essay was to address the rising trend of growth in congestion and population in already overpopulated capital cities. The author uses California as an example but the details apply to almost all towns and cities in America. The author brings along issues of environmental degradation, inflation from housing rates, poverty and overexploitation of natural resources (Maasik and Solomon, 2004). These issues bring along a risk of crime, pollution, racism, and house and traffic congestion. There is a risk of increased rates of accidents, health disorders, declined levels of lifestyle and poverty associated with these issues. Carle’s essay ‘sprawling gridlock’ is just a review of the key problems that associate with development in the cities. This may be as a result of lifestyle change and search for employment that leads to congestion in the cities. Overpopulation in these towns, result to lack of housing and increased rental rates, high standards of living, health risks and pollution.
Proportion/summary.
The key concern of Carle in the essay sprawling gridlock was the congestion in large cities. The author portrays life in large cities as overpopulated and congested. This is in terms of the residents, buildings, traffic and infrastructure that make the environment congested. The essay figures out the problems that associate with traffic congestion and overpopulation in large cities and towns. These are caused by constructors and engineers who continue to build new residential and houses in already congested areas and locations. These homes bring more people along with their vehicles. This contributes to more traffic and more congestion. Traffic congestion brings along inpatient drivers, and this amounts to more road rages. The congestion also makes people speed along red-lights (where they are not supposed to). The essay talks about how people feel as if ‘cars are cells, where they waste their time’.
Of some important, in the essay, is the concern on the issue of water. The author recognizes that the quality and lifestyle of California residents has been declined by lack of water (Cochran, et al, 2011). The residents result to importing water from other cities in the surroundings. The major rivers in the area that include Colorado River, Northern California River and Eastern Sierra, have been fully exploited. These natural resources have been polluted by waste and irrigation. Bad leadership has also affected the distribution of water.
Imported water has also played a part in the shaping of the pattern of population growth rate in the city. The author indicates that water choices are essential primary tools in shaping the future of the city. In his own views, Carle’s suggests that the reduced lifestyle quality and exploited environment can only be corrected if all Californians step out of their contemporary patterns of behavior and embrace the shortage of water as a calamity in this region. With this fact, the residents will manage the little they have as they try to sort out a sustainable solution.
Relationship to other areas.
Major cities in the world have been affected by the same problems as California’s. Increase in population in already congested towns is on the rise in America. This will in return affect the dream of the state. California remains to be the most popular destination for both Americans and other immigrants. Other cities like New York, LA, Texas are also following suit. Overpopulation brings about growth and development. This is accrued to high consumption levels (i.e. for goods and services), industrial growth, growth in transport and communication sectors and more innovation. Overpopulation can be credited to growth in production and technology in search of fast solutions. However, if not well reviewed growth in population, especially in already populated areas, has a lot of limitations.
Cities like New York have for a long time being faced by housing problems. This is from congestion of the population where the demand for housing is on the higher side than supply (Myers, 2002). This has led to increased rental rates which has attributed to inflation which affects all sectors of life in the city. Shortage of water is also another issue faced in most cities, in America. As a result, only the rich get access to this important resource. The poor are left to survive with little or no water. In areas like Baltimore, overpopulation has led to growth of suburbs in search of cheaper survival means. Suburbs have then initiated security threats and crime. These are some of the issues that are dragging the dream of America behind.
Sprawling gridlock attributes to cultural change and assimilation of new cultures. This starts from the family circle. Growing up in a congested area comes with all sorts of shortcomings. These include poverty, lack of proper education and adaptation of new sets of behavior that may not be appealing. Overpopulation brings along unemployment issues that lead to increased levels of poverty in these areas. This may result to growth of suburbs which are associated to crime. Raising a family in such areas is challenged by lack of essential and basic needs such as water and food. As a result, of inflation and increased prices most families do not live comfortably and according to the standards that they would expect. Social life in these areas is also a challenge. Overpopulation leads to a blend of mixed cultures and customs. These cultures lead to new developments in terms of language, adaptability and socialization, which mostly affect the youth. Setting up a cohesive community in such areas is usually an enormous problem since everyone has his/her own drives and cultural limits.
The key challenge in setting up cohesive communities in such areas is the acquisition of a common lifestyle. Leadership in these areas is streamlined on what the leaders view as the key problems, but not from what the affected individual’s experience. The capability of individuals in leadership matters is not considered; rather people elect leaders from their own ethnic backgrounds. This means that the needs of the least populated ethnic groups may never be attended to since the ‘majority rules’ concept prevails. Acquiring leadership positions in such areas is also a factor of where one comes from, status and background. The effects of these are skewed developments and discrimination to the poorly represented backgrounds.
References.
Myers, D. (2002). Capital City Political in Latin America: Democratization and Empowerment. Lynne Rienner Publishers: California.
Cochran, C., Mayer, L., Carr, T., Cayer, J. & Mckenzie, M. (2011).American Public Policy: An Introduction. Cengage Learning: New York.
Maasik, S. & Solomon, J. (2004). California Dreams and Realities: Readings for Critical Thinkers and Writers. Bedford/St. Martins: Boston.
