Faceoff in ‘82

I am a huge fan of architect Christopher Alexander.

Here you’ll find a fascinating and compelling debate he had with the Peter Eisenman back in 1982. It speaks volumes. How does simple reason argue against complex philisophical systems? Alexander did very well but the establishment as a whole, and the public as a whole, have gone with Eisenman’s way of thinking. Peter’s comment (near the end of the debate) that “How does someone become so powerful if he is screwing up the world?” is a funny justification and point of defense. Of course, as we see in the world today, just because an individual is powerful or successful does not mean they are right, or doing the right thing. Yet our society constantly reinforces that notion- The cream rises to the top. That belief ignores that the cream could be curdled or toxic…