Re: VR and Public Space

spN: i missed this one by David Sucher. BTW good thread folks, this has
been fun. Wish there were some more serious thoughts about why ya'll
think there is such a thing as "public space" and how you get to that.
spN:
>Why is it 'mind boggling to hear planners and others still talking about
>"public space?"'
>spN: David, because there is no such thing.
Sucher:
Could you please expand on that? Do you mean that Washington Square Park in
NYC or the right-of-way in front of your house or mine is not 'public
space?' What do you mean 'no such thing?' Do you mean that management of
public space (by public officials) is so poor and unwise as to negate the
idea of public space? Or do you mean that, Platonically-speaking, there is
no such and can be no such thing as public space? Do you object to the word
'public' or to the word 'space' or to their linking? Do you really mean
anything at all?

spN: Dave, in you example above there is already a huge difference from
what Washington Square Park is from the example of a right-of-way. This
helps to show points of entry into specific uses of the general phrase,
"public space." Wash Sq. Park abounds with a multiplicity of visitors, I
would say such a grandiose mix that any pollster would lose their marbles
trying to gain any kind of theoretical identity from such an ensemble of
drug pushers, cops, kids, passers by, joggers, jugglers, singers,
pick-pockets, perverts, and lovers. So (to the success of this area
designated PARK) no one "collective" can be grasped. THEN onto the car
space in front of your house, anyone can park there, it is open to the
"public" but what does that mean? What can we derive from this to make
the term "public" meaningful? One would need a car (would be silly to
just stand there) then one would have to leave it there, thus vacating
the area, leaving the car. So is the car Public? You see, if we pursue
this, and we can, what hopefully becomes clear is that there are so many
distinctions and differentiations that are taken for granted and assumed
in the use of the phrase "public space" that for the most part its use in
ordinary circumstances, (comfortable circumstances) is meaningless. And
this is no bs right? Just putting deconstruction into practice as a means
to DIFFERENTIATE.