Introduction

We spent a lot of our youth trying to build a tower out of foam blocks. It was awesome. We were clearly up to something, but with no adults around we had to figure it out ourselves. We were investigating how the world works, and how things work together.

“To build a better world we must first build better words.” –Jane Jacobs

• “To build a better world we must first build better words.” –Jane Jacobs
• Jane Jacobs was an American writer, activist and expert on urban planning. She wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which is considered to be one of the most influential books about cities ever written.
• Jacobs argued that cities should be shaped by their residents, rather than having a single vision imposed from above. She also argued that neighborhoods should have mixed uses (commercial, residential, etc) instead of being segregated into separate zones for each type of use (e.g., industrial vs residential). She believed strongly in social capital – the idea that people learn from interacting with other people – which she saw as essential to creating successful communities.

Conclusion

As we grow older and more mature, we tend to forget the joy of building things. Next time you are in a toy store or around some friends, try building something! You will be amazed by how much fun it is to be creative with blocks.