A Manifesto for Sustainable Design Essay Example for Free

A Manifesto for Sustainable Design Essay This manifesto proposes an approach to sustainable design that I am interested in exploring during my time studying architecture. The idea of sustainability is a complex one, not without apparent contradictions. This makes it difficult to define in a wholly satisfactory manner. For the purposes of this manifesto I will advert to the definition proposed by Jason McLennan who asserts that sustainable design: â€Å"seeks to maximize the quality of the built environment, while minimizing or eliminating negative impact to the natural environment. † I find this definition particularly useful in the emphasis which it places on quality. By quality, in this context, I mean an approach to building which emphasises not only thoughtful design but also the careful use of materials; these considerations are crucial to achieve sustainable development. â€Å"Quality† as the architect Thomas Sandell says â€Å"is always sustainable†: this holds particularly true if we return to the most basic meaning of that adjective – â€Å"long lasting.† My manifesto would involve seven basic considerations: a structure should be layered, generous, contextual, connected to nature, innovative, stimulating and idealistic. I propose to examine each of these points in turn, aware that they can be generally grouped under the heading of sensitivity. As I see it, a sensitive approach to architecture is one that fundamentally responds to the issues of site, user and impact, while not excluding other concerns – and all this in a way that is considered, thoughtful and restrained. These, then, are the fundamentals of my approach to design. 1. Layered According to T.S Eliot, â€Å"Genuine poetry communicates before it is understood†: I believe the same holds true for genuine architecture. It affects us at a pre-conscious level and its impact transcends the immediate, sensory, effects of the building. As I see it, architecture is not a matter of superficial effects. Its must transcend that which is little more than eye-catching gimmickry. A good example of what I would consider a layered design is Erik Gunnar Asplund’s Woodland Chapel built in 1922 (Fig. 1). Located on the grounds of the Woodland Crematorium in Enskede outside Stockholm, it was built to accommodate the funerals of children. At first, the chapel seems unremarkable in its elemental simplicity – as Simon Unwin puts it â€Å"without pretentions to being anything more than a rudimentary hut in the woods.† However, in quiet and richly suggestive ways, Asplund imbues this seemingly uncomplicated building with a poetic sense of an ancient and timeless place for burial. As J.R Curtis puts it, this apparently simple chapel was: â€Å"guided by underlying mythical themes to do with the transition from life to death, the procession of burial and redemption and the transubstantiation of natural elements such as water and light. There were echoes too of Nordic burial mounds and of Christ’s route to Calvary.† Fig. 1 Erik Gunnar Asplund, Woodland Chapel, 1922  One striking aspect can be found in Asplund’s sensitive treatment of the theme of resurrection. The idea is usually made explicit through the use of iconography; Asplund, however, evokes the notion of rebirth through his use of subtle association. The Chapel, for example, has only one source of light, which comes from above. The eye is therefore drawn upwards, to the heavens. This effect is accentuated by the pervasive darkness of the building. Like Robert Venturi, Asplund opts for â€Å"richness of meaning rather than clarity of meaning.† As a result, his Woodland Chapel has an uplifting rather than a depressing effect. His Chapel becomes an affirmation of life rather than an acceptance of defeat, and this appeals to me very much. It is no surprise to discover that Asplund himself – in a 1940 article on his crematorium building in Byggmà ¤staren – referred to the Woodland Cemetery, in which the Chapel lies, as a ‘biblical landscape’. Whatever else it is, the Bible is a book of hope. 2. Generous â€Å"Design is people† Jane Jacobs Jane Jacobs’s fundamental commitment to ordinary human beings is something I admire. Generous architecture offers an approach which puts everyday people at the forefront of the design. This is an inclusive architecture which does not limit itself only to the client and/or private users of the building.  Nobody is excluded. An example of this kind of what might be described as â€Å"generous† architecture can be found in Norwegian firm Snà ¸hetta’s Oslo Opera House on the waters of the Oslo Fjord, completed in 2007 (Fig. 2). Fig. 2 Snà ¸hetta, Oslo Opera House, 2007 Snà ¸hetta are concerned with the social dimension of architecture and this design imaginatively reinterprets the traditional opera houses that â€Å"conventionally limit their public spaces to exterior plazas or grand lobbies, often only accessible during opening hours.† What is striking here is that their Opera House succeeds in giving back to the city a public space. The sloping rooftop becomes a new public area: a recreation space and viewing platform that you can walk on, sit on, sunbathe on, even snowboard on. As a result anyone, whether interested in Opera or not, can enjoy the space. The building has been called a social democratic monument† by founding partner of Snà ¸hetta, Craig Dykers – and one can see why. In a recent television interview, Dykers went on to remark: â€Å"There is a sense of being able to place your feet onto the building that gives you a sense of ownership. At a certain point you no longer see the building as an architect’s building but as your own building† This is the kind of architecture which interests me. The fact that this building is sited in the middle of a highly populated area shows what can be done to help people live a fuller life – including those who have no focused interest in the Arts. This approach seems particularly relevant as more and more people live in cities and comes as a reminder that a city need not be a soulless, inhuman place. 3. Contextual â€Å"Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.† Eliel Saarinen Architecture is inextricably rooted to place. An awareness of context then, would seem to be a sine qua non but unfortunately this is not always the case. An understanding of the social, historical, environmental, cultural and human qualities of a place is vital to building to best effect. By  Ã¢â‚¬Å"contextual†, then, I mean an architecture that is sensitive to the history and memory of the site. This would by no means exclude an awareness of the buildings that surround it. I admire Alvar Aalto for his understanding of the importance of relating design to the most significant features of the local site: the kind of features that are, as Michael Trencher puts it, â€Å"either physically self-evident or historically and culturally relevant.† Aalto’s design for the Enso-Gutzeit Headquarters in Helsinki, (1959-62), affords a good example of this approach (Fig. 3). Fig. 3 Alvar Aalto, Enso-Gutzeit Headquarters in Helsinki, 1959-62 The site for this building was in the old, Neo-Classical centre of the city and Aalto sought to respond to Engel’s buildings on the harbour and to the Church on a nearby hill. Arising out of his respect for the site, the scale of Aalto’s office building derives â€Å"both its horizontal and vertical character from the nearby historical buildings, hence its symmetrical, formal faà §ade.† A more recent example of contextually sensitive design is afforded by Grafton Architect’s proposal for the new Faculty of Economics for the University of Toulouse, still under construction. While envisaging their project, the architects walked from one side of the city to the other, â€Å"gauging the character of the brick facades, the polygonal towers, the transitions from streets to courts and the underlying spatial patterns.† The resulting design offers a sensitive response to the layered history and unique geography of the site. As founding partner Shelley McNamara has put it, the building â€Å"weaves into the mesh of the city.† 4. Connected to Nature â€Å"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.† Frank Lloyd Wright By nature I mean a world predominantly uninterfered with by man. Building in a way that is sensitive to what is natural, its resources and habitats is a key issue in current debates about sustainable design. That said, it is nearly one hundred years since Frank Lloyd Wright offered architectural proposals showing how to live in harmony with the environment. He called this â€Å"an organic architecture†¦of nature, for nature.† Lloyd Wright also understood the connection between nature and  well-being: â€Å"the closer man associated himself with nature, the greater his personal, spiritual and even physical well-being grew and expanded as a direct result of that association.† It is hard not to agree wholeheartedly with Lloyd Wright’s philosophy. As I see it, Architecture must connect to the natural world—not just in terms of the use of resources or in merely avoiding the negative impact of building on the environment—but also, as importantly, in terms of what a connection to nature can offer. His design for the Kaufmann Residence at Falling Water provides an obvious example of Lloyd Wright’s respect for nature and the natural world (Fig. 4). Fig. 4: Frank Lloyd Wright, Falling Water, 1935 At Falling Water, as Neil Levine remarks: â€Å"you do not ask where the house ends and the natural environment begins.† This sensitivity is present throughout his oeuvre, so that his buildings often seem to grow out of the environment and never appear at odds with it. 5. Innovative There is often an assumption that to be truly innovative is to break away from all that went before, to create something totally new. I do not agree. As I see it, the most interesting avant-garde architecture has always been steeped in an understanding of the past. As T.S Eliot said â€Å"To be totally original is to be totally bad.† Just as every human being comes from parents, so every new idea owes something to what has gone before. While not rejecting the achievements of the past, Le Corbusier understood that new challenges require innovative thinking. He proposed radical ideas to enrich modern living, â€Å"from private villas to large scale social housing to utopian urban plans.† Yet his inexhaustible inventiveness, â€Å"that heretical habit, driving-force of all his artistic desires† was always rooted in an understanding of what had gone before. His 1955 design for the Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, in Ronchamp, (Fig. 5) provides a good example, though it marked a profound change in direction from his earlier works and a move away from standardization and the machine aesthetic adverted to in Towards a New Architecture. J.R Curtis even suggests that â€Å"a nostalgia for the giant ruins of antiquity† began increasingly to show itself in Le Corbusier’s  imaginatively forward thinking work. Fig. 5 Le Corbusier, Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, 1955 In a manner similar to the approach of Asplund for his Woodland Chapel, Le Corbusier sought to evoke religious emotions through the play of space, light and form rather than relying on traditional iconography. In my opinion, what particularly makes the building exciting is its mixture of old and new, its daringly original design linking with an organic awareness of past forms. Curtis suggests a synthesis of influences: from Hadrian’s Villa to the mud buildings from the Mzab in Algeria, to Dolmens and Cycladic buildings, to the Parthenon itself. Out of an awareness of these sources, Le Corbusier manages to invent a new vocabulary. Other examples of this syncretism mixed with an innovative approach can be found in his designs for the Villa Madrot in Le Prdet, the Pavillon Suisse in Paris and the Duval Facory in Saint Die. The result has been described as â€Å"a wholly new formal idiom†Ã¢â‚¬â€ and one which owes its impact to the combination of the past and the wholly modern. An interesting contemporary comparison is The Sea Organ, in Zadar Croatia by Nikola BaÃ… ¡ic, built in 2005. The architect consulted master organ makers and Dalmatian stone carvers in his wish to create an experimental installation on the quayside to create a natural musical organ powered by the waves of the sea. Underneath its elegant white stone steps are 35 musically tuned tubes, through which the waves create random harmonic sounds. This kind of architecture excites me: strikingly innovative, yet sensitively grounded to the history of the site and traditions of the local people. 6. Stimulative Stimulative architecture, I would define as that which lifts the spirit, making us feel more alive. It surprises and challenges us even as it makes us appreciate more the needs it fulfils. Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s design for the Glasgow School of Art affords a good example (Fig. 6). Built in two phases from 1897-1899 and 1907-1909, the School still excites not least by its subtle playfulness. Around every corner the visitor is struck by something unexpected. Fig. 6, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow School of Art, 1899 On a closer look, a fusion of opposites emerges. Materials range widely and include leaded stained glass, exposed concrete and painted softwood. Their interplay is matched by an unexpected synthesis of light and dark, mass and plane, the old and the new, the solid and the void. As a result, the building imparts what Denys Lasdun calls â€Å"the brooding air of frozen excitement.† The fundamental stress lies in its manipulation of space. It seems to provide an example of what David Brett describes as a kind of â€Å"poetic workmanship† where structure, features, interiors and furnishings become â€Å"subject to a unifying system of forms, metaphors and unconscious associations.† 7. Idealistic This concept ranges widely and includes respect for people coupled with a hope to advance and uplift. It is the opposite of cynical or purely utilitarian. A building finally is more than something purely functional. It should have a spirit and not turn its back on artistic considerations. I would argue that idealism is the underlying principle to all the approaches of the architects above. Even if idealism is a difficult idea to define, it still has a reality and nowhere is it, and conversely the cynical, more obvious than in architecture. â€Å"The ultimate goal of architecture†, said Aalto in 1957,†¨Ã¢â‚¬Å"is to create a paradise†¦ every house, every product†¨of architecture†¦should be a fruit of our endeavour to†¨build an earthly paradise for people.† This idea appeals greatly to me and would be one of the basic impulses behind my approach to architecture. Conclusion In conclusion, the seven points of this manifesto provide an overview of some approaches to sustainable design that I am interested in exploring during my time studying architecture. These basic considerations propose a design that is layered, generous, contextual, connected to nature, innovative, stimulating and idealistic. These approaches can be loosely grouped under the idea of sensitivity, that is a respect for people, nature, site and  precedent. Examples of these considerations can be found in the work of architects, both past and present: from the timeless profundity of Asplund’s Woodland Chapel to the striking innovations of Le Corbusier and more recent examples from Grafton Architects Toulouse Economics Department and Snà ¸hetta’s Oslo Opera House. This is a manifesto for a lasting architecture. The bottom line is that sustainability is not a design aesthetic, as Robert Stern points out: â€Å"it is an ethic, a basic consideration that we have to have as architects designing buildings†¦ in 10 years were not going to talk about sustainability anymore, because its going to be built into the core processes of architecture†. List of Illustrations Fig. 1: Erik Gunnar Asplund, Woodland Chapel, 1922 (Source: http://www.fubiz.net accessed January 12, 2012) Fig. 2: Snà ¸hetta, Oslo Opera House, 2007 (Source: http://www.mimoa.eu accessed January 12, 2012) Fig. 3: Alvar Aalto, Enso-Gutzeit Headquarters in Helsinki, 1959-62 (Source: http://www.fubiz.net accessed January 14, 2012) Fig. 4: Frank Lloyd Wright, Falling Water, 1935 (Source: http://www.mimoa.eu accessed January 12, 2012) Fig. 5: Le Corbusier, Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, 1955 (http://farm4.static.flickr.com accessed January 20, 2012) Fig. 6: Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow School of Art, 1899 (Source: http://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk accessed January 12, 2012) Bibliography Allen, Brooks H. (editor), Le Corbusier: Essays, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1987 Anderson, Jane, Architectural Design, London: Thames Hudson Press, 2011 http://www.architectural-review.com accessed November 22, 2011 http://bigthink.com accessed December 12, 2011 Blundell Jones, Peter, Gunnar Asplund, London: Phaidon, 1995. Blake, Peter, Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture and Space, London: Penguin Books, 1964 http://www.blackwoodgallery.ca accessed November 11, 2011 Brett, David, C.R Mackintosh: The Poetics of Workmanship, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992 Brooks, Bruce, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867-1959: Building for Democracy, Hong Kong: Taschen, 2006 http://www.coldsplinters.com accessed 22 November, 2011 ‘Craig Dykers Interview’ GRITtv on youtube.com, 12 November, 2011 Curtis, William J.R, Modern Architecture Since 1900, London: Phaidon, 1996 Eliot, T. S., â€Å"Dante.† in Selected Essays New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950 Elkin, T., McLaren, D. and Hillman, M., Reviving the City: towards sustainable urban development, London: Friends of the Earth, 1991 Gill, Brendan, Many Masks: A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright, New York: Putman, 1987 http://www.graftonarchitects.ie accessed October 25, 2011 Heinz, Thomas A., The Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright. London: Chartwell Books, 2000 Hertzberger, Herman, Space and the Architect, Rotterdam: 010 Press, 2000 Hoffmann, Donald, Frank Lloyd Wrights Fallingwater: The House and Its History, New York: Dover Publications, 1978 Honour, Hugh, A World History of Art, London: Laurence King, 2005 http://imodern.com accessed January 22, 2012 Jencks, Charles, Le Corbusier and the Continental Revolution in Architecture, New York: The Monacelli Press, 2000 Maddex, Diane, Frank Lloyd Wright: Inside and Out, London: Pavilion, 2002 Middleton, Haydn, Frank Lloyd Wright, New York: Heinemann, 2001 McLennan, Jason, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, New York: Ecotone Publishing, 2004 Pallasmaa, Juhani, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses, Wiley-Academy, 2005 Pearson, Paul David, Alvar Aalto and the International Style, New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1978 Quantrill, Malcolm, Finnish Architecture and the Modernist Tradition, London: Taylor Francis, 1995 Ray, Nicholas, Alvar Aalto, London: Yale University Press. 2005 Ryan, Zoe, Open: New Designs for Public Space, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004 www.sandellsandberg.se accessed November 22, 2011 http://www.spatialagency.net/ accessed November 21, 2011 Tempel, Egon, New Finnish Architecture, New York, Washington: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968 http://www.treehugger.com accessed November 22, 2011 Trencher, Michael, The Alvar Aalto Guide, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996 Unwin, Simon, Analysing Architecture Venturi, Robert, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture New York: Museum of Modern Art Press, 1966 Wolschke-Bulmahn, Joachim, Places of Commemoration, Washington: Dumbarton Oaks, 2001 [ 1 ]. McLennan, Jason, The Philosophy of Sustainable Design, New York: Ecotone Publishing, 2004, p.5 [ 2 ]. www.sandellsandberg.se accessed November 22, 2011 [ 3 ]. Eliot, T. S., â€Å"Dante.† in Selected Essays New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1950, pp. 199-237 [ 4 ]. Unwin, Simon, Analysing Architecture, p.255 [ 5 ]. Ibid. p. 256 [ 6 ]. Curtis, William J.R, Modern Architecture Since 1900, London: Phaidon, 1996, p. 113 [ 7 ]. Wolschke-Bulmahn, Joachim, Places of Commemoration, Washington: Dumbarton Oaks, 2001, p.1016 [ 8 ]. Venturi, Robert, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture New York: Museum of Modern Art Press, 1966, p.16 [ 9 ]. Johansson, pp. 59-60 [ 10 ]. http://www.blackwoodgallery.ca accessed November 11, 2011 [ 11 ]. Anderson, Jane, Architectural Design, London: Thames Hudson Press, 2011, p. 129 [ 12 ]. Ryan, Zoà «, Open: New Designs for Public Space, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2004, p. 28 [ 13 ]. Ibid. p. 29 [ 14 ]. ‘Craig Dykers Interview’ GRITtv on youtube.com, 12 November, 2011 [ 15 ]. Eliel Saarinen, Time Magazine July 2, 1956 [ 16 ]. Trencher, Michael, The Alvar Aalto Guide, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1996, p.34 [ 17 ]. Quantrill, Malcolm, Finnish Architecture and the Modernist Tradition, London: Taylor Francis, 1995, p. 122 [ 18 ]. Tempel, Egon, New Finnish Architecture, New York, Washington: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968, p148 [ 19 ]. http://www.architectural-review.com accessed November 22, 2011 [ 20 ]. http://www.graftonarchitects.ie accessed October 25, 2011 [ 21 ]. Middleton, Haydn, Frank Lloyd Wright, New York: Heinemann, 2001 [ 22 ]. Brooks, Bruce, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1867-1959: Building for Democracy, Hong Kong: Taschen, 2006 p. 12 [ 23 ]. Ibid. p.

Graduation Speech: A Great Time to Be a Graduate :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Ladies and Gentlemen we are assembled here this evening to celebrate the graduation of the Community College Class of 2012. With this celebration comes many distinctions, honors and legacies. This is a great time to be a graduate of Community College, because we are a group of students who are graduating with high grade point averages, leadership skills, overall talent, plus we are leaving behind much to be admired by future classes. Our class is also a very diverse and dedicated one. As if being a student alone was not a difficult task, many of our classmates hold jobs outside of school, are active in their communities as coaches, volunteers, athletes and leaders, and many have families to take care of. Our class has much to be excited about, many positive changes have come to our school because of the efforts of those in our class. We have held many amazing programs the past two years and especially this year. We have had several nationally known speakers and leaders visit our campus to inform us about local, national and international events. They have also come to our campus to see what has been going on here in Loyville and how they can use our models to aid other programs. We have had such speakers as civil rights activist Dick Gregory, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., local screen writer and producer Sherman Alexie, Gov. Gary Locke and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. These past two years have also seen the addition in artwork here as well. Several new paintings and other hangings have been presented to the college, such as Dallas M. "Gray Eagle" Singhurst II's "Yu 'Pik fur seal mask" and the "Loyville Community College History Mural" painted by Bernie Webber. These artworks not only add to the campus but explain the history of the college and our community. There have been additions to school programs as well, including a women's soccer program, high school First Reach program designed to encourage local high school students to come to EvCC, a health and wellness series, and even a college rowing club designed to help students "catch the spirit of rowing." Members of the class of '99 and guests, I hold in my hand for you a special gift, from the classrooms of EvCC comes tonight's Top 10 List. These are the top 10 reasons to be proud to be part of the graduating class of 1999: 10.

Forward the Foundation Chapter 27

22 â€Å"Mr. Bindris,† said Hari Seldon, reaching out his hand to shake the other's. â€Å"I am so glad to be able to see you. It was good of you to agree to see me.† â€Å"Why not?† said Terep Bindris jovially. â€Å"I know you well. Or, rather, I know of you well.† â€Å"That's pleasant. I take it you've heard of psychohistory, then.† â€Å"Oh yes, what intelligent person hasn't? Not that I understand anything about it, of course. And who is this young lady you have with you?† â€Å"My granddaughter, Wanda.† â€Å"A very pretty young woman.† He beamed. â€Å"Somehow I feel I'd be putty in her hands.† Wanda said, â€Å"I think you exaggerate, sir.† â€Å"No, really. Now, please, sit down and tell me what it is I can do for you.† He gestured expansively with his arm, indicating that they be seated on two overstuffed, richly brocaded chairs in front of the desk at which he sat. The chairs, like the ornate desk, the imposing carved doors which had slid back noiselessly at their arrival signal, and the gleaming obsidian floor of Bindris's vast office, were of the finest quality. And, although his surroundings were impressive-and imposing-Bindris himself was not. The slight cordial man would not be taken, at first glance, for one of Trantor's leading financial powerbrokers. â€Å"We're here, sir, at the Emperor's suggestion.† â€Å"The Emperor?† â€Å"Yes, he could not help us, but he thought a man like you might be able to do so. The question, of course, is credits.† Bindris's face fell. â€Å"Credits?† he said. â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon, â€Å"for nearly forty years, psychohistory has been supported by the government. However, times change and the Empire is no longer what it was.† â€Å"Yes, I know that.†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ â€Å"The Emperor lacks the credits to support us or, even if he did have the credits, he couldn't get the request for funding past the Legislature. He recommends, therefore, that I see businesspeople who, in the first place, still have credits and, in the second place, can simply write out a credit voucher.† There was a longish pause and Bindris finally said, â€Å"The Emperor, I'm afraid, knows nothing about business. -How many credits do you want?† â€Å"Mr. Bindris, we're talking about an enormous task. I'm going to need several million.† â€Å"Several million!† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Bindris frowned. â€Å"Are we talking about a loan here? When do you expect to be able to pay it back?† â€Å"Well, Mr. Bindris, I can't honestly say I ever expect to be able to pay it back. I'm looking for a gift.† â€Å"Even if I wanted to give you the credits-and let me tell you, for some strange reason I very much want to do so-I couldn't. The Emperor may have his Legislature, but I have my Board members. I can't make a gift of that sort without the Board's permission and they'll never grant it.† â€Å"Why not? Your firm is enormously wealthy. A few million would mean nothing to you.† â€Å"That sounds good,† said Bindris, â€Å"but I'm afraid that the firm is in a state of decline right now. Not sufficiently to bring us into serious trouble, but enough to make us unhappy. If the Empire is in a state of decay, different individual parts of it are decaying, too. We are in no position to hand out a few million. I'm truly sorry.† Seldon sat there silently and Bindris seemed unhappy. He shook his Head at last and said, â€Å"Look, Professor Seldon, I would really like to help you out, particularly for the sake of the young lady you have with you. It just can't be done. However, we're not the only firm in Trantor. Try others, Professor. You may have better luck elsewhere.† â€Å"Well,† said Seldon, raising himself to his feet with an effort, â€Å"we shall try.† 23 Wanda's eyes were filled with tears, but the emotion they represented was not sorrow but fury. â€Å"Grandpa,† she said, â€Å"I don't understand it. I simply don't understand it. We've been to four different firms. Each one was ruder and nastier to us than the one before. The fourth one just kicked us out. And since then, no one will let us in.† â€Å"It's no mystery, Wanda,† said Seldon gently. â€Å"When we saw Bindris, he didn't know what we were there for and he was perfectly friendly until I asked for a gift of a few million credits. Then he was a great deal less friendly. I imagine the word went out as to what we wanted and each additional time there was less friendliness until now, when people won't receive us at all. Why should they? They're not going to give us the credits we need, so why waste time with us?† Wanda's anger turned on herself. â€Å"And what did I do? I just sat there. Nothing.† â€Å"I wouldn't say that,† said Seldon. â€Å"Bindris was affected by you. It seems to me that he really wanted to give me the credits, largely because of you. You were pushing him and accomplishing something.† â€Å"Not nearly enough. Besides, all he cared about was that I was pretty.† â€Å"Not pretty,† muttered Seldon. â€Å"Beautiful. Very beautiful.† â€Å"So what do we do now, Grandpa?† asked Wanda. â€Å"After all these years, psychohistory will collapse.† â€Å"I suppose that,† said Seldon â€Å"in a way, it's something that can't be helped. I've been predicting the breakdown of the Empire for nearly forty years and now that it's come, psychohistory breaks down with it.† â€Å"But psychohistory will save the Empire, at least partly.† â€Å"I know it will, but I can't force it to.† â€Å"Are you just going to let it collapse?† Seldon shook his head. â€Å"I'll try to keep it from doing so, but I must admit that I don't know how I'm going to do it.† Wanda said, â€Å"I'm going to practice. There must be some way I can strengthen my push, make it easier for me to force people to do what I want them to do.† â€Å"I wish you could manage.† â€Å"What are you going to do, Grandpa?† â€Å"Well, nothing much. Two days ago, when I was on my way to see the Chief Librarian, I encountered three men in the Library who were arguing about psychohistory. For some reason, one of them impressed me very much. I urged him to come see me and he agreed. The appointment is for this afternoon at my office.† â€Å"Are you going to have him work for you?† â€Å"I would like to-if I have enough credits to pay him with. But it can't hurt to talk with him. After all, what can I lose?† 24 The young man arrived at precisely 4 T.S.T. (Trantorian Standard Time) and Seldon smiled. He loved punctual people. He placed his hands on his desk and made ready to heave to his feet, but the young man said, â€Å"Please, Professor, I know you have a bad leg. You needn't stand up.† Seldon said, â€Å"Thank you, young man. However, that does not mean that you cannot sit down. Please do.† The young man removed his jacket and sat down. Seldon said, â€Å"You must forgive me†¦ when we met and set up this appointment, I neglected to learn your name-which is†¦? â€Å"Stettin Palver,† said the young man. â€Å"Ah. Palver! Palver! The name sounds familiar.† â€Å"It should, Professor. My grandfather boasted frequently of having known you.† â€Å"Your grandfather. Of course. Joramis Palver. He was two years younger than I was, as I recall. I tried to get him to join me in psychohistory, but he refused. He said there was no chance of his ever learning enough mathematics to make it possible. Too bad! How is Joramis, by the way?† Palver said solemnly, â€Å"I'm afraid that Joramis has gone the way of old men generally. He's dead.† Seldon winced. Two years younger than he himself was-and dead. An old friend and they had lost touch to such a degree that, when death came, it did so unknowingly. Seldon sat there for a while and finally muttered, â€Å"I'm sorry.† The young man shrugged. â€Å"He had a good life.† â€Å"And you, young man, where did you have your schooling?† â€Å"Langano University.† Seldon frowned. â€Å"Langano? Stop me if I'm wrong, but that's not on Trantor, is it?† â€Å"No. I wanted to try a different world. The Universities on Trantor, as you undoubtedly know very well, are all overcrowded. I wanted to find a place where I could study in peace.† â€Å"And what did you study?† â€Å"Nothing much. History. Not the sort of thing that would lead one to a good job.† (Another wince, even worse than the first. Dors Venabili had been a historian.) Seldon said, â€Å"But you're back here on Trantor. Why is that?† â€Å"Credits. Jobs.† â€Å"As an historian?† Palver laughed. â€Å"Not a chance. I run a device that pulls and hauls. Not exactly a professional occupation.† Seldon looked at Palver with a twinge of envy. The contours of Palver's arms and chest were highlighted by the thin fabric of his shirt. He was well muscled. Seldon had never himself been quite that muscular. Seldon said, â€Å"I presume that when you were at the University, you were on the boxing team.† â€Å"Who, me? Never. I'm a Twister.† â€Å"A Twister!† Seldon's spirits jumped. â€Å"Are you from Helicon?† Palver said with a certain contempt, â€Å"You don't have to come from Helicon to be a good Twister.† No, thought Seldon, but that's where the best ones come from. However, he said nothing. He did say, though, â€Å"Well, your grandfather would not join me. How about you?† â€Å"Psychohistory?† â€Å"I heard you talking to the others when I first encountered you and it seemed to me that you were talking quite intelligently about psychohistory. Would you like to join me, then?† â€Å"As I said, Professor, I have a job.† â€Å"Pushing and hauling. Come, come.† â€Å"It pays well.† â€Å"Credits aren't everything.† â€Å"They're quite a bit. Now you, on the other hand, can't pay me much. I'm quite certain that you're short of credits.† â€Å"Why do you say that?† â€Å"I'm guessing, in a way, I suppose. But am I wrong?† Seldon's lips pressed together hard, then he said, â€Å"No, you're not wrong and I can't pay you much. I'm sorry. I suppose that ends our little interview.† â€Å"Wait, wait, wait.† Palver held up his hands. â€Å"Not quite so fast, please. We're still talking about psychohistory. If I work for you, I will be taught psychohistory, right?† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"In that case, credits aren't everything, after all. I'll make you a deal. You teach me all the psychohistory you can and you pay me whatever you can and I'll get by somehow. How about it?† â€Å"Wonderful,† said Seldon joyously. â€Å"That sounds great. Now, one more thing.† â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"Yes. I've been attacked twice in recent weeks. The first time my son came to my defense, but he has since gone to Santanni. The second time I made use of my lead-filled walking stick. It worked, but I was dragged before a magistrate and accused of assault and battery-â€Å" â€Å"Why the attacks?† interjected Palver. â€Å"I am not popular. I have been preaching the Fall of the Empire for so long that, now that it is coming, I am blamed for it.† â€Å"I see. Now then, what does all that have to do with the one more thing you mentioned?† â€Å"I want you to be my bodyguard. You're young, you're strong, and, most of all, you're a Twister. You're exactly what I need.† â€Å"I suppose it can be managed,† Palver said with a smile. 25 â€Å"See there, Stettin,† Seldon said as the two were taking an early evening stroll in one of Trantor's residential sectors near Streeling. The older man pointed to debris-assorted refuse jettisoned from passing groundcars or dropped by careless pedestrians-strewn along the walkway. â€Å"In the old days,† Seldon continued, â€Å"you would never see litter like this. The security officers were vigilant and municipal maintenance crews provided round-the-clock upkeep of all public areas. But, most important, no one would even think of dumping his trash in such a manner. Trantor was our home; we took pride in it. Now†-Seldon shook his head sadly, resignedly, and sighed-â€Å"it's-† He broke off abruptly. â€Å"You there, young man!† Seldon shouted at a ill-kempt fellow who had moments before passed them, going in the opposite direction. He was munching a treat just popped into his mouth; the wrapper had been tossed to the ground without so much as a downward glance. â€Å"Pick that up and dispose of it properly,† Seldon admonished as the young man eyed him sullenly. â€Å"Pick it up yourself,† the boy snarled and then he turned and walked away. â€Å"It's another sign of society's breakdown, as predicted by your psychohistory, Professor Seldon,† Palver said. â€Å"Yes, Stettin. All around us the Empire is falling apart, piece by piece. In fact, it's already smashed-there's no turning back now. Apathy, decay, and greed have all played their parts in destroying the once-glorious Empire. And what will take its place? Why-â€Å" Here Seldon broke off at the sight of Palver's face. The younger man seemed to be listening intently-but not to Seldon's voice. His head was cocked to one side and his face had a far-off look. It was as if Palver were straining to hear some sound inaudible to everyone but himself. Suddenly he snapped back to the here and now. With an urgent glance around them, Palver took hold of Seldon's arm. â€Å"Hari, quick, we must get away. They're coming†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then the still evening was broken by the harsh sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. Seldon and Palver spun around, but it was too late; a band of attackers was upon them. This time, however, Hari Seldon was prepared. He immediately swung his cane in a wide arc around Palver and himself. At this, the three attackers-two boys and a girl, all teenage ruffians-laughed. â€Å"So, you're not goin' to make it easy, are you, old man?† snorted the boy who appeared to be the group's ringleader. â€Å"Why, me and my buddies, we'll take you out in two seconds flat. We'll-† All of a sudden, the ringleader was down, the victim of a perfectly placed Twist-kick to his abdomen. The two ruffians who were still standing quickly dropped to a crouch in preparation for attack. But Palver was quicker. They, too, were felled almost before they knew what hit them. And then it was over-almost as soon as it started. Seldon stood off to the side, leaning heavily on his cane, shaking at the thought of his narrow escape. Palver, panting slightly from exertion, surveyed the scene. The three attackers were out cold on the deserted walkway under the darkening dome. â€Å"Come on, let's get out of here quickly!† Palver urged again, only this time it was not the attackers they would be fleeing. â€Å"Stettin, we can't leave,† protested Seldon. He gestured toward the unconscious would-be muggers. â€Å"They're really nothing more than children. They may be dying. How can we just walk away? It's inhumane-that's what it is-and humanity is exactly what I've been working all these years to protect.† Seldon struck the ground with his cane for emphasis and his eyes gleamed with conviction. â€Å"Nonsense,† retorted Palver. â€Å"What's inhumane is the way muggers like that prey on innocent citizens like you. Do you think they'd have given you a second thought? They'd just as soon stick a knife in your gut to steal your last credit-and then kick you as they ran! They'll come to soon enough and slink away to lick their wounds. Or someone will find them and call the central office. â€Å"But, Hari, you must think. After what happened last time, you stand to lose everything if you're linked to another beating. Please, Hari, we must run!† With this, Palver grabbed Seldon's arm and Seldon after a List backward glance, allowed himself to be led away. As the footsteps of the rapidly departing Seldon and Palver diminished in the distance, another figure emerged from his hiding place behind some trees. Chuckling to himself, the sullen-eyed youth muttered, â€Å"You're a fine one to tell me what's right and what's wrong, Professor.† With that, he spun on his heel and headed off to summon the security officers. 26 â€Å"Order! I will have order!† bellowed Judge Tejan Popjens Lih. The public hearing of Professor Raven Seldon and his young associate, Stettin Palver, had generated a hue and cry among the populace of Trantor. Here was the man who had predicted the Fall of the Empire, the decay of civilization, who exhorted others to harken back to the golden age of civility and order-here was he who, according to an eyewitness, had ordered the brutal beating of three young Trantorians for no apparent provocation. Ah yes, it promised to be a spectacular hearing, one which would lead, no doubt, to an even more spectacular trial. The judge pressed a contact set into a recessed panel on her bench and a sonorous gong resounded through the packed courtroom. â€Å"I will have order,† she repeated to the now-hushed throng. â€Å"If need be, the courtroom will be cleared. That is a warning. It will not be repeated.† The judge cut an imposing figure in her scarlet robe. Originally from the Outer World of Lystena, Lih's complexion had a slight bluish cast, which turned darker when she became exercised, practically purple when she was really angry. It was rumored that, for all her years on the bench, in spite of her reputation as a top judicial mind, notwithstanding her position as one of the most revered interpreters of Imperial law, Lih was ever so slightly vain about the colorful appearance she gave, the way in which the bright red robes set off her soft turquoise skin. Nevertheless, Lih had a reputation for coming down hard on those who brooked Imperial law; she was one of the few judges left who upheld the civil code without wavering. â€Å"I have heard of you, Professor Seldon, and your theories about our imminent destruction. And I have spoken with the magistrate who recently heard another case in which you were involved, one in which you struck a man with your lead-filled cane. In that instance, too, you claimed to be the victim of assault. Your reasoning stemmed, I believe, from a previous unreported incident in which you and your son allegedly were assaulted by eight hoodlums. You were able to convince my esteemed colleague, Professor Seldon of your plea of self-defense, even though an eyewitness testified otherwise. This time, Professor, you will have to be much more convincing.† The three hoodlums who were bringing charges against Seldon and Palver snickered in their seats at the plaintiff's table. They presented a much different appearance today than they had the evening of the attack. The young men were sporting clean loose-fitting unisuits; the young lady was wearing a crisply pleated tunic. All in all, if one didn't look (or listen) too closely, the three presented a reassuring picture of Trantorian youth. Seldon's lawyer, Civ Novker (who was representing Palver as well), approached the bench. â€Å"Your Honor, my client is an upstanding member of the Trantorian community. He is a former First Minister of stellar repute. He is a personal acquaintance of our Emperor Agis XIV. What possible benefit could Professor Seldon derive from attacking innocent young people? He is one of the most vocal proponents of stimulating the intellectual creativity of Trantorian youth-his Psychohistory Project employs numerous student volunteers; he is a beloved member of the Streeling University faculty. â€Å"Further-† Here Novker paused, sweeping his gaze around the packed courtroom, as if to say, Wait till you hear this-you'll be ashamed that you ever for a second doubted the veracity of my client's claims, â€Å"Professor Seldon is one of the very few private individuals officially allied with the prestigious Galactic Library. He has been granted unlimited use of Library facilities for work on what he calls the Encyclopedia Galactica, a veritable paean to Imperial civilization. â€Å"I ask you, how can this man even be questioned in such a matter?† With a flourish of his arm, Novker gestured toward Seldon who was sitting at the defendant's table with Stettin Palver, looking decidedly uncomfortable. Hari's cheeks were flushed from the unaccustomed praise (after all, lately his name was the subject of derisive snickers rather than flowery plaudits) and his hand shook slightly on the carved Dandle of his trusty cane. Judge Lih gazed down at Seldon clearly unimpressed. â€Å"What benefit, indeed, Counselor. I have been asking myself that very question. I've lain make these past nights, racking my brains for a plausible reason. Why should a man of Professor Seldon's stature commit unprovoked assault and battery when he himself is one of our most outspoken critics of the so-called ‘breakdown' of civil order? â€Å"And then it dawned on me. Perhaps, in his frustration at not being believed, Professor Seldon feels he must prove to the worlds that his predictions of doom and gloom really are coming to pass. After all, here is a man who has spent his entire career foretelling the Fall of the Empire and all he can really point to are a few burned-out bulbs in the dome, an occasional glitch in public transport, a budget cut here or there-nothing very dramatic. But an attack-or two or three-now, that would be something.† Lih sat back and folded her hands in front of her, a satisfied expression on her face. Seldon stood, leaning heavily on the table for support. With great effort, he approached the bench, waving off his lawyer, walking headlong into the steely gaze of the judge. â€Å"Your Honor, please permit me to say a few words in my defense.† â€Å"Of course, Professor Seldon. After all, this is not a trial, only a hearing to air all allegations, facts, and theories pertinent to the** case before deciding whether or not to go ahead with a trial. I have merely expressed a theory; I am most interested to hear what you have to say.† Seldon cleared his throat before beginning. â€Å"I have devoted my life to the Empire. I have faithfully served the Emperors. My science of psychohistory, rather than being a harbinger of destruction, is intended to be used as an agent for rejuvenation. With it we can be prepared for whatever course civilization takes. If, as I believe, the Empire continues to break down, psychohistory will help us put into place building blocks for a new and better civilization founded on all that is good from the old. I love our worlds, our peoples, our Empire-what would it behoove me to contribute to the lawlessness that saps its strength daily? â€Å"I can say no more. You must believe me. I, a man of intellect, of equations, of science-I am speaking from my heart.† Seldon turned and made his way slowly back to his chair beside Palver. Before sitting, his eyes sought Wanda, sitting in the spectators' gallery. She smiled wanly and winked at him. â€Å"From the heart or not, Professor Seldon, this decision will require much thought on my part. We have heard from your accusers; we have heard from you and Mr. Palver. There is one more party whose testimony I need. I'd like to hear from Rial Nevas, who has come forward as an eyewitness to this incident.† As Nevas approached the bench, Seldon and Palver looked at each other in alarm. It was the boy whom Hari had admonished just before the attack. Lih was asking the youth a question. â€Å"Would you describe, Mr. Nevas, exactly what you witnessed on the night in question?† â€Å"Well,† started Nevas, fixing Seldon with his sullen stare, â€Å"I was walkin' along, mindin' my own business, when I saw those two,†-he turned and pointed at Seldon and Palver-â€Å"on the other side of the walkway, comin' toward me. And then I saw those three kids.† (Another point of the finger, this time toward the three sitting at the plaintiff's table.) â€Å"The two older guys were walkin' behind the kids. They didn't see me, though, on account of I was on the other side of the walkway and besides, they were concentratin' on their victims. Then wham! Just like that, that old guy swings at 'em with his stick, then the younger guy jumps 'em and kicks 'em and before you know it, they're all down on the ground. Then the old guy and his pal, they just took off, just like that. I couldn't believe it.† â€Å"That's a lie!† Seldon exploded. â€Å"Young man, you're playing with our lives here!† Nevas only stared back at Seldon impassively. â€Å"Judge,† Seldon implored, â€Å"can't you see that he is lying? I remember this fellow. I scolded him for littering just minutes before we were attacked. I pointed it out to Stettin as another instance of the breakdown of our society, the apathy of the citizenry, the-â€Å" â€Å"Enough, Professor Seldon,† commanded the judge. â€Å"Another outburst like that and I will have you ejected from this courtroom. Now, Mr. Nevas,† she said, turning back to the witness. â€Å"What did you do throughout the sequence of events you just described?† â€Å"I, uh, I hid. Behind some trees. I hid. I was afraid they'd come after me if they saw me, so I hid. And when they were gone, well, I ran and called the security officers.† Nevas had started to sweat and he inserted a finger into the constricting collar of his unisuit. He fidgeted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he stood on the raised speaker's platform. He was uncomfortably aware of the crowd's eyes upon him; he tried to avoid looking into the audience, but each time he did, he found himself drawn to the **toady gaze of a pretty blond girl sitting in the first row. It was as if she was asking him a question, pressing him for an answer, willing him to **peak. â€Å"Mr. Nevas, what do you have to say about Professor Seldon's allegation that he and Mr. Palver did see you prior to the attack, that the professor actually exchanged words with you?† â€Å"Well, uh, no, you see, it was just like I said†¦ I was walkin' along and-† And now Nevas looked over at Seldon's table. Seldon looked at the young man sadly, as if he realized all was lost. But Seldon's companion, Stettin Palver, turned a fierce gaze on Nevas and Nevas jumped, startled, at the words he heard: Tell the truth! It was as if Palver had spoken, but Palver's lips hadn't moved. And then, confused, Nevas snapped his head in the direction of the blond girl; he thought he heard her speak-Tell the truth!-but her lips were still as well. â€Å"Mr. Nevas, Mr. Nevas,† the judge's voice broke in on the youth's jumbled thoughts. â€Å"Mr. Nevas, if Professor Seldon and Mr. Palver were walking toward you, behind the three plaintiffs, how is it that you noticed Seldon and Palver first? That is how you put it in your statement, is it not?† Nevas glanced around the courtroom wildly. He couldn't seem to escape the eyes, all the eyes screaming at him to Tell the truth! Looking over at Hari Seldon, Rial Nevas said simply, â€Å"I'm sorry† and, to the amazement of the entire courtroom assemblage, the fourteen-year-old boy started to cry.

Media s Influence On Consumer Behavior - 1189 Words

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