Smart Cities

ForewordInhabiting, Moving, Working, Meeting, Playing, Living at Last …

Everything seems to indicate that the fourth economy, the economy of cities – the one which will eventually follow the agricultural era, the industrial period and the digital age – will raise questions surrounding human life, focusing on quality rather than quantity and we will stop believing that just because we are technically able to do something, means we necessarily should!

Everything seems to indicate that this fourth economy will not arise painlessly, without sacrifice or without transformations. The most important thing lies in giving up social constructionism which sees man as the product of his available technology and rights. Take geography out of the equation, forget about history, ignore the environment, culture and language, give a group of humans the systems and resources that will ensure their survival and you will get a town. Maybe. A smart town? Most likely. A society? Certainly not, what an idea! In fact, we already know full well: society doesn’t exist!

If you have a problem with the city, if you think you have a problem with society, see a shrink! There is no collective issue that cannot be turned into individual guilt! There is no social question that a solid network of systems cannot answer! Since there is no society, there is no city either, all there is the forced compact coexistence of isolated individuals – connected, yet alone. There will never be a city again, since cities used ...