Book Review: Ecology of Fear
Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster by Mike Davis, published by Vintage, 1999. Paperback, 496 pages. (Amazon)
Davis begins his thoroughly-researched study of Los Angeles's environmental and social conditions with an obvious topic: earthquakes. Many outsiders see L.A. as a place destined to fall off into the ocean when "the big one" hits. Davis may even be adding ammunition to this unfounded and unrealistic view by establishing that the region is in an earthquake drought when compared to previous millennia. Framing these, and other natural disasters within the social structure of L.A. is the author's unique take that permeates the book. Further chapters examine wildfires, wild animals, even tornadoes, finishing the book by looking at the literary destruction of the city and how the city is destroying itself from the inside out. Throughout, the overriding thought is that this "ecology of fear" can't be blamed on earthquakes and other natural phenomena alone, but rather by an irresponsible overtaking of the natural lands that make the region unique and the irresponsible treatment of different races and incomes in an area with a very polarized mix of inhabitants. These irresponsibilities are a recipe for disaster, according to the author, if things keep their course. Davis doesn't offer any solutions but he definitely makes a strong argument for rethinking the way we live together and the impact of our actions on the environment.
Davis begins his thoroughly-researched study of Los Angeles's environmental and social conditions with an obvious topic: earthquakes. Many outsiders see L.A. as a place destined to fall off into the ocean when "the big one" hits. Davis may even be adding ammunition to this unfounded and unrealistic view by establishing that the region is in an earthquake drought when compared to previous millennia. Framing these, and other natural disasters within the social structure of L.A. is the author's unique take that permeates the book. Further chapters examine wildfires, wild animals, even tornadoes, finishing the book by looking at the literary destruction of the city and how the city is destroying itself from the inside out. Throughout, the overriding thought is that this "ecology of fear" can't be blamed on earthquakes and other natural phenomena alone, but rather by an irresponsible overtaking of the natural lands that make the region unique and the irresponsible treatment of different races and incomes in an area with a very polarized mix of inhabitants. These irresponsibilities are a recipe for disaster, according to the author, if things keep their course. Davis doesn't offer any solutions but he definitely makes a strong argument for rethinking the way we live together and the impact of our actions on the environment.
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