Are you a pessimist or an optimist in regards to America’s built landscape, and its future? How can we all find a way to navigate changes that are coming?

Johnny Sanphillippo writes the Granola Shotgun blog, where he frequently challenges narratives about cities, suburbs, and what individuals can do. If you’re a lover of walkable places, is it possible to turn the battleship of the last 70+ years and get more of them built? Or, will circumstances change of their own accord, whether we like it or not? What can an individual do in the late years of The Suburban Experiment, in order to still live a good life?

We also discuss Peak Silicon Valley and Peak Bay Area, and some possible futures for that region, California, and other parts of America. Johnny joins us from Mexico City, where he is scouting out a Plan B for his life and pseudo-retirement.

Granola Shotgun blog here.

Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin’s Substack page.

Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here.

Intro: “Why Be Friends”

Outro: “Fairweather Friend”