Stewart Brand: Why squatter cities are a good thing

Translator: Christo Crafford Reviewer: Ingrid Lezar

Basically, there's a major demographic event going on.

’n Belangrike demografiese gebeurtenis is onderweg.

And it may be that passing the 50 percent urban point

En dit mag wees dat die oorsteek van die 50% verstedelikingspunt

is an economic tipping point. So the world now is a map of connectivity.

’n ekonomiese keerpunt is.

Die wêreld is nou ’n kaart van verbinding.

In die verlede was Parys, London en New York die grootste stede.

It used to be that Paris and London and New York were the largest cities.

What we have now is the end of the rise of the West. That's over.

Ons beleef nou die einde van die Weste se opkoms. Dis verby.

The aggregate numbers are overwhelming.

Die totale aantal is oorweldigend.

So what's really going on? Well, villages of the world are emptying out.

So wat gebeur nou eintlik?

Die wêreld se dorpies is besig om leeg te loop.

The question is, why?

Die vraag is, waarom?

And here's the unromantic truth -- and the city air makes you free,

Hier is die onromantiese waarheid --

die stadslug maak jou vry, het hulle in Renaissance Duitsland gesê.

they said in Renaissance Germany. So some people go to places

Sommige mense gaan dus na plekke soos Shanghai,

like Shanghai but most go to the squatter cities where aesthetics rule.

maar meeste gaan na plakkerstede, waar estetika regeer.

Hierdie is nie werklik mense wat onderdruk is deur armoede nie.

And these are not really a people oppressed by poverty.

They're people getting out of poverty as fast as they can.

Dis mense wat armoede ontvlug so vinnig as wat hulle kan.

They're the dominant builders and to a large extent, the dominant designers.

Hulle is hoofsaaklik die bouers en tot ’n groot mate die ontwerpers.

They have home-brewed infrastructure and vibrant urban life.

Hulle't tuisgemaakte infrastruktuur en lewendige stadslewens.

One-sixth of the GDP in India is coming out of Mumbai.

Een sesde van Indië se GNP kom uit Moembaai.

They are constantly upgrading, and in a few cases, the government helps.

Daar word konstant opgradeer en in ’n paar gevalle help die regering.

Education is the main event that can happen in cities.

Opvoeding is die hoof ding wat in stede kan geskied.

What's going on in the street in Mumbai?

Wat gebeur op die strate van Moembaai?

Al Gore knows. It's basically everything.

Al Gore weet. Dis basies alles.

There's no unemployment in squatter cities. Everyone works.

Daar's geen werkloosheid in plakkerstede nie. Almal werk.

One-sixth of humanity is there. It's soon going to be more than that.

Een sesde van die mensdom is daar. Binnekort meer.

So here's the first punch line:

Hier is die eerste gevolgtrekking:

cities have defused the population bomb.

Stede het die bevolkingsaanwasbom ontlont.

And here's the second punch line.

En die tweede gevolgtrekking:

That's the news from downtown. Here it is in perspective.

Dis die nuus uit die onderdorp. Hier is dit in perspektief.

Stars have shined down on earth's life for billions of years.

Sterre skyn al biljoene jare op die aarde neer.

Now we're shining right back up.

Nou skyn ons terug!

Thank you.

Dankie.