The Dark age ahead by jane jacob

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The Dark Age Ahead
Jane Jacobs foresees a future that experiences mass amnesia and culture loss that accompanies the collapse of civilization. In her book, “Dark Ages” readers are presented with five main pillars that are discussed in a general and more targeted approach to express the warning signs of a threaten civilization in North America. Jacobs examines the causes and pattern of reactionary doom that is to befall on the people through the eight chapters of the book.
In chapter one, the book opens with the description of Dark Age and the author’s view on the ideas behind the construction of such a title. She addresses her concern about the evolving nature of human needs, lifestyle and the structure of the society towards adapting to the new western culture. Nonetheless, in the first chapter, the author reflects ancient civilization and cultures like ancient Roman Empire and some ancient cultures like the Lascaux cave painting. In agonizing tone, the author presents her fear and worry of what has befallen the modern society and their future after the arrival of technology and shift in cultures. She states the “…living culture is forever changing losing itself…” (Jacobs 15). Hereby, Jacobs expresses her worry of the collapsing state of affairs were ancient cities, lifestyle and cultures are being abandoned without proper adjustment to the current state, leading to darker ages in the near future.
In her second chapter, the author addresses the weakening ties within modern families.

In her view, families play a significant role in raising the future generation. Therefore, the failure of families is valid proof of a more profound malaise in the society. According to the book, the relationship between families is drifting due to lack of support, increase in the cost of living and the eroding social connection. That is, people are losing touch with the significant value of good families that are united in love and share a common interest as well as communicate coherently. Instead, the families have been pushed towards their doom, which is seen through the high rate of divorce cases in the society today. According to Jacobs, families are experiencing high cost of living and housing affecting the standards of living. People pay for many services such as transportation, electricity, and mortgages, which are heavily taxed at minimal wages. Consequently, this rising cost of living has pushed people to work more and concentrate less on families.
In the subsequent chapter three, the author presents the trend in education as a reflection of the dark ages. Learning at post-secondary and tertiary level is no longer an educational process. It is focused on credentialing rather than embracing nurturing students in a passionate learning and knowledgeable environment. The whole institution of higher education is turning to certificate manufacturing establishments instead of producing students who are well learned into the job market. A lot of money is paid to have a high learning certificate, which they use to secure high paying jobs. Furthermore, education is more of an income determine than a process of acquiring knowledge. “…college degrees are worth millions..”(Jacobs 47). Jacobs conducts a fascinating analysis on the distortion of high education where cheating has become a common practice, and economic obsessions have subdued the goal of education. High education has become baseless, and its value is depreciating with the increasing economic depression and rate of unemployment.
In chapter four, Jacobs also addresses her concern about the direction science is taking. She reflected on the work of Thomas Kuhn on test hypothesis the changing concept of paradigm being replaced by the changing nature of scientific theories and concepts in the modern era. In this chapter, the author is more interested in the scientist related events whether on a scientific approach or based on dogmatic beliefs and statement. Hypothesis testing has been abandon and scientists are influenced by political and economic factors when it comes to solving major science concepts. A typical example that the author gives is the current traffic behavior and the climate pattern that is become a threat to human existence and cities. Jacobs further explains in a technical approach to the failures of engineers who have overlooks scientific facts and data. This has caused severe consequence such as the Chicago heat wave that causes the death of about 789 people. The scientific institution is politically mobilized and act based on economic benefits rather than supporting facts.
In chapter five, the book gets better when Jacobs looks at the taxation patterns. In her observation, tax policies are an extension of political systems, and they lack subsidiarity and fiscal accountability whatsoever. People have incurred horrible tax burdens and cities experience low tax returns. Operating in such an economy is cumbersome and prone to failure. The issue of wealth inequality is crippling deep into the society as the marginal gap between the rich and the poor widening steadily. There is no logical sense to explain the greed and corruption experienced by those who collect and disburse the taxes. The institute’s responsible lacks accountability and transparency as such jeopardizing the worth of revenue received and disbursed.
In the sixth chapter, the author talks of the erosion of self-policing in the field of academics, professionalism, and other managerial or trusted position. Money has become the center of everything, blinding social value, ethics and moral standards. People have abandoned their valued in favor of collusion and lies to gain more money and enrich their career. Leaders cannot be trusted anymore as their greed for power and money has taken toll of their action and judgment. Moral standards have been lowered as people try to coupe with straining economic environment. This has affected the living standards and ethical culture of the people making their dignity of sinking even lower than ever.
In the seventh chapter, readers are presented with the consequences of their mistake in social, economic and political life. Problems such as the great depression were a sign of interlocked issues that have crippled the society. People are being disconnected from reality and living in an illusion and fantasy by glorifying nonessential problems in their community. This has brought a culture of people who take matters for granted and caused the doom of northern American future generation. In this chapter, the author presents the influence of changing culture and trend in the society and their repercussion to the new generation.
In the last chapter, Jacobs summarized by viewing the ‘Dark Ages’ as something people have lost and are unable to regain it anymore. He sees it as a loss of technology, social values, culture, science, education and human dignity. The country is slowing becoming a wasteland as people are ignoring all sign of imminent danger in the future. The book loses with a lot of anticipation of the future as the author gives her teaching what is to fall the North American society. Most of the predications are true and can be traced in modern society, showing some truth in Jacob’s book. Jacobs offers a solution in his book and hopes people can wake up and realize they are in the wrong direction before it is too late.
Work Cited
Jacobs, Jane. “Dark Age Ahead,” Random House, New York. 2014. Print