Why would the current North American development model be almost unrecognizable to our ancestors even a century ago?

What role did the postwar boom play in this development pattern, and why didn’t other countries see similar growth patterns during their own post-World War II booms?

How does centralized, top-down growth isolate us from the feedback loops that could teach us what works and what doesn’t?

These are just a few of the topics covered in a great 40-minute interview Chuck Marohn did with Jefferson Public Radio in Southern Oregon. Chuck gives a lot of interviews, and we don’t often post them here, but this one is particularly good. Geoffrey Riley, host of The Jefferson Exchange, had done his homework, and he asked smart, thoughtful questions.

The conversation also included discussion on why Strong Towns isn’t “anti-growth,” the dangers of thinking about growth separate from wealth creation, the consequences of making small starter homes so hard to buy, the best investments a community can make toward its financial future, and why everyone’s favorite metric (the GDP, or gross domestic product) doesn’t tell us anything worth knowing.

If you’ve wanted to introduce a friend to the Strong Towns approach—or if you’ve been looking for an overview yourself—this interview is a great place to start. It’s also a great interview to send to friends and family if you want to have a Strong Towns-themed conversation at Thanksgiving.

What questions do you have for Chuck and the Strong Towns ream? There are a few ways to get in touch:

One way or another, we do hope you reach out.

Top photo of the Ashland (Oregon) Historic District via Wikimedia Commons.