H2O and the Waters of Forgetfulness: A summary

Ivan Illich “wants to explore the moral and psychological consequences that will flow from the public display of re-circulated toilet flush, which pretends to be the aesthetic symbol of a wedding between water and urban space” (page 7). He does this by describing the history of

On a more practical level, it’s important to note that mankind’s survival now depends on our ability to conserve and purify water. Whereas in the antiquity Illich describes, water’s natural purity was what sustained humanity, we now need to commit increasing resources to water processing for purification. For example, the cost of sewage treatment in the United States is the second largest expense for local government; the only thing costing us tax-payers more is our schools. (p. 75)

The discussion of human relationships with water is introduced through references to the Book of Genesis and Greek mythology. In Genesis, water was associated with the dual characteristics of purity and cleanliness. In Greek mythology, the god Mnemosyne was the god of wellspring and remembrance, and she possessed sacred waters. The Greeks eventually stripped Mnemosyne of her mythic powers by replacing her “remembrance” with a written language, and her sacred waters with urban aqueducts and running water. Thus, the modern domestication of water began. This is an understandable part of Illich’s essay.

Some topics in this essay:
Odorless City”, Ivan Illich, Genesis Greek, Illich’s H2O, Common Dallas-onians, Troy Hector’s, Jerusalem Rio, Forgetfulness NOTES, Instead Dallas, Waters Forgetfulness, city lake, relationships water, waters forgetfulness, dwelling spaces, rest world, h2o waters forgetfulness, shanty towns, h2o waters, ourselves rest world, ourselves rest, alienating ourselves, running water, alienating ourselves rest, build city lake,