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Catttt Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
botanising the asphalt
Has anyone heard of "botanising the asphalt"? It is a phrase coined by Walter Benjamin. I want to know if it means "the growth of plants on the street" or "the act of finding and recognizing such plants on the street"?
Top answer
Hi Hey, that's great. I was referred to Walter Benjamin only the other day. He has some interesting thoughts Where I live, the town is almost completely covered with asphalt, bricks, concrete.
- Hi Hey, that's great.
- I was referred to Walter Benjamin only the other day.
- He has some interesting thoughts Where I live, the town is almost completely covered with asphalt, bricks, concrete.
- There are some trees, but I think they were planted out many years ago.
- It would be good to see more plants growing around here - that would be botanising the asphalt Dave
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6 Answers
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Hi
Hey, that's great. I was referred to Walter Benjamin only the other day. He has some interesting thoughts
Where I live, the town is almost completely covered with asphalt, bricks, concrete. There are some trees, but I think they were planted out many years ago. It would be good to see more plants growing around here - that would be botanising the asphalt
Dave
Hey, that's great. I was referred to Walter Benjamin only the other day. He has some interesting thoughts
Where I live, the town is almost completely covered with asphalt, bricks, concrete. There are some trees, but I think they were planted out many years ago. It would be good to see more plants growing around here - that would be botanising the asphalt
Dave
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Hi @dave_anon . But I did not get my answer. Could you explain it in the following context, please? What does the flaneur do here? Does he "grow plants on the asphalt" or "find and watch the plants that have grown on the asphalt" or something else?
Context:
On a kerbside in Nicosia a single brick and slab of wood bear testament to the builder’s provisional construction of a litt
Context:
On a kerbside in Nicosia a single brick and slab of wood bear testament to the builder’s provisional construction of a litt
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Hi
By coincidence, I just answered your query about Wentworth
A flaneur is someone who walks around a city just enjoying the experience. The idea, I think, is that cities have become inhuman - they no longer seem to be places where a person can walk around and enjoy life. 'Botanising' is an unusual word there. It as if Benjamin is saying: by walking around the city we are start
By coincidence, I just answered your query about Wentworth
A flaneur is someone who walks around a city just enjoying the experience. The idea, I think, is that cities have become inhuman - they no longer seem to be places where a person can walk around and enjoy life. 'Botanising' is an unusual word there. It as if Benjamin is saying: by walking around the city we are start
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@dave_anon So, it is comparing the act of flaneur to the act of grasses that grow on the asphalt. yes? ("botanising the asphalt" meaning "the plants that grow on the asphalt")
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Hi
Yes, I think that is right. The pavement outside my house was asphalted last week, which makes it look neat but boring
Sooner or later, some plants will start to poke through again
I suppose that is also the image of the flaneur: no matter how dreary the town may be made to look, people will come along and make it look human again. The action of the plants is 'botan
Yes, I think that is right. The pavement outside my house was asphalted last week, which makes it look neat but boring
Sooner or later, some plants will start to poke through again
I suppose that is also the image of the flaneur: no matter how dreary the town may be made to look, people will come along and make it look human again. The action of the plants is 'botan
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