Reaction to Florida 2/08/06

From Collectivate Course Wikis

Richard Florida in his book The Rise of the Creative Class argues that we have entered a new age, the Creative Age, and that cities which are not forward thinking in creating environments conducive to creativity will fall behind the curve. In such a situation a strong local music scene or easy access to outdoor recreation become much more important to maintaining a healthy local economy than a giant sport’s stadium or downtown mall complex ever could. He repeatedly states that cities need to rethink themselves in ways that attract such minds, but rarely goes into detail on how to do so (I guess this is where his consulting comes in). So who are these people, where are they, and why would any city want to attract them in masse at the potential cost of ignoring other potentially important factors for urban redevelopment? Florida gives quick handouts to problems of gentrification and duly notes that African Americans are much less likely to either join in or benefit from the creative economy, but does not seem interested in really grappling with these problems. Great, so there’s this wonder body of individuals that will somehow resurrect every city in the nation from urban decay and as a bonus it’ll force the undesirable residents who are somehow incapable of being creative out of your city center. If Florida’s rosy analysis is to believed we can just take HUD funding and give it to local musicians because once the creative class there won’t be anyone around who needs assistance. A lot of aspects of Florida’s book are very interesting but his overall emphasis on creative class as urban salvation is problematic at best and at its worst seems an ample justification for shifting funds away from other areas in hopes of attracting people who simply may not come. He talks of revitalizing existing neighborhoods without destroying their original charm and all I see is empty lofts and bankrupt cities.

The Creative Class has however become an extremely influential group that needs to be recognized simply because it is one of the primary resources that modern companies are demanding. Hence innovative investments in revitalizing urban centers in ways like improving public transportation, creating car free pedestrian malls, strengthening traditionally pedestrian districts, and expanding bike paths become much more important than landing magic bullet style deals with companies which may only stick with a particular city for two or three years. Hopefully this development approach, one based upon building human habitat as opposed to one focused solely on enticing large employers, will make it easier for community organizations to get funding for local projects. In the case of Buffalo how many community or small business grants could you make available for the sixty-six million dollar cost of one Bass Pro? “History shows that the biggest mistake is to try to forestall change or reverse it. When the nature of the economy has changed, old institutions stop working.” (Florida, 323) At the very least I agree with Florida that cities who do not actively work to improve quality of life and social cohesion within the urban center will lose capable people, no matter what the opportunities for them are.

Outside of his casual dealings with both race and gentrification one of my biggest problems with Florida’s arguments is his apparently isolated interest in the first world. Many of the urban innovations he is suggesting to attract creative class people have already been institutionalized in forward thinking developing nations like Brazil. I am unsure as to why he lauds Ireland as a Creative Class success story while ignoring other emergent nations that might be just as innovative in attracting Creative Class people.