I found Florida’s work on creativity, the digital revolution, and the importance of location to be all interesting reads. When one thinks of the innovations and technological advances, many driven in the computer sciences, the notion of a smaller world comes to mind. In many ways the world is shrinking (figuratively of course). Advances in communication, specifically the cell phone, internet, and fiber-optics, have made communicating with one another exponentially simpler. Messages can be sent throughout the world and received in seconds. Hence, one would assume that being in a specific location nowadays would seem irrelevant. Florida argues otherwise.
Florida initially recants a story about a somewhat alternative, counter-culture graduating student who accepts a position in a internet start-up in Austin. The student explains his reasoning due to the many facets of Austin which cater to a young, creative individual like himself. I found the piece about Austin to be especially resonant as I have a particular fascination. Austin embodies a culturally unique, progressive and accepting atmosphere that young people crave. Even its no official slogan “keep Austin weird” gives off this same feeling. Austin is the poster child for how a small city keep foster a unique feel which attracts creative and innovative people.
In the reading, Florida develops a thesis to account for the increasing trend of urbanization, and moreover the reason cities give rise to the most innovation. In terms of factors of production, cities come at a severe disadvantage. Land, labor, and capitol all come at a steeper price in cities. So why do companies continuously choose to set up shop in major cities. Florida explains that is it the effect that results when people are clustered with other people. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts he contests. When people, especially innovators are surrounding by like-minded individuals the circulation of ideas produces an environment which is conducive to innovation.
I found it quite interesting this notion that geography still remains important. We are constantly taught that globalization and technological advances have made the world increasingly smaller and have nullified the importance of place. Yet, computers screens and voice pads can never truly replace living, breathing people. The clustering of innovative people have produced some of the greatest technological accomplishments in the past few decades. Consider Silicon Valley for one. This localizing trend has made place in some ways more important that ever.
When you consider the positive effect that people have on other people no place comes to mind more than New York City. I can think of no city whose inhabitant come from such a wide-ranging diverse backgrounds. It is also hard to imagine a city whose denizens are so completely on top of each other, whose lives are so inter-connected. The cumulative effect has continuously allowed New York to constantly reinvent itself, providing the world with innovation one after another. Yet, New York may be best described as a composite of many smaller cities. The combination between interconnectivity and localization may explain how New York maintains so many different identities, yet so many uniting forces.
