Sunday, May 02, 2004
 
More Urban Planner Pap

Once again, highly paid academic consultants decide what's good for cities: the creative class. From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on April 29:
    Yet another theory is dumping on St. Louis' ability to create jobs, bashing the region and others like it on the most unlikely of economic measures: its lack of gays and bohemians.

    It's an argument waged by author Richard Florida, and it has set off a firestorm of debate about what makes up a vibrant economy.
Easy for someone to say, but what really makes a city? Hmm, why do people come together from their scattered hovels on the steppes? It's because the city offers:
  • Protection from nature and enemies. Better police coverage, fire protection, and better medical care than the small towns or rural areas.

  • Jobs. A livelihood that does not involve slaughtering your own pigs or scratching dirt.

  • Infrastructure. Since one's not slaughtering one's one pigs, one would prefer to not have to drive into the next town to visit the bazaar. One would also like roads, commerce, schools for the children, and other amenities that one cannot find in the wilderness.

Cities do not arise, or afall, because of gays and bohemians. The "artistic" class arises from a vibrant city.

Stupid schnucking city planners and elected officials keep shoveling money to consultants who want to elevate their cool, unemployed academic bohemian friends, all the while anticipating the day when they're highly-paid consultants with with cool artistic friends.

- posted by Brian J. @ 8:15 PM
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