Cities Compete in Hipness to Attract Young

I love this article.

And while I think people who say we never disagree on anything are obviously (a) wankers and (b) not very perceptive, if anyone actually is stupid enough to believe that, now would be a good time to point out that I've never liked the phrase "creative class" and have been fairly open about that. But I don't insist that people stop using the phrase just because I don't happen to like it, or throw a hissyfit about "Team JFP" when they don't. Why? Because (a) I don't expect or even want the rest of the world to turn on a dime on my every whim, and (b) I'm not an #######.

Just saying.

I love what the article points out about age 35 and relocation. How very true.

One thing that I think articles like this do miss is the importance of JSU in all this. Let's ignore undergraduates entirely for a minute: If you can build up a base of 10,000 graduate students in a city, that does amazing things for the city's culture and establishes a stronger peer network for mobile members of the 27-35 demographic. I know that the graduate students I know from JSU make this city look a heck of a lot more appealing. What we need is more stuff you can't get anywhere else in the region. JSU already has an exciting M.A. in Oral History, and is (I believe) the only HBCU in the southeastern U.S. to have a master's program in urban planning, but a few more really innovative interdisciplinary programs could really pull people in.


Cheers,

TH

...er, one thing I think stories like this do sometimes miss is the importance of universities, not necessarily JSU specifically. And maybe now would be a good time to mention that I haven't actually read the full text yet, so that wasn't intended as a criticism of this specific article!


Cheers,

TH

Fortunately, Todd's 2003 piece didn't leave out the importance of JSU. ;-)

I don't love the phrase "creative class," either, but I like what it represents: economic progress for the city and the state, and Club JFP is doing everything we can to help on this front. ;-)

"Team JFP," ladd. Not "Club." "Team." Sheesh.

I, for one, think it's unfortunate that Florida used the word "class" because it's a difficult one to communicate at times. Other words seems a bit mushy, though. I'd prefer, perhaps the name "Creative Community" if it means pretty much the same thing...a core creative community of artists, musicians, teachers, and programmer types surrounded by a "creative community" of professionals and entrepreneurs who tend to control their own destinies and can help fund/support and buy from the core artists.

What-evvvverrrrr.

That's it. You're cooking dinner.

I think "Creative Class" is an oxymoron.

You see, I'm an engineer.



Just kidding, ya'll. As you were.

Oh, you engineers. I roomed with two (in-training) at State, so this right-brain-left-brain war is deju vu all again again.

At ease.

My closest friends are a massage therapist social worker with a love of yoga and "energy work", and an actor/director whose greatest loves are musical theather and Disney.

So...I'm hip.

Oh, the "some of my best friends are hip" excuse, huh?

Good one, Ladd. You got a laugh out of me there.

To quote one of my favorite Douglas Adams' lines...

"I'm so hip I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis"

I guess what bothers me is that there is a risk that too much of a city's resources will be aimed at people who are going to do well in life with or without the enticements this city or that may offer them. I think it's well and good for cities to court creative young professionals, but they should do so with an eye toward what this demographic can do to make life better for all the city's residents. Build luxury condos, but use the tax dollars to fund services for all, and don't just clear away poor neighborhoods to make way for the newcomers.

One good "very first" deserves another". In this case, the very first big thread ever started on the forum - this one by an urban planner named Justin Mixed Use Development Making Way in Jackson. It's informative on a lot of levels too.

You're right. Excellent thread. I'm a huge fan of all our eco-devo geeks who have posted here from the beginning. And, y'all, pat yourselves on the back. Developers tell me they have gotten ideas about catering to the "creative class" from the JFP and, especially, the discussions on these blogs. I mean, David Watkins, has lurked and sometimes posted from the beginning. That's just one example.

Good work, Team JFP.

Another great idea, from Louisville, KY:

Keep Louisville Weird.