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A review by heykellyjensen
Who's Your City? How the Creative Economy Is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life by Richard Florida
3.0
I liked Bishop's "The Big Sort" way more because it was more insightful and original. This isn't interesting nor is it really brain science. Obviously, college grads want to move where there are jobs. Likewise, the reason that big cities are happy with gay/bohemian lifestyles is that they're more traditionally liberal. So, yes, liberal cities want creative people and people graduating from college with dreams flock to cities where their creativity is welcome. Those places are liberal.
That said, there's a clear bias in this book, and I think he's still misguided about where industry is growing (this was what I thought before the economy tanked, too). Yes, Austin has a lot of people with college degrees. That doesn't mean they're going to find jobs. It means they spend months and months looking and then take a job well beneath what they should be able to accomplish for the privilege of living in Austin. So, while we know that while they get a sense of happiness with place, it does NOT mean that people are going to find jobs here. Although there is the anecdote about a girl who quit a job where she was achieving success to become a hairdresser and live a happier life as a creative, it doesn't necessarily equate with the idea that people move to these "creative centers" and can't find jobs so they must instead SETTLE for whatever they can get. His thesis is a bit unsubstantiated in a lot of places. And, well, things are much different now, too. College grads have to grovel for any job at this point.
But, for people who want an easy, watered down look at the value of place in life, this book is a good introduction. Florida puts in some interesting charts and graphs, but, they're not revolutionary. Overlay one on top of the other and know even a modicum about this country, they're not revolutionary. There's a map identifying where populations have a high degree of degree-holders. Sure, there's a huge black spot in the northwest corner of Wyoming and one in the northern part of Montana. Curious? Well, those are where our national parks are, and to become employed in one, you likely need a degree. And since there are few people, obviously the percentages are high. It just makes sense without needing to even look at a map. Additionally, most of the places are in college or university towns. Let's remember, as he says, many who graduate don't leave right away, and well, it takes people with degrees to grant degrees, too.
I'd recommend Bishop's book over this one any day.
That said, there's a clear bias in this book, and I think he's still misguided about where industry is growing (this was what I thought before the economy tanked, too). Yes, Austin has a lot of people with college degrees. That doesn't mean they're going to find jobs. It means they spend months and months looking and then take a job well beneath what they should be able to accomplish for the privilege of living in Austin. So, while we know that while they get a sense of happiness with place, it does NOT mean that people are going to find jobs here. Although there is the anecdote about a girl who quit a job where she was achieving success to become a hairdresser and live a happier life as a creative, it doesn't necessarily equate with the idea that people move to these "creative centers" and can't find jobs so they must instead SETTLE for whatever they can get. His thesis is a bit unsubstantiated in a lot of places. And, well, things are much different now, too. College grads have to grovel for any job at this point.
But, for people who want an easy, watered down look at the value of place in life, this book is a good introduction. Florida puts in some interesting charts and graphs, but, they're not revolutionary. Overlay one on top of the other and know even a modicum about this country, they're not revolutionary. There's a map identifying where populations have a high degree of degree-holders. Sure, there's a huge black spot in the northwest corner of Wyoming and one in the northern part of Montana. Curious? Well, those are where our national parks are, and to become employed in one, you likely need a degree. And since there are few people, obviously the percentages are high. It just makes sense without needing to even look at a map. Additionally, most of the places are in college or university towns. Let's remember, as he says, many who graduate don't leave right away, and well, it takes people with degrees to grant degrees, too.
I'd recommend Bishop's book over this one any day.