There is a new list serve that has been circulating the states that goes by the name of "The Creative Economy" . The list-serve is coming from the governor's office of my state..
I live in a rural community and welcomed the idea of a public discussion of creative economy that can bring together geographically separated people.
I have been trying to discover what the term "creative economy" actually represents and who is behind this movement. There is a book that is recurringly referrenced. It is The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida.
I don't like the title of the book. It rings of the elitism of Ayn Rand.
But, before rushing to judgement, I am trying to gain an understanding of the broader spectrum of ideas that are being considered under the banner of The Creative Economy.
I read an internet article by Richard Florida. He communicates enthusiasm but his ideas don't gell as a whole to these ears.
As I am writing this I decided to find that article but instead I came across of a reveiw of Florida's latest book. found here http://www.creativeclass.org/
In a reveiw credited to Publishers Weekly, these words scream out at me:
the loss of even a few geniuses can have tremendous impact, adding that the "overblown" economic threat posed by large nations such as China and India obscures all the little blows inflicted upon the U.S. by Canada, Scandinavia, New Zealand and other countries with more open political climates.
Has the whole country gone mad, I wonder? Of course the loss of jobs to China is a serious threat, in fact I recently heard that my state has lost more jobs to China than any other nation, and all I am hearing about is Richard Florida?!?
Are these "few geniuses" more important that the entire population of the country?
I wonder by what measure one determines the status of genius? Undoubtedly the same measure that Richard Florida uses to rate the creative index of the fifty states. That is, Richard Florida's personal preferences.
I go upstairs to comment to my octogenarian father who is engrossed in watching a session of Congress on Cspan.
Dad tells me that the government just made a deal to sell our telecommunications industry to China.
This sounds serious but I have to find out the whole story for my self before I rush to conclusions.
Father continues that Congress has just voted to elliminate credit card dept relief through bankruptcy.
And this is combined with loss of jobs and lowered income ,I think, but more to find out about for myself.
I wonder if the governor of our state is as enthralled by the philosophy of Richard Florida as are others that I am encountering. He (the governor) is schedualed to be at a forum on the creative economy in a nearby town at the end of March.
I have to find out these things before then.
