I Choose To Fly Creative Class
I’ve been enjoying The Flight of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. This book contends that there are around 100-150M people around the world in ‘creative’ jobs who are mostly responsible for driving the engine of globalisation. Moreover the economic prospects of many countries hinges on both retaining and attracting those within this class, who […]
I’ve been enjoying The Flight of the Creative Class by Richard Florida. This book contends that there are around 100-150M people around the world in ‘creative’ jobs who are mostly responsible for driving the engine of globalisation. Moreover the economic prospects of many countries hinges on both retaining and attracting those within this class, who tend to be highly mobile.
However, the thesis isn’t just about economics, but it is also about social theory. Florida claims that to have economic growth driven by the creative class, three things are needed; technology, talent and tolerance. The last point, especially as it relates to social openness and diversity is very telling and provides the main reason why cosmopolitan cities are so attractive to the creative class (it also gives us some insight into why some non-urban contexts also attract creatives). What is also interesting to me is the emphasis Florida places on immigration policy in attracting the creative class.
When I remember back to my school days, we were discuraged from thinking about creative professions (especially art, music, film and so on), in favour of “real jobs” like manufacturing (where the prospects would not be so good now), and computing/financial services (from boom to outsourcing in one decade!). What stands out in Florida’s analysis is that the kinds of jobs that can be sustained through the transitions of globalisation tend to bethose that depend personal passion and interpersonal contact. In fact, most in the creative class opt to take lower pay, either at the start of their career, or at key changes in career in order to do what they want and to work the way they want. In my experience I have seen this time and again, whether the person is a musician, or architect, hairdresser or marketer/advertiser, artist or academic.
Human mobility is one of the cardinal issues of globalisation. However, it is all too often thought of in terms of refugees, asylum-seekers and the economic migration of the poor. All of these are important problems that require attention. However, Florida’s line of thought suggests another facet to the question of human economic mobility that also demands consideration as well. It also, to me at least, suggests some serious questions for church leaders to consider as well.
Technorati Tags: Globalisation, Cosmopolitanism , Creative Class, Richard Florida
