The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday...

The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life | Richard Florida | Transforming a city, one artist at a time

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The Rise of the Cr...

	The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life Richard Florida Basic Books, 2003 - 434 pages average customer review:based on 62 reviews view larger image
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Amazing - a great reference towards America's future

If you want to understand why America's economy is strong, and what the future holds for us, then this is the book for you!!!

Dr Richard Florida outlines class="textlinks">how the 3 T's (technology, tolerance, talent) all lead to super charged economic landscapes

What I appreciate most though is that Richard Florida is able to discuss how tolerance, diversity, and open immigration all effect our economy in highly positive ways, not just through the arena of a discussion, but with actual economic figures and scales

Lastly, his discussion over why we should have tolerance for Gays, based upon positive economic figures, is an amazing point, that few would have thought of

What more can I say? This book effectively addresses social changes and the economic landscape of America, without even taking political sides

Bravo Dr Florida!!!!!!!

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Transforming a city, one artist at a time

Richard Florida has effectively linked the concepts of a lively arts community and economic development. He sclass="textlinks">hows with a great deal of statistics, that those cities with the greatest percentage of artists also have the greatest rates of economic growth. He attributes this to the creative class looking for a community in which they find an active arts community, a lively street environment, diversity and tolerance. These above average earners then move to those community that offers these assets and the opportunity to participate in outdoor activities. Only then do they look for a job.
This book is not a blueprint for the redevelopment of a city but it is a good guidepost to determine the direction.

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The Importance of Place

I highly recommend this book. As a professional who cares deeply about the survival of his own urban area, I found this book an indispensable and provocative read. I do have some reservations (below), but, nonetheless, recommend this book to anyone who cares about the future of cities. More detailed review follows.

Richard Florida's class="textlinks">Rise of the Creative Class tells two stories. First, Florida tells the story of an emergent social class comprised of people engaged creatively in the workplace. Because creativity qua capital is the most critical resource in the new economy - as opposed to more traditional sources of capital such as land and natural resources - the "creative class" wields considerable influence in transforming societal norms. The societal transformations ushered in by the creative class are, in fact, means to further nurture and support creativity. Everything from a looser dress code to the postponement of marriage and family can be viewed as reflections of the needs and wants of people actively engaged in creative pursuits.

After detailing this emergent class - and identifying this class as the vanguard of economic growth in the 21st century - Florida instructs regions on how best to attract and maintain the creative class. Cities and regions would do well, Florida insists, on accommodating the needs and wants of the creative class. Places that offer a diverse array of authentic experiences and a tolerant attitude toward different lifestyles will excel in attracting creative workers. Inherent in this argument is that place - more than ever - is the key determinant in fomenting creativity, and, by association, economic growth.

In the first part of the book, where he expounds upon the makeup of the creative class, Florida pulls together a great amount of scholarship from many different disciplines on economic and societal change. This, in itself, is impressive and the book serves as an indispensable repository for the current academic discourse on societal transformation in the post-industrial, post-modernist world. More importantly, Florida gives creative workers much needed attention and recognition. More than just a fringe group of R&D specialists and street performers, Florida convincingly argues that creative workers are the economic leaders and accurate barometers for social change. Although his definition of creative worker might be a bit expansive (30 percent of the workforce), this does not diminish the argument that these workers have influence far beyond what many recognize.

The Rise of the Creative Class is strongest, however, when Florida is on more familiar ground; that is, when Florida, the regional economist, can expound upon the importance of place in attracting and nurturing creative talent. Much of his discussion in this section revolves around the importance "Three T's"- Technology, Talent and Tolerance. Cities with a robust combination of these factors are leading creative centers. Florida's thesis is buttressed by his own rigorous statistical analysis as well as statistical analysis of others based on Florida's observations.

A couple notes of criticism and caution. First, Florida's economic history discussion - all of economic history is a means to harness creativity - is unwieldy and an unnecessary whitewash. This discussion slows the trajectory of his argument and it could be argued that this condensed historical discussion cuts against his general argument that this is a period of singular economic and social change. Also, Florida shifts the focus from city to region a bit too freely. Florida is clear that a vital urban core is a necessary component to a region's attractiveness to the creative class; however, the book falls short of a serious discussion about the critical relationship between core and suburbs. Reading this book with an eye to rejuvenate the urban core, I felt a greater recognition of the struggle for resources between the core and the suburbs was necessary - especially in resource-poor regions. Too often, Florida assumes a natural symbiosis between the two.

That said the book is a must-read for those who care about the future of their cities and regions. The book is certainly provocative and Florida never pulls punches - he even goes after the vaunted Robert Putnam. Although briefly acknowledging the pitfalls of the creative class's social influence, I think it is safe too say that Florida is a cheerleader for the social changes ushered in by the creative class. I'm much less sanguine. The lifestyle demanded by the creative economy - the blurring of work and personal space and the diminished focus on family - could be the creative class's undoing.

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Unique in many ways-will startle you with all the facts and statistics

The book is a unique attempt to explain regional economic development on the basis of unconventional measures such as the % of gays in the population, the % of foreign-born residents in the population and the % of the population engaged in creative occupations. The surprising part is that all of these factors mentioned above seem to explain regional economic development very well and much better than other more conventional measures such as the social capital in the community. Thus on the basis of his findings and research, the author makes the point that for cities to grow, they should be looking not just at what their business climate is but also at what their people climate is: do people from varied backgrounds feel comfortable in settling down in the community and calling it their home? Furthermore, the statistics presented conclude that while several regions in the Northeast and the West coast have been doing good on these measures, there are large stretches in the Midwest and the South that are being left out and he mentions that they have the risk of being relegated to the pages of history if they do not take corrective action in that regard. I personally did not agree with all of what was said in the book and also felt that the book reflects some of the euphoria about creativity that followed in the wake of the stock market boom (such a book would have been unlikely in more sane times of 2005) but nevertheless am not able to refute the statistical evidence that the author presents. Also by having spoken to people of my generation, I realize that some of the ways in which the author states people making decisions about where to move are indeed true and I can attest people saying that it is more "cool" and "hip" to be in Seattle or SF rather than being in Detroit or Gary. All in all, a very different book for me because the explanations which the author offers in the context of varying regional development are different from anything I have read or heard in the past. Recommended read for those interested in the question of regional economic development and what communities must do to stimulate the same.

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If you buy into the premise you may need to think again

Creativity, innovation, and the future are all three topics that generate tremendous interest and angst. Florida's book is a good look at the issue of creativity, economic growth and personal advancement. The arguement that creative people will increasingly garner a greater share of the economic pie in a world of commoditization is appealing. And that is its problem.

Individually, each of us believes that we are bright, whitty, interesting and very creative. Each believes that we should garner part of the value and live the class="textlinks">life of the creative class.

Unforutnatley few of us are that interesting or really that creative. And here Florida's book appeals to the Narcissist in all of us. The book adopts a real elitest tone separating between the creative and the mindless prouls. If you follow his conclusions you find a world competing for attention -- like reality shows on TV. Wait, maybe Florida is right and I am just not creative enough to see it.

This is a good book to understand the trends shaping the economy and our personal life

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