The Creative Class : Community

Throughout this entire read I have for the most part agreed with Florida and his perspectives on how the demographics of the United States and world is changing...until I got to the fourth portion of his book: Community.  Here he specifically talked about his "adopted hometown" of Pittsburgh and how it cannot keep people in the city.  I must say, that being from Pittsburgh myself - I know that that is not true.  And it is especially not true post-recession.  While I realize that this book was published many years ago, I do know that now Pittsburgh is an incredibly thriving city that is actually attracting more and more young people every year.  His claim that people do not stay in Pittsburgh is not true at all.  The majority of my high school did not want to leave the Pittsburgh area, even when it came to colleges because of the amount of resources that were available.  From the nightlife, to the sporting events, to the cultural district, to the central location - Pittsburgh has exactly what Florida claims the Creative Class wants in a living community.  His blanket statement about my hometown made me rethink the validity of the rest of his claims.  Carnegie Mellon, the college where Florida teaches and does his research, is a very eclectic community, so it surprises me that he would propose to say that people from CMU are looking elsewhere to live.  CMU is a very diverse campus in terms of interests and specialties.  The university is known for their top-notch theater students and their high-tech computer science programs.  Both of these industries call for the students to naturally migrate elsewhere in the country - New York City, LA, and Silicon Valley - where the entertainment and technology industries are thriving.  This simple analysis makes me think Florida made a slight generalization about certain cities that have a "hard time attracting the young creative class".

Maybe at the time of this publishing Pittsburgh was a different place in terms of the workforce and the community, but I know for a matter of fact that is not the case today.  I also know that I would be going back to Pittsburgh if I hadn't already been from there to begin with.  As a almost-grad, I want to see a little bit more of the world before I settle down anywhere.  But I do have friends that have moved to Pittsburgh or lived in Pittsburgh for some time post-graduation, and each person said how much they fell in love with the city.  They have been developing and really cultivating the cultural and nightlife scene in Pittsburgh, making the South Side (which is right outside Downtown) the hip, diverse, interesting place the creative class would flock towards.

I also didn't agree with Florida's claim that people don't "slavishly" go to where the job is.  Since the recession, young people are happy just to have a job.  Obviously the crash didn't happen when this book came out, but I do think that a lot of people go to where the best job is.  I know very few people that would actually decide not to take a job because its location wasn't stimulating.  For me even, I am going to one of those "stimulating" places post-graduation, New York City, and if I had a choice - I would move down South.  But I didn't have a choice, so I am going where the best job is that will advance my career.  Never did I think about if the culture was going to be stimulating and challenging to my creativity.

I think times have changed a lot since the publishing of this book, and while most of the information in the book may hold true - this section didn't really stand the test of time.  I would be interested to read what Florida has to say about the Creative Class post-recession.

Banana Factory!

Over the weekend I went and observed the beautiful exhibits at the Banana Factory.  Having only been in the Factory once, I was overtaken by the wealth of resources and opportunity this facility has.  Out of all of the exhibits that lined the halls and graced the floors, I enjoyed the Banko Family Room Gallery on the first floor the best.  This gallery showcased local artists, many of them still in high school.  Needless to say, I was extremely impressed by the work and the talent in the area. 

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with people.  I have always loved to look at paintings, drawings, and photography that display people.  I find that people are so unique and I love to see what beauty the artist brings out in the person.  When I was in London this summer, I spent hours in the Victoria and Albert museum just contemplatively studying the handiwork of the artists of the time.  I love to see what they look like, think about what the subjects might have felt, and examine their clothing (or lack of) choices from the time period.  This exhibit focused heavily on people, especially portraits.  And not only were they just beautiful drawings or paintings of silhouettes or facial features, but they were creatively constructed – complete with textures and innovative color patterns. 

I truly admire many of the paintings in the exhibit, for that is a medium I have never been able to try and come up with something decent.  I think understanding color is such a magnificent gift, and I wish that I had it.  Out of all of the artwork it would hard to pick just one to be my favorite – but if I had to pick, I would have to say that my favorite would be Candice Carroll’s Retrospect.  It is a beautifully large painting of a girl with large eyes and a blonde bob.  I loved the soft colors she used and the vibrant expression of the woman she painted.  According to the exhibit she is a graduate of the Visual Arts Department, and her age is not listed.  However, I think that her painting is magnificent and really captured my attention upon walking in.  I also liked the painting entitled My Sketchbook, which is featured on the brochure for the exhibit.  I love the creativity in the piece and how it provides insight to her sketchbook.  It reminded me a lot of Gulliver’s Travels with all of the “little people”.  Not to mention, I really loved the brushstrokes she used which really helped bring the painting to life.

Overall, my experience at the Banana Factory was relaxing and extremely enjoyable.  I wish I had more time to partake in some of these classes.  I’d love to get my creative juices flowing in this way!   I can really see how this institution is such an asset to the SouthSide and how it clearly adds to the overall culture of Bethlehem.

Life & Leisure of the Creative Class

Florida uses this portion of his book to delve into how our society has changed their perception of leisure time.  He speaks to new activities that have become pastimes for the creative class.  Among some of the activities that he points out as being new age in terms of leisure is physical activity like adventurous sports or running or biking.  No longer are people only interested in the uppity organized sports and "ostentatious time-killing activities" like golf.  Leisure activity is actually for leisure, and the creative class is partaking in it because they enjoy it.  Rather in the past, Florida seems to insinuate, that people partook in activities for social gain and other motives.  I would have to agree with Florida that people in today's culture are more likely to find what they like to do and embrace it.  I really liked his example of running and how in the past middle-aged men would not be caught dead exercising in public.  My how the times have changed.  It is interesting because more often than not today we find that unique activities and interests are valued characteristics.  We are often drawn to people who have a flair for the dramatic and are not afraid to be themselves.  In that, accompanies unique leisure activities.  It opens our own creativity and prompts us to be more interesting people.  What we consider free time has also expanded, according some of the statistics Florida presented.  In 1965, people had an average of 35 hours of free time, where in 1995 - we increased that to 41 hours per week.  That seems like an awful lot for a workaholic society.  This leads me to believe that we are in fact meshing the two together - believing that some of the work we do is actually so enjoyable, we categorize it as "free time".

Our culture has become one that expects to be in awe and entertained with everything we do.  The internet has provided us with a wealth of creativity and an open communication amongst people in the world who display their creativity via blogs or the like.  Florida says, "There is much that seems good about living a quest for experience...'You can't just enjoy a ballgame; you have to go to a state-of-the-art $500mm stadium for a multimedia circus that distracts you from the very game you paid to see.'"  This is so true and resonates with me in regards to my generation.  We are numb to the amazing feats humans have been able to create.  And in the process, we are no longer impressed with anything - even come to expect the impossibly imaginative.  We are complacent and care more about the bells and whistles that make something "interesting" than caring actually about the simplistic things in life.  Our minds are constantly battling with information overload and we are always wanting more - doing more. It makes me wonder where can our culture go from here?  In a world we are already so advanced in so many ways and have access to so much information - it scares me to think what is possible in the future!

The Creative Age - Part Two

I especially liked this section of Florida's book because it talked about how work environment has so drastically changed over the past thirty years.  The way in which we conduct commerce, communicate with one another, and understand and value creative business has led to a slew of environmental factors that contribute an employees work experience.  Employees are demanding and expecting employers to provide them with perks and benefits that are not the norm in the prior corporate America.  Benefits like flexible work time, fun office campuses, and paid maternity leave are all examples as to how corporations are trying to entice employees to come work for them.  Employees are also looking for more responsibility and autonomy in the workplace where they can take ownership and be trusted with their own projects.  They look for companies who encourage and foster workers extracurricular activities, because the idea is that that creativity will actually channel into the workplace and will in essence further push innovation for the company.  People want to be intellectually stimulated, appreciated by their peers and bosses, and want to have the opportunity to have a work-life balance.  And when it comes down to it - they want to like what they do and have a passion to succeed, instead of the mundane world of the 9 to 5 job that we have so been accustomed to in the past.

I think Florida's view and observation of the new workplace is something that I need to think about as I enter into the workforce.  The following questions were really brought to my attention as I continued to read Part Two:

- Will my employer challenge me and not expect only me, the new hire, to do mundane tasks?
- Can I grow here?
- What benefits will I have that will make me want to spend more time in the workplace?  What will make me appreciate the company that I work for?
- What will the environment be like?  Will it be visually stimulated?
- Will my health be taken into consideration?  Will my employer insist that I eat healthier and exercise?
- When I want to have a family, will they let me spend those critical first couple of months with my children?
- Will I have a work/life balance?
- Will I feel like I am providing a benefit to the greater company and to our customers?  Is my job value add?

All of these questions really, I think, stem from me being a member of that creative class.  I want my job to have an entrepreneurial feeling to it.  I want the opportunity to really take control of a project, see it come to fruition, and reap the benefits of a job well done.  Compensation isn't the number one motivating factor anymore as our society is realizing more and more that money can't buy happiness.  What we value is more time with our families, having fun, and enjoying the people we work with.  Gone are the days when the employers can just abuse their employees with insane hours with little compensation - the employees demand more.  And rightfully so.  If done in the right way, a company who adopts a creative mentality in regards to their human resources really has the capability to speed ahead of their competition.  Take Google and Apple for instance.  They have really perfected their products and are constantly one step ahead in terms of innovation. Who do they have to thank for that?  Their employees who enjoy what they do and enjoy where they work, who they work with, and what projects they work on.  In both organizations an entrepreneurial mindset is essential and truly helps catapult these companies to the forefront.

Overall,  I really enjoyed this second part of the book more than the first.  It was more applicable to my life and saw a lot of these new age employment ideas as necessary for advancement in capitalistic America.

First Friday

As consumer America has grown and developed, mom and pop stores have had to struggle to compete with huge conglomerates like Walmart, large grocery store chains, and malls.  The convenience and vast selection of merchandise these larger companies offer to customers has made the customers rethink how valuable small businesses are.  These large companies have the benefit of economies of scale and the ability to have lower price points.  In order to get more people in their stores, small businesses are banding together with other small businesses to help stimulate their economy and compete with the big box retailers. These small businesses provide unique products and shopping experiences that have value to many customers - but the problem is the customer doesn't know that the companies exist or that they provide something unique.

This is how First Friday was born on the SouthSide.  Every month the businesses get together and create promotions and provide entertainment to lure customers into their stores.  I loved hearing from the business owner of Cleo's and his perspective on why First Friday is important, even essential to their business and getting their name out there.  It is a great opportunity for local people to get to know and support the local businesses who make their community a better place to live.  My experience with First Friday has been quite enjoyable and introduced me to many new opportunities and companies right down the street where I live.  I've discovered new restaurants through First Friday and became a loyal customer to select establishments.  The promotions offered entice me further to see what cool new products are available at Apotheca, Home & Planet, and the like.

What I found most interesting with the community members who are involved with First Friday is that they have been trying to cater to Lehigh students for years but have been unsuccessful in capturing their attention.  I can understand how this has been a huge problem and I was contemplating ways to fix it.  Unfortunately the Lehigh population is incredibly apathetic about and uninterested in the SouthSide and all the culture it offers.  It disheartens me to know that these businesses have really tried to reach out to the Lehigh population, but just can't seem to penetrate.  I also found it interesting that a large barrier for communication between the students and the businesses is the University itself.  As an institution, they should be promoting the local business and economy, because as they prosper the University will become more attractive to incoming students.

Overall,  I feel as though First Friday is a fantastic program that really helps the community get to know and support their local business owners.  That culture is priceless and other small cities should take note from Bethlehem's efforts to engage their community and promote their local economy.  If more cities tried to instill this type of programing, the small business owner would have more of a chance when competing with the bigger chain companies!

In Motion with Poetry

This past Saturday night I was pleasantly surprised by Marc Bamuthi Joseph's performance.  You see, I am not much of a poetry reader, and don't generally enjoy eclectic art forms.  And to be perfectly honest, I wasn't too thrilled about spending my Saturday evening at this Zoellner event.  But when the performance started, I quickly changed my mind - engaged and entranced by the man before me and what he had to say.

Joseph has an extraordinary ability to catch his audience's attention, and keep their rapture throughout the entirety of his performance.  His passion and mastery of the English language showcases this novel art form and how it can change people's perceptions of the world.  He speaks from personal experience, which helps the audience connect on a deeper level with the artist, making them feel as though they are a part of his vision and world.  Personally, I was touched by his stories and how he told them.  Specifically, the story about tap dancing for his father was such a magnificent analogy and light into his culture and life.  His diction matched with his choice for movement really told a story.  Not to mention, his physical capabilities were incredibly impressive - showing great strength, mastery, and careful articulation.  While I normally enjoy more traditional dance (ballet, jazz, and tap), I understood the purpose of his meticulously selected movements.  He made me believe in his dance.

A stage performer for the majority of my life, I appreciated his use of the stage and expressive nature.  He traversed the entirety of the platform, even entering into the auditorium.  He made a bare stage seem filled.  While I'm normally used to full-on productions with scenery and costumes, his minimal approach let the art form really shine. With no costume and only a few lighting effects, he made you focus on what he was saying - transporting you away to his world. He knew how to effect his audience - making them laugh, cry, say "aha!", and even sing.  For an hour long performance, he was able to touch my heart and open my eyes to a new type of art.

I see now why we were asked to come to this performance.  As we discussed in class, art is all-encompassing and is often up to interpretation and perception of the master artist.  Marc Bamuthi Joseph clearly is the Lord of the Poetry Dance, and I see how art like his can add to our society and possibly even change lives.

The Creative Age

The Rise of the Creative Class Part One discusses the writer, Richard Florida's, perception of how the workplace has changed in the past century and how we as a culture have reacted to the subtle day to day changes.  He gives a calculated understanding of the social and demographic changes and how they relate back to economic prosperity and growth.  In my opinion, he has made some great points about the future of our workplace and how we are adapting to become a more creative society.

In this portion of the book, Florida talks about how we have shifted to a society of a Creative Class divided into two parts: the Super Creative Core and Creative Professionals.  This class, he claims encompasses 30% of our American workforce, which is a large portion of the employed demographic.  Looking at his findings, I have concluded that there has in fact been a significant shift in the workforce that emphasizes the importance of creativity in the workplace.  From my own personal experience, I see the importance of thinking creatively to solve problems.  I see how crucial it is to have diversity in the workplace - not just for "political correctness" - but in fact to stay competitive in the marketplace.  The more different types of people - genders, races, religions, etc. - the more likely a company will be able to creatively think about ways to solve problems.  Long gone are the days when one particular task defines a person's career and no longer are people staying with the same company for their lifetime.  A new age has dawned on this country where new ventures are encouraged and personal development is at the forefront of every person's career path.

I think that Florida's prediction and understanding of the future is stated quite eloquently on the last page of Part One:
"We live differently and pursue new lifestyles because we see ourselves as a new kind of person.  We are more tolerant and more liberal both because our material conditions allow it and because the new Creative Age tells us to be so.  A new social class, in short, has risen to a position of dominance in the last two decades, and this shift has fundamentally transformed our economy and society."

I really like what he says in the passage.  We truly have seen a transformation, even in the short time that I have been on this earth in terms of what is acceptable and what is expected.  Professionals are thinking outside the box and more things are becoming socially acceptable.  If you simply look at the way in which the Internet has changed buyer behavior and the whole shopping experience, you can see how this creative element Florida speaks of has leaked into our daily lives.  As Americans, especially, we don't accept that work and personal life have to be separate.  Rather, we see work as an opportunity to turn into a personal passion - in fact, many start up companies morph out of a muse or passion.  We regard our happiness to involve having more active time to ourselves and with our families.  We have become a society of people who yes work a lot, but also think that we deserve more leisure time.  In that, we have begun to create an economy focused around our passions and happiness.  Florida really shows us in his passages that this type of class that has begun to emerge will develop and transform us even more.

I look forward to reading more of this book and seeing his perspectives on where we are going next!