The Glory of Cities
Apparently, now more people live in cities than in farms. Via the Freakonomics Blog, this is, according to Ed Glaeser (and I agree with his massive intellect), a Good Thing:
A central paradox of the twenty-first century is that declining communication and transportation costs have made cities more vital than ever. In the developing world, cities are the intellectual gateways between the human capital of India and China and the markets of the West. In the developed world, cities have enjoyed a remarkable resurgence over the last 25 years as the density that once made it easier to move hogsheads onto clipper ships now serves to spread knowledge in finance and new technology. Globalization and the death of distance increased the returns for being smart, and you become smart by hanging out with smart people. As such, cities remain important because they create the intellectual connections that forge human capital and spur innovation.
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Humans are a social species, and our greatest achievements are all collaborative. Cities are machines for making collaboration easier. Thus, I am delighted that our planet has become increasingly urban.
I love cities. I’m currently living in a giant, semi-rural-ish suburb with farmland five minutes from my room. I do love the green, massive trees that bury my university, especially during the fall when it all turns a spectacular gold, and I love having star-filled nights, but I also miss the bustle of people, the soaring skyscraper skylines, having friends, family, and fun in walking distance, and just the sheer energy that comes from the city.
Not to mention all the brilliant science that was happening in Boston. My department is great, but there are just so many more people in Boston doing science; there are always exciting talks to go to and new discoveries coming out just down the street. I miss that very much.
