27 April 2006

Monoculture or creative environments?

  • Usurp creative suburbs and convert them into commercializable Mc Mansion-land
  • Privatise public resources to subsidise unsustainable forms of living.
  • Dysfunctional and out-moded forms of social reproduction
Young, creative, artistic and intellectual parts of a city develop an ambience with time that many others often wish to travel to or join in. In Sydney many of these places fall like dominos when the monoculture of families descend on them. The producers of that urban flair are forced to move out, Mc Mansions are erected and the self-sameness of iconic bland-burbia creeps in. After the right price is achieved for the real estate and the waste land no longer offers the right 'life style' it is time to seek new frontiers and 'get away from it all'.

The suppression of the creative class is actively encouraged by government subsidies ($2.4 billion a year) to the mainstream model. Decision-makers of bygone eras encourage temples of consumerism, theme-parks, the same asphalt parking lots, the same chain stores, the same chain restaurants, the same clogged highways, the same family dwellings from one tip of Australia to the other. The image of infinite opportunity is zealously cultivated. Consuming 3 - 5 worlds' resources is the footprint to have. Water & petrol are not an issue. The rapid rise of single people constituting the bulk of households is not a planning matter. Lip service is paid to encourage 'our young and innovative'.

Manly is undergoing such a transition. The average family tends to 3-4 children, 1-2 dogs & 3-4 cars-family. The breadwinners, dressed up as penguins are delivered at Manly wharf 'plaza' by mum's hummer. Kids & dogs go to day-care. Then the cafes are humming with 'motherhood & meat-pie, blah-blah'. The beach pram parade is congested with kids immobilised, when they could develop their bodies too. At the end of the day it is time to rev the tractor to the 'wish -I -could- live- in Bali- Tuscany- NY etc-house'. Then the new house-extension plans are discussed…


"Talented people seek an environment open to differences. They favor active, participatory recreation over passive, institutionalised forms. They prefer indigenous street-level culture---a teeming blend of cafes, sidewalk musicians, and small galleries and bistros, where it is hard to draw the line between performers and spectators. They crave stimulation, not escape.."
Diversity flourishes best in an authentic and unique environment. The dominant mono-culture rejects people making conscious decisions about their life and not accepting the pre-trodden paths of tradition. Innovation, creativity and productivity will migrate with these individuals to where there are inclusive and diverse human habitats.
Inspired by Richard Florida,The Rise of The Creative Class
Theories of 'gentrification'
Understanding gentrification

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This post pretty much sums up why i now live in Europe.

Manly just isn't what it used to be.