Culture, Positive Feedback, and Collapse

University of Toronto professor Richard Florida has made quite a reputation for himself introducing the concept of the 'creative class' and its effects on prosperity within a city. As we are sympathetic to the Florida's perspective, we are concerned that since the Depression is so hard on 'creatives', it is consequently hard on society and the economy as a whole .

The bohemian side of the population tends to live a bit on the edge economically and as a recent article in the New York Times points out, the Depression has been very hard on the creative entrepreneur.

Artists are not merely entertainers, but educators as well. The arts they practice help put others into more thoughtful frames of mind. The inspiration found through the arts can help solve problems in any field.

A society in which the arts are decaying is a society in which the mental atmosphere is stagnant. As most productive work is mental and not physical, the result will be somewhat shoddy and degenerate work.

Unfortunately, the Arts are first on the chopping block whether in the household budget or the Provincial budget. Society needs the Arts to thrive, but when times get tough, the Arts get the short shrift. It is almost as if Society were consuming its seed corn by choking off the arts.