Be Creative Or Die

This is a great interview with Richard Florida - the H. John Heinz III professor of regional economic development at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh - about his recent book "The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life".

I particularly like the explanation of the three T's that drive the growth of 'creative communities' such as those found in San Francisco and Boston. See:

My theory uses the three T's: technology, talent and tolerance. You need to have a strong technology base, such as a research university and investment in technology. That alone is a necessary but not in itself sufficient condition. Second, you need to be a place that attracts and retains talent, that has the lifestyle options, the excitement, the energy, the stimulation, that talented, creative people need. And thirdly, you need to be tolerant of diversity so you can attract all sorts of people -- foreign-born people, immigrants, woman as well as men, gays as well as straights, people who look different and have different appearances.

Also ...

One of the great myths of the new economy was that people were working for money and stock options. In nearly all our interviews and focus groups, people told us they were going to these new-economy companies because of the flexibility, the challenge and the culture they offered. So I think there was this hugely mistaken idea, and I think what happened as a result of the rise and fall of the new economy is that it reset employers' expectations across the board.

Also see this : video interview with him.

I think I am going to have to buy this book ...