Why do some global cities decline in population? While boom towns like Calgary grow so rapidly?
“As Mr. Sassen explained in a 2006 Newsweek column, it is “missing the point” to ask why New York, Paris and Seoul are losing people. “In global cities where the population is falling or stagnating, from New York to Manila, there is an inflow of highly educated 20- to 35-year olds, along with an outflow of the very young and the old. What’s happening is a brutal triage; apartments that once held families now hold a single investment banker.” That makes them home to the most vibrant elements driving innovation, commerce and the arts.” [Globe and Mail] Our “value-add” is now predicated on intelligence and creativity, rather than physical labour. And technology is allowing us to do more, with less. Why does the list of global cities (see above) not correlate with most quality of life index? (See “Zurich Most Livable City in the World”) “What is clear is that human beings make all kinds of trade-offs to realize their goals – professional, personal, artistic or spiritual – and much of what
