OneofourgreaturbanistsandoneofourgreatpublichealthexpertsjoinforcestoreckonwithhowcitiesarechanginginthefaceofexistentialthreatsthepandemichasonlyacceleratedCitiescanmakeussick.That’salwaysbeentrue--diseasesspreadmoreeasilywhenmorepeopleareclosetooneanother.AndcitieshavebeendemonizedasbreedinggroundsforviceandcrimefromSodomandGomorrahon.Butcitieshaveflourishednonethelessbecausetheyarehumanity’sgreatestinvention,indispensableenginesforcreativity,innovation,wealth,andcivilizationitself.Butcitiesnowstandatacrossroads.DuringtheglobalCOVIDcrisis,citiesgrewsilent;thenormalformsofsocializinggroundtoahalt.Howpermanentarethesechanges?Advancesintechnologymeanthatmanypeoplecanoptoutofcitylifeasneverbefore.Willthey?Areweonthebrinkofapost-urbanworld?Citylifewillsurvive,butindividualcitiesfaceterriblerisks,argueEdwardGlaeserandDavidCutler,andawaveofurbanfailurewouldbeabsolutelydisastrous.Intermsofintimacyandinspiration,nothingcanreplacewhatcitiesoffer.Butgreatcitieshavealwaysdemandedgreatmanagement,andourcurrentcrisishasexposedfearfulgapsinourcapacityforgoodgovernance.InAmerica,GlaeserandCutlerargue,deepinequitiesinhealthcareandeducationareaparticularblightonthefutureofourcities;solvingthemwillbethedifferencebetweenourcollectivegoodhealthandadownwardspiraltoamuchdarkerplace.
innovation wealth CITY INNOVATION WEALTH
