“Where I grew up, we were
conditioned to play the roles that we were dealt. We were not encouraged to
create and build our visions, but rather to fit into the visions of a select
few. I like to say that we were institutionalized individuals- because
institutions defined our lives.” (pg.23)
Florida referred
to this quote from an interview he conducted as chilling and I couldn’t agree
more. To be in a society where your own vision is not respected and you are “conditioned”
to play the roles that you were dealt sounds like a society that is
underdeveloped and clearly not progressive. Just from being present in my
creative entrepreneurship class I have become aware of all of the job opportunities,
community events, etc that have been established just because of the young
visions of a few talented people that took the time and found the resources to
execute what was once an vision in the distance and create a business or organization.
For example, there are two young men within the Bethlehem community that genuinely
enjoy making others laugh. Together the two of them have established their own
stand up comedy act at the steel stacks as well as an weekly stand up comedy
show at a local restaurant, brew works. Here, not only can customers enjoy the
jokes of the two men that run it but they are also invited to share their own
through an open mic opportunity. This example alone brings to light the danger
of not allowing individuals to express themselves through their own visions. Imagine
if everyone was meant to join the masses in the search for corporate jobs, “wall
street”, etc. and do what they thought they were meant to do based on stereotypical
judgments that have unfortunately infected our society- we would have a society
that had 0 culture. Bethlehem itself is a perfect example of a community that
was personally destructed due to this narrow minded viewpoint. Bethlehem used
to be the home to a famous steel industry and a majority if not all of the
people living here used to work for it or have some sort of roll within the
factory. Consequently, when the factory went belly up so did the city- with
people losing jobs, no job opportunities, resources, etc Bethlehem became a
city that is today poverty stricken. If it were not for the creative entrepreneurs
of Bethlehem then the city as a whole would have nothing but Lehigh University.
It is because events like first Fridays, stores such as the skate shop, and
galleries like the Banana Factory, that Bethlehem is still a place on the map! It
is because of all the for-mentioned and more that Bethlehem is a city that is
considered an up-in-coming renaissance that is slowly progressing!
Perhaps the point is closer to self-identity. When you introduce yourself to a stranger, do you always use the same words? Could it be that your self-description change when you are talking to different people? For instance, how do you describe yourself to another Lehigh alum (20 years+) or to a local citizen who is the same age as you?
ReplyDeleteFlorida is talking about how people identify themselves. And how that self-definition is changing. Cities are doing that as well, as our culture and our present time reflect on who and what we were, and where we are poised or aspire to go.