De-urbanization is something you list several times as being important and beneficial. I don’t think I agree.
In the short term at least de-urbanization is diametrically opposed to __climate progress__ -- and that may be true in the medium to long term. See for instance, stats about NYC
In the long term, urban areas have been highly productive historically—and while it is possible that tele-everything can undermine that effect, I doubt it can fully counter the productivity benefits of cities. Insofar as productivity has been critical for human welfare over longer time spans, I worry that reducing productivity by deurbanizing could have long term consequences. I suppose you could have a complicated model where partial telework allows some de-urbanizing of work, which lowers urban prices, which allows greater concentration/productivity? But at minimum it isn’t __obvious__ to me that this is a benefit.
More broadly though—I really like your list and the general thesis. Good writeup too.
De-urbanization is something you list several times as being important and beneficial. I don’t think I agree.
In the short term at least de-urbanization is diametrically opposed to __climate progress__ -- and that may be true in the medium to long term. See for instance, stats about NYC
In the long term, urban areas have been highly productive historically—and while it is possible that tele-everything can undermine that effect, I doubt it can fully counter the productivity benefits of cities. Insofar as productivity has been critical for human welfare over longer time spans, I worry that reducing productivity by deurbanizing could have long term consequences. I suppose you could have a complicated model where partial telework allows some de-urbanizing of work, which lowers urban prices, which allows greater concentration/productivity? But at minimum it isn’t __obvious__ to me that this is a benefit.
More broadly though—I really like your list and the general thesis. Good writeup too.