Assignment 1-2

The homeless in Boulder are both unique and misunderstood.  Their values are skewed from the norms society has placed.  “According to Florida, there are two layers to the creative class,” none of which the homeless contribute towards. Florida makes it clear that he is not using the term class in a derogatory way, but it is rather a way to understand the emergent socio-economic class, that throughout history has led to progress.  While the homeless in Boulder do not fall under the “Super-Creative Core” or the “Creative Professions” layer, they are both a contradiction to the Creative Class and a representation of the inequity in todays Creative Class.  While the homeless certainly exhibit a form of individuality and diversity, both which are values of the creative class, their non-existent contribution to economic organizations puts them at the bottom of the meritocratic hierarchy.    Although everyone’s perspective on the homeless is subjective, they are nonetheless obvious evidence of the difficulties in obtaining meritocracy in today’s culture.  Due to the symbiotic relationship between culture, the creative class, and the landscape of cities, the homeless still contribute to society by creating volunteer work, homeless shelters, and help to reflect the openness of those in the Creative Class.  

[see picture in Assignment 1-3]