DC becoming intellectual hub of US? (Washington: real estate, neighborhood, theatres)

[Bluefly]

People might vehemently disagree with me, but I want to throw a theory out here and see what you think - could it be that the intellectual capital of the US (defined by the center from which new ideas and philosophies emerge and can be most easily integrated into the national psyche) which once emerged in Boston in the nineteenth century, then shifted to New York in the twentieth century, now might be shifting to DC in the twenty-first?

Ironically, this may be due to some degree to the current Republican administration - so it might not last. In the 90s, government became this superfluous extra to our lives as we went about our days in peace and a booming economy and frittered over tabloid scandels. Today, for a variety of reasons within and beyond anyone's control, government has become the focal point of all of our problems and hopes. The massive amount of federal money pumped into the regional economy over the past 8 years has skyrocketed the DC area to commandeer 11 of the top 25 wealthiest counties in the country - including the 3 wealthiest.

On top of those momentary situations, however, as we emerge into a global civilization there is no other city in the US that trades more directly per capita in the market of big, earth-shaking global ideas than DC. The ideas that are just bantied about by celebrities in LA or financiers in NY are implemented into direct action in DC. All this taken with the recent immense surge in quality of life in the region that has drawn an incredible amount of artists, writers, theatres, and other cultural amenities and people of all stripes, it's becoming far more than just the staid government town it once was. NY obviously would not relinquish this crown casually, but looking as objectively as possible it just seems in this day and age the intellectual ideas flow from or at least to DC before they are processed out to the world.

I don't know - just a hunch. I might be wrong. What do you think?

[McOctopus]

I think it is a good theory. I think a good chunk of the reason are all the think tanks that have sprung up here in the last 30 years--whether on the left (Brookings, Center for American Progress) or the right (American Enterprise Institute, Heritage). Many of the neoconservatives, whose movement started in NYC, moved to NoVA (whether that's a good thing is another matter). If you are interested in ideas, and particularly making sure those ideas are relevant, where do you go? At one time it was universities, so Boston became a hub. Then it became more important to be located where the publishing capital was (NYC), and dozens of magazines and journals were spawned there. Both universities and traditional publishing have declined in influence. Think Tanks, located right where policy is made (DC), have taken their place. Add to the mix all the advocacy groups, the international groups (the World Bank, the IMF) and government and you have an interesting mix. DC has the highest percentage of people with advanced degrees (21% of those over 25, see Real Estate Blog - It’s the Smart Move: Greater Washington D.C. has the Most Educated Populace in the Country), followed by Seattle at 19% and SF at 18.5%. This source (American British Business 2006/7) says Washington has more high-tech companies and employees than any other region, and is now the nation's 4th largest economy.

[Bluefly]

I think you make an important distinction - DC isn't a hub of "liberal" ideas or "conservative" ideas - as one could argue NY, Seattle, Boston, or LA might be. Whether they're good ideas or bad, it's become a place where ideas across the political spectrum grow - even if they started in Colorado or California or Kansas. I guess that's what I sense there.

[tlawford]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

People might vehemently disagree with me, but I want to throw a theory out here and see what you think - could it be that the intellectual capital of the US (defined by the center from which new ideas and philosophies emerge and can be most easily integrated into the national psyche) which once emerged in Boston in the nineteenth century, then shifted to New York in the twentieth century, now might be shifting to DC in the twenty-first?

Ironically, this may be due to some degree to the current Republican administration - so it might not last. In the 90s, government became this superfluous extra to our lives as we went about our days in peace and a booming economy and frittered over tabloid scandels. Today, for a variety of reasons within and beyond anyone's control, government has become the focal point of all of our problems and hopes. The massive amount of federal money pumped into the regional economy over the past 8 years has skyrocketed the DC area to commandeer 11 of the top 25 wealthiest counties in the country - including the 3 wealthiest.

On top of those momentary situations, however, as we emerge into a global civilization there is no other city in the US that trades more directly per capita in the market of big, earth-shaking global ideas than DC. The ideas that are just bantied about by celebrities in LA or financiers in NY are implemented into direct action in DC. All this taken with the recent immense surge in quality of life in the region that has drawn an incredible amount of artists, writers, theatres, and other cultural amenities and people of all stripes, it's becoming far more than just the staid government town it once was. NY obviously would not relinquish this crown casually, but looking as objectively as possible it just seems in this day and age the intellectual ideas flow from or at least to DC before they are processed out to the world.

I don't know - just a hunch. I might be wrong. What do you think?

I had never thought about that, but you might be onto something. Lots of think tanks in DC and the Sunday AM TV is filled with the thoughts of "The Chattering Class" journalists, pundits. Re you comments on Boston and NY. Several years ago a letter to the NEJM by a Boston Brahmin MD gushed that Boston was overflowing with culture (I thought so myself when I was at MIT in 61). The letter was answered rather crisply and curtly by a jealous NY MD who said "May I suggest that the reason Boston is 'overflowing' with culture is the shallow vessel in which it is contained." :-)

[JiminCT]

DC is an intellectual self-congratulating vaccum, filled with media people and others who somehow believe that their ideas and thoughts are somehow relevant to areas outside of Washington. Tucker Carlson and Mark Shields are typical of these people....

As far as artists flocking to washington. DC is becoming more sanitary by the day...similar to the gentrification in Manhattan that is sucking its very soul out to Brooklyn. See Dupont Circle for an example of what I mean...compare it 25 years ago to now.

[vanyali]

I kind of agree with JiminCT. I think a place needs to attract some artists and fiction writers to really become an intellectual hub. Much of the population will only consume ideas packaged in art. That's not to say that straight idea-books aren't important too, but I think they have the most lasting impact when they're tied to movements that also have an artistic component.

[Bluefly]

JiminCT - I think every post I've read of yours you've mentioned the downfall of Dupont Circle from your perspective. You must have really identified with the neighborhood then.

I think many people would argue that Dupont has improved - there's a lot of international nightlife in the area, great bookstores, organic groceries... it's debatable whether Dupont was better when it was a sketchy urban frontier.

Anyway, an intellectual city isn't necessarily defined by artists in sketchy frontiers. It's defined by ideas. I agree that artists can help foster ideas, but at its root the more institutionalized think tanks and non-profits are trading in the realm of big ideas that impact that world, whereas art is not necessarily doing the same.

[McOctopus]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Anyway, an intellectual city isn't necessarily defined by artists in sketchy frontiers. It's defined by ideas. I agree that artists can help foster ideas, but at its root the more institutionalized think tanks and non-profits are trading in the realm of big ideas that impact that world, whereas art is not necessarily doing the same.

More than that, I think an intellectual hub can be defined by the intersection of ideas. The confluence of both people from all over the world as well as the political spectrum mean that there will continue to be a lively debate of ideas here into the future. I agree that to some degree you need arts and culture as well, but a key point is access to arts and culture. I can see movies from Asia at the Freer, a new exhibit of art at the Hirschhorn, go to a free concert at the Kennedy Center, attend an embassy event as well as attend a dozen discussions on policy at a dozen different think tanks (many with lunch)--and all for free. I could never do that in New York, where everything has its price. What we miss, and what is harder to foster, is the underground culture and arts scene which seems to thrive much more easily in other cities (even Baltimore) than D.C.

[vanyali]

Well, this is great to know, and I hope it's true!