I remember Mr. Pitzer, my AP History teacher, telling us
about speculative history, where people would hypothesize on how things could
have gone differently. One suggestion was that if American settlement had
started on the Pacific side, there would not have been an eastward push similar
to the push westward, because the soil and growing seasons were so much more
favorable here. As it was, they did start in the East, so the dense populations
are there, with bigger lots available for less money here.
Many Portland-based comic book artists mentioned being
able to afford a house here. Low housing prices are a big part of livability,
but they are only part of it. We are also lucky to have power locally, via
dams, wind farms, and natural gas deposits. The utilities in Italy are really
high because everything is imported from other countries. I had never thought
about it before until talking with my cousins. We take it for granted.
We are also lucky from a food point of view. I'm not
really big on beef, but when I want to find some grass fed, instead of factory
lot corn fed, it's easy. There are local grown fruits and vegetables of every
kind. If it's not tropical, it grows here. That reduces transportation costs,
thus reducing the overall cost. If you get back East sometimes, take a look in
the produce section of a grocery store, and see how lucky we are.
This is not just a benefit in that someone who is willing
to prioritize creativity or social consciousness over money can still have some
quality of life here. In addition, there are more options available. If someone
wants to experiment with organic farming or beekeeping, there is the space for
it. All of those factors work together to make Portland a place where the
earnest and creative can thrive.
I think there is also something to be said for the
landscape itself. I know that you don't have to go that far to find ocean,
mountains, or desert, but I spend most of my time in the tree-covered hills,
and they probably play a role too. I feel like it is easy to connect with
nature here, and maybe that helps us connect to other people better, or to have
a better sense of our roots in the earth.
I can see how getting out in the woods or mountains could
make you feel small, but that might be good. I lean more towards the ecstatic.
Breathing fresh air and hearing bird calls cheers me. I like the energy of
downtown Portland, which has its fair share of trees anyway, but getting a
little bit away from buildings and cars is important for me to thrive.
I have never thought about rainy days making it easy to
work. It probably does help some people. However, it may be more to the point
that the rain is often light, or only sporadic, and rarely so severe that you
can't go out in it. We don't tend to have the bitter cold or the oppressive
heat that keeps people indoors. It does not matter when I go outside for a
walk; there will be other people out.
So, I think these are some of the factors that have made
it possible for Portland to foster a strong creative community, but the raw
materials are not enough. Remember, Dark Horse brought artists out here,
getting it started. Leadership is important.
Therefore, laws keeping beaches open to the public were
important. Turning the waterfront into a park was important. The Bottle Bill
was important. We can protect what we are given, and build on it, or crush it.
I saw this article recently:
Freelancers, entrepreneurs, visionaries and creative
types - you can build an environment that will suit them better. This is frequently
better for the general population, because a lot of it is grounded in quality
of life. Typically, it does not happen by accident. Someone needs to have good
ideas, and implement them.
It also stands to reason that these things could be lost.
Tomorrow will be more about that.
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