I grew up reading Emmett Watson (a key part of Seattle’s literary history), and decided to revisit some of his writings. Currently, I’m working my way through Emmett Watson: “My Life In Print”
The ideology of this came as a counter to the relentless boosterism for growing Seattle. If you loved the city, imagine how annoying it would be to continue to hear how to “fix” what you cherish.
Now, to be fair, the global city that Seattle is today resulted from that boosterism. But there were elements of that growth mindset that were truly mindless. Growth for growth’s sake is not wise or healthy, in my view.
Change is a part of life. It’s crucial to evolve. However, I find deep value in spending time assessing:
- Who you are
- Who you want to become
- Then evaluate the opportunities which present themselves
All three are important. I can’t imagine anything more sad than “evolving” into someone you hate.
The same is true for cities, and any type of community.
“Know thyself”, a line I’ve heard bantered forth occasionally, seems apt here.
With communities, a challenge: dealing with divergent answers of those questions. Democracy can get ugly at times.
Let’s explore all of this, shall we?
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