Nicheburg

Many commentators have mentioned reasons for the future rise of cities. The dense population clusters are actually more energy efficient than suburbs that rely on long commutes and dispersed power grids. An economy based on creativity rather than industry or agriculture encourages creative clusters. Cities are now better managed and more appropriately planned to encourage hospitable, mixed-use growth. Policing techniques have improved to make cities safer. And on and on.

In this post, Thomas P.M. Barnett discusses another benefit of cities in the current age -- the way cities closely resemble Wikipedia in their dynamic, tolerant diversity:

Wikipedia is the closest online dynamic to the rise of a real-world city, full of "neighborhoods" and winding streets, etc. Cities are natural meeting places; that's how they form and grow in the first place. Their utility in this function goes hand in hand with their resilience: if the latter fails, then the former disappears, but in general the growth of cities reflects their desirability in this regard (i.e., good results come from getting together there and intermingling). It's the neutral point of view that defines Wikipedia and any good city: accepting all comers with a view to cross-pollinating possibilities.

I'd like to add another aspect of cities that closely mirrors aspects of the Internet -- cities cater to a population that is used to having its niche itch satisfied. The personalization of society allowed by the Internet allows us to develop our own personal niche choices and tastes. We can read blogs all day about sushi making techniques, read about every My Morning Jacket playlist, get that rare Dwight Gooden poster that we've always wanted or watch obscure old TV shows on our computers.

In such a society, small towns might start to look awfully bland. "This grocery store doesn't have the Peruvian coffee beans that I've been ordering online?" "This movie theater doesn't show the foreign language films that I've learned about on the Internet?" "I'm in a New Age Pilates chat group online -- why aren't there any New Age Pilates courses here?"

The variety and niches found in a city is something that closely mirrors the variety and niches found in the Internet. A populace used to shopping for obscure items and reading about obscure recipes is going to crave the cultural cornucopia that cities provide.