Do We Need More Yuppies?

Last week the Shreveport Times and its associated yuppie blog had a discussion about the lack of young professionals in the city. Here’s the Times article and here’s the blog post.

Most of the discussion was very familiar; stuff I had heard many times while living in B’ham. Only substitute “Dallas” and “Austin” for “Atlanta” and “Charlotte” as the location of greener grass and “Oil Companies” for “Steel Industry” as the old school blue collar industry. Generally the complaint is that young folks leave for college and then do not return, finding exciting new lives in new towns. The reasons offered are many: No career opportunities, non-visionary leaders, bad schools, high taxes, nothing “cool” to do.

What I did not read, though, was any arguments about why anyone should worry if the city lacks twenty somethings who have not yet figured out that they are living “The Office.” I wish I had, because I really do not know why anyone ought to care that our city does not have very many Dwight Schrutes.

O.k., I’m being a little bit of a smart ass. I suppose I am still a young professional, and though I am generally content with Shreveport, I would certainly like it if there were more folks of my own age and interests around town. But really, why ought Bubba out at the G.M. plant – the more typical S’port resident – give a rip? I can’t see how my interests could possibly benefit him, and I can see how they would often conflict. Land use, issues, for example. I, and I think most other yuppies, are much more interested in active outdoor sports than in four wheelers or hunting. There’s only so much public land, though, so someone is going to lose out. It’d be a fight between the ATV and the MTB. More importantly, yuppie growth will price many the blue collar types (and debt averse types) out of decent neighborhoods. So what’s the deal? Why should non-yuppies want more yuppies in town?

I think that is a legit question. First, if there isn’t any reason for people who are either not-young or not-professional to want the young and professional in town, than we can quit talking about the alleged “problem” because there isn’t one. Those of us in the yuppie group would just be stuck living in a city that is made of people different than us. That might be bad for us, but it wouldn’t be a problem for anyone else. Second, if it is a problem, that is, if a lack of yuppies is bad for people other than yuppies, than making the problem obvious to everyone – effectively stating the case – is the first step to solving it.

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