Pittsblog: Economic Development as a Zero-Sum Game

Pittsblog: Economic Development as a Zero-Sum Game Economic Development as a Zero-Sum Game

My post in that thread goes like this:

I too post about the feudal Pittsburgh. That is the one with LORDS and SERFs. There are favorite ones and then everyone else. The Humpty Dumpty falls, and the king's horses and men can't put him together again.

Much of that is 'rooted' (pun intended) into "land." Hence, another reason why we need to tax land and not income.

But, as to networking, more of the theme you set, I like to talk about the "lump of coal" approach. If I have it, you don't. If I sell it, it is yours. It is a carbon based transaction. Bankers in Pgh are quick to invest in iron (i.e., printing press) but won't touch an author/publisher, even with only an Olympic Gold Medal to prove one's viability.

In the "digital" economy, I have an idea and share it with you -- sell it perhaps -- and we both still have that idea. You get it, but I don't loose it. And, if it is valued, we both have MORE value. If it is flawed, my bottom line is not inflated with false hopes of percpetion in value.

So, we come to a better discovery of the real value of ideas only after they are shared (and/or understood) by others -- in a digital world.

Then, the real value resides in the relationships. My trust gets a boost in your realm for a tip that made sense.

This becomes and 'open source' way as well. We all prosper when real solutions are leveraged and crafted.

This gets to why downtown development, IMNSHO, is a joke with O'Connor. His cronie gets the deal, based on the land, and it is a carbon-based mine vs yours folly.