Miami: The Most Important City in America
Of course this title got me and probably got you too. Is Miami the most important City in America?
Financial Times Magazine tells us How Miami became the most important city in America and starts off with “Once a refuge for the divorced, bankrupt and unemployed, Miami has evolved into a paradise of freedom” << I confess that I almost stopped reading because this offended me a bit, but I continued. Then it goes on to say how Miami was never anything but “drugs, clubs, pastel blazers, jai alai gambling and, most notably, a hit TV show about all four.” <<now my heart was pounding a bit heavier. And then this:
“But now Miami is the most important city in America. Not because Miami stopped being a frivolous, regulation-free, climate-doomed tax haven dominated by hot microcelebrities. It became the most important city in America because the country became a frivolous, regulation-free, climate-doomed tax haven dominated by hot microcelebrities.”
So I guess we have to laugh at ourselves, but are the first ones to do so? The truth is that there’s a lot of craziness going on and if people are paying attention to us now, and others are following suit, then it may not be all that bad. The article goes on to cite the “Miami Movement” (coined by Mayor Suarez) and how Miami became a good idea when Covid Hit and people were working from home in possibly cold and cramped environments.
So what changed Miami?
- migration of people
- migration of money
- migration of careers
- migration of tech
- migration of different political persuasions
- huge growth of restaurants
- Mayor Suarez’ catchphrase “How Can I Help?”
Couple those with culture, art, insane events, the acceptance of weird people, influencers constantly talking about why Miami is so great, tons of eccentrics … and of course, a little “Miami Fun” and there it is!
Bottom line, we all need a bit of cynicism in our lives. Thank you Joel Stein for putting a smile on my face and giving us an interesting perspective.