The Art and Business of Choosing One's Neighborhood

Combining both of my emphases of business and art, I would aim to answer the posed questions in a viable and creative way. The business side of me says generally people move to increase value or some sort of benefit they see fit in their lives and worth relocating to move. The artistic side is a more abstract approach and chimes in to say that people choose their neighborhoods based on the feeling of being accepted and to be a part of a greater cause. There are similarities between the two of these although I do believe there to be slight urges that may not be present in one or the other siloes of discipline.

To further my thoughts above concerning similarities and differences amongst the business and artistic side of why people would choose to move to a neighborhood, stands the similarities. Firstly, it is a deep, primitive urge that every human being possesses to want to feel a sense of belonging. Humans want to be included. We are social creatures and have a common intrinsic value of togetherness. I believe the basis of this feeling is the family influence we experience as infants and children. Now, there are varying amounts of this presence in individuals but it is human nature to want to feel inclusion. Furthermore, the importance of value is a common trait amongst human beings. Having a voice or role that matters in any place is an important value a human being must feel for safety in their tight-knit community.

That brings up my point in business that a choice in picking a neighborhood must also bring value. Aside from the sense of belonging and inclusion one must possess to pick a community they decide to move to, there is on every businessperson’s mind the viability and benefit they see in that home or vicinity. Whether it is to gain a presence, improve the value of the neighborhood both economically and morally, or to bring financial benefit as an investment property, all of these reasons (amongst a slew of others) could be a factor in the businessperson’s equation of finding value.

On the right side of an artist’s brain, is the screaming voice that says community must have a certain feeling about it before they would choose to move there. Artists are typically known to be emotional and in touch with the world around them. This subliminal or subconscious tendency drives the artist’s soul and heart, not only into his work, but I also profess into the decision of finding his place. There is also the greater cause ringing. The need to bring vision to all, most certainly has an affect on the choice made to move into one subdivision over the other. Artists might ask themself, “Will I, as an artist, contribute to this specific creation of mankind called a neighborhood? Do I bring enough aesthetic and artsy value to this creative space?” If the answer of a fellow Picasso would be yes, then he would surely pack up his easel and art materials and move in. Coincidentally enough, there would be the constant appeal of the sense of belonging and feeling of importance. That question answered earlier ties in to the underlying needs of inclusion and togetherness. Artists want to contribute to the bird’s eye view of the art of living.

The likelihood of these separate and similar choices would most certainly have an impact on the community they enter. It’s the age-old story all of us have heard, telling that even a droplet of water can make ripples that move across the whole pond. I do believe one person can change the entire dynamic of a neighborhood. Although, my previous reasoning’s as to why both business and artistic people would choose to move to certain neighborhoods relies mostly on the fact that they are choosing to move there out of desire and freewill. They are not being forced in any way, and as stated in my earlier paragraphs, these people are listening to the callings both interdisciplinary and universally.

It is not a coincidence that when human beings choose to enter a neighborhood that choice will have an outcome and hopefully a positive impact on that community. Whether the individual or family ideologies lean more left-brained business or right-brained creative, the deeper instinct is to feel a sense of belonging, inclusion, and togetherness. These values are deeply ingrained in my being to feel a part of something bigger than me in my neighborhood. And spread beautifully on top of those base feelings, are the call of creativity and viability.