Continuing the discussion from Moo cards versus local printers for biz cards:
Shopping local is good because it “supports the local economy”, which is an accessible way of expressing the dynamics between different cities, and between large more monopolistic businesses that can afford to take risks with surplus value and small ones that are more likely to be run by people a few degrees from you. when you have a small number of very highly populated cities sucking up talent and transactions, local economic development is super important to counteract the behavior of large corps and monopolies. This development is predicated on local skill development and ease of access to equipment and materials, and more “soft” stuff like motivation/community/trust/security.
What about Oakland? What needs support? Economically: What are its barriers to import-substituting its way to having economically sustainable ways to support its people in need, its teachers, its support programs etc? Socially: this city has community and culture but it’s also being gentrified in ways that are alienating to old residents and all sorts of new ones. Why? How can people work against the alienation? what’s burdening the community in this city?