
Despite what you hear, 2020 is not 1968. We are not tangled in a terrible war; we have not experienced the assassination of two leaders within two months; and these riots have mostly been limited instances of looting, rather than widespread fire and destruction.
But there is one similarity. In the wake of this year, American cities are going to experience a reprise of the flight of the middle and upper-middle classes similar to the postwar flight that was accelerated by the destruction and fear of 1968.
This time, in addition to very real concerns about the inability or indifference of big-city mayors on quelling violence directed at property (not even counting the hundreds of police officers wounded), the flight of talent and those mobile enough to exit will be exacerbated by a few features not present in 1968.
Most important among these is the newfound ability of many companies and their employees to work pretty much wherever. The coronavirus, and the government’s disastrous response to it, has provided a beta test of working from home. For most employees, the lack of commute means more time, which is the most prized commodity of all. For companies, they now know that they can shift the burden of real estate and other office costs to their workers.
Additionally, among a certain segment of the population, the cities are now associated with disease transmission. These people have their own reasons to leave.
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See Also:
(1) America’s Choice: Chicago or MAGA Country
(2) When Will We Stand Up To The Tyrants Of Woke Conformity?