Richard Florida's piece on "creative hotspots" makes some very limiting assumptions about the word "creativity" (29 October, p 43).
This is typified by what he calls the Global Creativity Index, which he suggests can identify the "most creative countries". It is based upon criteria which are significant in his own society and economy: it mentions R&D expenditure and patents - things that are very important in western Europe and the US. He then says other communities lack creativity because they achieve less of these things. This seems unacceptable.
Suppose a Buddhist monk in Nepal devised a creativity index based upon the success of a society in the visual arts, chanting, peaceful meditation and maintaining stable relationships. Western Europe and the US would rate poorly on such a creativity index. Or think of a teacher in a British school inventing stories, constructing different ways to present ideas, challenging the thinking of ...
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