Asia and Abundance

In A Whole New Mind, Dan Pink talks about Asia and Abundance as two factors making the creative right brain capabilities more valuable.

Asia, where many jobs have migrated to, is becoming a place where U S households are turning to get personal tasks done. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, families are using outsourcing firms around the world "for jobs ranging from landscape architecture to kitchen remodeling to math tutoring. They're also outsourcing some surprisingly small jobs, including getting a dress designed, creating address labels for wedding invitations or finding a good deal on a hotel room." This trend is aptly called "personal offshoring."  My guess is that as the world gets more connected through technology, this trend will only grow over time.

Pink talks about Abundance in terms of material wealth--and how as our immediate needs get met, consumers look for more than just the standard widget. In the book, he cites the self-storage industry as proof of our abundance--so much stuff that we literally don't have enough space for it all. Usually, self-storage lockers are rented. But in an unusual development, I read about a national company called GarageTown USA.  Instead of renting, they sell storage lockers. And get this. The average price of eack locker is $75,000. Of the 84 units in the Longmont, Colorado branch, only 12 are left for sale.

I'm both amused and amazed at how our world is changing, right before our very eyes.

Comments

[Cameron]

Thanks for finding out about us and I agree about people's abundance. Just an fyi, GarageTown units are much more than lockers. The smallest unit you can purchase (which is commercial real-estate) is 14x40, all the way up to 50x100. They are also all climate controlled, wired for cable, internet and phone and give you access to the owner's clubhouse and restrooms and shower facility. If you have any questions or would like more info you can check out the website at www.garagetown.com