Director's Take

Long or Short Term Good

06-04-2025

Dear Friend of Downtown,

Recently, I was listening to a podcast about leadership, corporate finance decisions, and the economy… not my normal fare… but the speakers were interesting and I was engaged.

The gist was that before there were stockholders to have to answer to, companies had more control over decisions that affected their bottom line and could create their own policies and culture, could accept financial losses in economic downturns, and could better pave their own way in doing business the way they wanted to.

That all changed in the 1980s. The large sweeping layoffs that we hear about today did not take place prior to that… because companies could have a longer sight on their dealings and could ebb and flow with more ease. Rather than the short-term decisions and consequences that are necessary when prioritizing stockholders and their return on investment. 

This makes me think of how we work as a society… that we have become less flexible and less tolerant in withstanding changing political tides or other ways of thinking/praying/loving/etc. – the longer view.

We simply don’t spend enough time with people who are not like us, therefore don’t have those shared experiences with each other that allow us to socialize and see others for who they are. Our view is more myopic, more short-term, shrinking our view of the world.

Well, Downtown helps all of us. When you come to work, attend an event or attraction, or just walk around, you are helping to create our city’s own little microcosm of a diverse and varied population… people who are experiencing, dare I say enjoying, a common occurrence and each other.

Let’s do more of that. See you on the streets soon!