Agglomeration

What is the benefit of mega-cities, mega-regions and why do we, as humans, continue to agglomerate even when modern technology allows us to settle anywhere across this vast landscape.  There is a large assembly of people that have tried to answer that question, so I won't do that necessarily.

New York City is as close to a primate city as we have had and will ever have in the U.S. and can be credited with achieving amazing economic feats and remaining one of three if not the most important center of commerce and trade in the world.  Tuesday's NYT included a piece titled "Brooklyn's New Culinary Movement", which highlights one reason why we, even in rich (currency, resources, land, etc) nations, continue to agglomerate and migrate to urban areas - of various forms. 

About two years ago the Masts were trading truffles for beers at a local bar. Now Mast Brothers Chocolate has a national following as one of the few producers in the country, and the only one in the city, to make chocolate by hand from cacao beans they’ve roasted, in that oven. These days, with a kitchen and a bit of ambition, you can start to make a name for yourself in Brooklyn. The borough has become an incubator for a culinary-minded generation whose idea of fun is learning how to make something delicious and finding a way to sell it..

...At Marlow & Daughters, all of the butchering is done in plain sight. “We do this out on the floor because we want you to see the difference,” Mr. Mylan said. “We can tell you it’s all local, and it’s all pastured, and buzzword, buzzword, buzzword, but until you take out a whole animal and put it on the table people have no idea what it means to bring really good meat into the city and break it down.”

Mr. Mylan also teaches butchering at the Brooklyn Kitchen, a kitchen supply store in Williamsburg. He demonstrates with a whole pig. Every student goes home with six pounds of fresh pork.

Would this specialization be sustainable without the intense urban environment that surrounds Brooklyn?  Possibly, but it's the creativity and trade of ideas that ultimately leads to the success and growth of such specialization.