Sometimes I wonder how much of what we perceive as bias in the mainstream media is simply a lack of the sort of experience that leads to perspective.  I have in mind a February column in the Boston Globe by Dan McGowan, which he presents as an “open letter” to Hasbro making the case for its remaining in the Providence area rather than heading off to somewhere more obviously beneficial, like Boston:

There’s real momentum here in Providence, but the city is missing a flagship company right now.

Hasbro would be our crown jewel, a one-of-one company with a mission that aligns with our values as a community that cares about children, learning, and play.

I’m sure you’ve already heard countless times that Rhode Island is great because you can gather every politician, executive, and thought leader together with little notice to address big challenges. That’s true, but our ability to handle a crisis isn’t the best selling point.

It’s our ability to rally around your needs that you should find attractive.

McGowan goes on to cite the example of Electric Boat, which relies heavily on government contract and is ultimately a labor-heavy manufacturer.  He also cites Jim Langevin, and the way the state created a cushy job for him as a parting gift from Congress.

Perhaps spinning political corruption and favoritism as an economic advantage is what the RI Approach has brought the state’s advocates to, but Dan’s argument sounds reasonable… from the perspective of people who don’t really understand the ins and outs of running large companies in an evolving economy.  But Hasbro is not just trying to save a few bucks on real estate or something.  The company is trying to figure out how to adjust to a digital age, with AI whooping down the highway after it.  The company expressly wants to be in the “innovation economy,” which is entirely at odds with the “special favors because I know a guy” economy.

That is, it is better off being in an area where it, as a company, is nothing unique, because that’s where all the people it wants to hire and all the cutting-edge ideas it wants to overhear at the coffee shop are.