In this talk for TEDxJacksonville, ULI senior resident fellow Ed McMahon argues for the economic, psychological and social value of uniqueness. He explains that, in a global marketplace, well-educated workers, world-class infrastructure and the ability to turn ideas into commercial realities are all critically important to economic success–but the other critical, but often forgotten, element is “community distinctiveness.”

“Communities that can’t differentiate themselves,” McMahon observes, “have no competitive advantage.”