The common wisdom is that while the coasts ascend the Midwest will continue to decline. SF is Nirvana, Detroit is a wasteland. But wait a minute. Funny things like facts and nuanced analysis get in the way of such sweeping attitudes. Go figure.
Excerpt:
"Still, the notion of “loser” for Wayne and Cuyahoga County sticks, despite evidence to the contrary. But why? Why the constant “poor post-industrial people” sentiment, if not a low-grade captivation that comes with “ruin porn” rubbernecking?
Well, if an ideal exists—you know, the experts beckon: be the “new” city, the “hot” city, the “creative” city—then a study in contrasts is necessary. The Rust Belt, with its connotations of smoke stacks and demographic decline, fits the bill."
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