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There has been an over dramatization of Detroit’s problems, for the last 40 years, which helped to increase the problems and eventually reach the level of the initial over dramatization. Why does the University of Michigan do a monthly reading to measure consumer sentiment (or confidence) and why is that sentiment reading used as a leading economic indicator for the economy?
The answer is that the future state of the economy, hence leading economic indicator, is largely influenced by how people feel about the direction things are going or the current state of things. It does not matter whether their beliefs or feelings are accurate or inaccurate, their collective beliefs and subsequent behavior driven from those beliefs, will create the action that will trigger the reaction that will actualize their beliefs.
For example, if for some reason people are feeling especially optimistic about the state of the country and their future, even if there is reason that they should not be, they will spend and take risk, collectively, that creates a boom in the economy downstream. If, on the other hand, people feel gloom and doom about the future, when things are not really THAT bad, they start being frugal to the degree that they stop spending which will create an economic recession downstream and hence actualize on their beliefs.
In other words, things can be made better or worse by people’s beliefs or over dramatization of reality. Detroit, in my opinion, has been a case study of this phenomenon and the dangers of negative suggestion. Detroit would not be in nearly as bad a shape as it is today, if the problems were not over dramatized. Yes, Detroit had problems, but those problems were over dramatized to mask other reasons why people were divesting from the city, which led to more people divesting from the city, which created worsening conditions, that were then over dramatized again, self-fulfilling even worse, conditions….creating a downward vortex driven by over dramatized negativity. Even, worse, the national media picked up on the local over dramatization and Detroit became the poster child of dysfunction. Essentially, Detroit has endured about 4 decades of a negative ad campaign by Michigan residents and the national media who love to sensationalize and over dramatize things to get viewers.
Someone asked what you would do if you had 100 million dollars to invest to help the city. The above is why I sad that I would spend a big chunk of that 100 million to do positive advertisement about the city of Detroit. Detroit could come greatly reduce its decline, if not comeback, by nothing more than the power of positive suggestion that the city is indeed coming back. It would become a self-fulfilling prophecy even if it currently is an over dramatization of the truth. If negative over dramatization of Detroit accelerated things getting worse then positive over dramatization of Detroit can accelerate things getting better.
Newton said that any object moved from its state of rest or equilibrium, by a force, requires an equal and opposite force to restore that object to rest or equilibrium. Detroit NEEDS a positive ad campaign....on a nation scale like Pure Michigan. Thanks Chrysler for your contributions.
Yeah, we're all just imagining the problems in Detroit.
...just ask the people who have left. There's nothing over-dramatized about having your house broken into, your car stolen, the house next door burnt down by arson, your cousin murdered, etc.
No, no, no, it's just the outsiders trying to pretend these things exist.
Yeah, we're all just imagining the problems in Detroit.
...just ask the people who have left. There's nothing over-dramatized about having your house broken into, your car stolen, the house next door burnt down by arson, your cousin murdered, etc.
No, no, no, it's just the outsiders trying to pretend these things exist.
Yes...and its over dramatized due to the fact that such is not endemic to Detroit....but all large cities.....most of which have remained vibrant despite such things. While other cities have such problems, they also highlight their positives. Michigan is OBSESSED with Detroits negatives....and the national media picks up and joins in on it.
There has been an over dramatization of Detroit’s problems, for the last 40 years, which helped to increase the problems and eventually reach the level of the initial over dramatization. Why does the University of Michigan do a monthly reading to measure consumer sentiment (or confidence) and why is that sentiment reading used as a leading economic indicator for the economy?
The answer is that the future state of the economy, hence leading economic indicator, is largely influenced by how people feel about the direction things are going or the current state of things. It does not matter whether their beliefs or feelings are accurate or inaccurate, their collective beliefs and subsequent behavior driven from those beliefs, will create the action that will trigger the reaction that will actualize their beliefs.
For example, if for some reason people are feeling especially optimistic about the state of the country and their future, even if there is reason that they should not be, they will spend and take risk, collectively, that creates a boom in the economy downstream. If, on the other hand, people feel gloom and doom about the future, when things are not really THAT bad, they start being frugal to the degree that they stop spending which will create an economic recession downstream and hence actualize on their beliefs.
In other words, things can be made better or worse by people’s beliefs or over dramatization of reality. Detroit, in my opinion, has been a case study of this phenomenon and the dangers of negative suggestion. Detroit would not be in nearly as bad a shape as it is today, if the problems were not over dramatized. Yes, Detroit had problems, but those problems were over dramatized to mask other reasons why people were divesting from the city, which led to more people divesting from the city, which created worsening conditions, that were then over dramatized again, self-fulfilling even worse, conditions….creating a downward vortex driven by over dramatized negativity. Even, worse, the national media picked up on the local over dramatization and Detroit became the poster child of dysfunction. Essentially, Detroit has endured about 4 decades of a negative ad campaign by Michigan residents and the national media who love to sensationalize and over dramatize things to get viewers.
Someone asked what you would do if you had 100 million dollars to invest to help the city. The above is why I sad that I would spend a big chunk of that 100 million to do positive advertisement about the city of Detroit. Detroit could come greatly reduce its decline, if not comeback, by nothing more than the power of positive suggestion that the city is indeed coming back. It would become a self-fulfilling prophecy even if it currently is an over dramatization of the truth. If negative over dramatization of Detroit accelerated things getting worse then positive over dramatization of Detroit can accelerate things getting better.
Newton said that any object moved from its state of rest or equilibrium, by a force, requires an equal and opposite force to restore that object to rest or equilibrium. Detroit NEEDS a positive ad campaign....on a nation scale like Pure Michigan. Thanks Chrysler for your contributions.
I understand where you are coming from. I'm originally from the suburbs of Buffalo, New York. talk about a bad reputation... doesn't get much worse than Buffalo's -- and it's mostly WEATHER related.
Which just goes to show that any bad rap can stay for a long long time and it doesn't even have to be serious. I can name many many other cities (some much larger than Buffalo) that have worse weather -- Buffalo has a bad rep and it would take decades of positive media exposure for it to change.
Since my husband is currently IN Detroit as we speak (Farmington Hills) and we may be moving up that way from Nashville, TN I can tell you my impressions.
The reputation of violence is enough to make me think twice about this move. The fact that 82% of the city population exists way below the poverty line, most don't have a high school education and many, many are involved with the sale of drugs -- not to mention all the killing that goes on there... is making me think twice about moving up there.
I've been researching the area and the suburbs for months now. I have good friends I work with that are from Farmington, had businesses in the area, still have family there, and they still would never move back. That says a lot.
If people who live away from the city are STILL afraid of the violence and it's beginning to creep into areas that were once considered safe, then I don't think a billion dollars spent on a positive campaign will help Detroit's reputation.
Until someone can get those kids into a safe environment in which to learn and get those parents on board to make sure the kids GO to school nothing is going to change in Detroit.
Statistics don't lie. The city has a major problem with violent crime. When a person can't drive three blocks outside of downtown without getting shot at - it's a problem.
Education is the ONLY way to release these people from the bonds that are holding them back. Knowledge is power. These people are stuck because without a decent education it is impossible to find work. Even a high school education is better than none. I've worked for years with kids in poverty that are unable to read, because their parents can't read and so on. It's a vicious cycle.
Detroit could use some serious money in cracking down on violent crime. They need to do what NYC did years ago. Hire and train a TON more cops, get tough on crime and stay tough on crime.
What do you think can be done to help? Until the city is cleaned up and it's problems addressed, no amount of money on a positive campaign will help. Pittsburgh tried that (and their crime is way lower than Detroit's) and it worked for a while. The problem is, after 5 or 6 years of positive media coverage, all these people who moved there are now moving out because it's not the utopia it painted itself. Of the 36 people I knew who moved to Pittsburgh over the past 7 years - all but one have moved away. Way? Because it didn't live up to it's promises. It was a lot harder to live in than it promised. It's not this pretty little town that it portrayed itself as. And their problem isn't even about crime!
What would you say if you were in control of that 100 million dollars?
Last edited by movestoomuch; 01-12-2012 at 10:59 AM..
Yes...and its over dramatized due to the fact that such is not endemic to Detroit....but all large cities.....most of which have remained vibrant despite such things. While other cities have such problems, they also highlight their positives. Michigan is OBSESSED with Detroits negatives....and the national media picks up and joins in on it.
Once the city and everyone else is not afraid to confront this - only then can you work on the problem. Just saying a problem doesn't exist doesn't make it go away.
I understand where you are coming from. I'm originally from the suburbs of Buffalo, New York. talk about a bad reputation... doesn't get much worse than Buffalo's -- and it's mostly WEATHER related.
Which just goes to show that any bad rap can stay for a long long time and it doesn't even have to be serious. I can name many many other cities (some much larger than Buffalo) that have worse weather -- Buffalo has a bad rep and it would take decades of positive media exposure for it to change.
Since my husband is currently IN Detroit as we speak (Farmington Hills) and we may be moving up that way from Nashville, TN I can tell you my impressions.
The reputation of violence is enough to make me think twice about this move. The fact that 82% of the city population exists way below the poverty line, most don't have a high school education and many, many are involved with the sale of drugs -- not to mention all the killing that goes on there... is making me think twice about moving up there.
I've been researching the area and the suburbs for months now. I have good friends I work with that are from Farmington, had businesses in the area, still have family there, and they still would never move back. That says a lot.
If people who live away from the city are STILL afraid of the violence and it's beginning to creep into areas that were once considered safe, then I don't think a billion dollars spent on a positive campaign will help Detroit's reputation.
Until someone can get those kids into a safe environment in which to learn and get those parents on board to make sure the kids GO to school nothing is going to change in Detroit.
Statistics don't lie. The city has a major problem with violent crime. When a person can't drive three blocks outside of downtown without getting shot at - it's a problem.
Education is the ONLY way to release these people from the bonds that are holding them back. Knowledge is power. These people are stuck because without a decent education it is impossible to find work. Even a high school education is better than none. I've worked for years with kids in poverty that are unable to read, because their parents can't read and so on. It's a vicious cycle.
Detroit could use some serious money in cracking down on violent crime. They need to do what NYC did years ago. Hire and train a TON more cops, get tough on crime and stay tough on crime.
What do you think can be done to help? Until the city is cleaned up and it's problems addressed, no amount of money on a positive campaign will help. Pittsburgh tried that (and their crime is way lower than Detroit's) and it worked for a while. The problem is, after 5 or 6 years of positive media coverage, all these people who moved there are now moving out because it's not the utpioa it painted itself. Of the 36 people I knew who moved to Pittsburgh over the past 7 years - all but one have moved away. Way? Because it didn't live up to it's promises. It was a lot harder to live in than it promised. It's not this pretty little town that it portrayed itself as. And their problem isn't even about crime!
What would you say if you were in control of that 100 million dollars?
82% of the cities residents live way below the poverty line . Talk about over dramitization. Yikes . That said, the opinion or experiences that never get heard are the thousands of people who live their life in the city of Detroit who have not been murdered, raped, robbed or burglerized. If the only opinion one gets is from THE NEWS or from victims......its certainly not a balanced representation of reality. Have you ever heard "If it bleeds it leads" in regards to the media? There is a profit bias in presenting bad news or emotional news......because Americans are twisted to the degree that such is what they are more captivated by. Detroits media feeds of this and suburban residents beliefs are born from such headlines and no one ever gets to hear the stories of the 10's of thousands who exist year to year in Detroit with no major problems. I know live in the Twin Cities. North Minneapolis has people scared to death in this area. I am in North Minneapolis all the time and never have a problem or worry. Yet, most people in this area say they would NEVER live there. Of course....its the larges concentration of blacks in the area.
82% of the cities residents live way below the poverty line . Talk about over dramitization. Yikes . That said, the opinion or experiences that never get heard are the thousands of people who live their life in the city of Detroit who have not been murdered, raped, robbed or burglerized. If the only opinion one gets is from THE NEWS or from victims......its certainly not a balanced representation of reality. Have you ever heard "If it bleeds it leads" in regards to the media? There is a profit bias in presenting bad news or emotional news......because Americans are twisted to the degree that such is what they are more captivated by. Detroits media feeds of this and suburban residents beliefs are born from such headlines and no one ever gets to hear the stories of the 10's of thousands who exist year to year in Detroit with no major problems. I know live in the Twin Cities. North Minneapolis has people scared to death in this area. I am in North Minneapolis all the time and never have a problem or worry. Yet, most people in this area say they would NEVER live there. Of course....its the larges concentration of blacks in the area.
That would be the 18% not living below the poverty line.... My stats may be old, but let's just say, at least 46% drop out of high school and cannot find work. If you don't have any money to pay your bills you are poor.
Look, I'm not saying that what you siad is not true. I do agree that bad press gets more attention and if it bleeds it leads (I'm an X broadcaster myself) but I think too much energy goes into trying to stop that coverage. Instead, I feel what would help is if the bad press is ignored, the city stops wasting it's energy on that and instead uses it's energy to fight what's causing that bad press to begin with. Forbes.com Video Network | Best Places: Rescuing Detroit: Can It Work This Time?
This video is an example of the city of Detroit tyring to do just that.
But I think everyone in any city that has these types of problems agrees that it's a cultural thing that needs to be changed. It seems to me that Detroit is finally getting the help it needs.
Look, Detroit has a LOT going for it. All 4 major sports - that in itself says quite a bit. They haven't lost a team yet, so support is coming from somewhere...
Last edited by movestoomuch; 01-12-2012 at 11:02 AM..
Once the city and everyone else is not afraid to confront this - only then can you work on the problem. Just saying a problem doesn't exist doesn't make it go away.
You cannot simply look at statistics. When Michigan was was the worst state and the poster child for unemployment and job losses, most people held onto their jobs. One would think that everyone in Michigan was unemployed in 2009 and that no one could find a job in Michigan if they needed one. Well, if one bothered to examine deeper, unemployment was hitting unskilled workers the hardest. If you happen to be in a profession that had a skill set that was in demand, you could find a job. Even during the worst of unemployment in Michigan, people were being hired in Michigan....Despite Michigan being the worst state for employment. Michigan lost a lot of MFG jobs, but if you were employed in the Medical profession or the Software industry there was work. Hence, if you were a doctor or nurse your situation would be a lot different than if your skill set was general labor and hence should not judge your prospects by the prospects of what happened to general laborers.
The same thing holds true for crime. If you look at the details of the crimes, instead of the aggregate, then you could determine the probability of such a crime have happening to you. If 3 people get killed in a Drug house, how is that potentially something that can happen to you unless you plan on frequenting drug houses? The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of incidence of violence are things that would NEVER happen to you if you did not demonstrate certain behavior.
Yes...and its over dramatized due to the fact that such is not endemic to Detroit....but all large cities.....most of which have remained vibrant despite such things. While other cities have such problems, they also highlight their positives. Michigan is OBSESSED with Detroits negatives....and the national media picks up and joins in on it.
You refuse to acknowledge (or comprehend ) that it is not a matter of Detroit having something that other cities don't; it's a matter of the degree/amount/scale of Detroit's problems in relation to others.
You cannot simply look at statistics. When Michigan was was the worst state and the poster child for unemployment and job losses, most people held onto their jobs. One would think that everyone in Michigan was unemployed in 2009 and that no one could find a job in Michigan if they needed one. Well, if one bothered to examine deeper, unemployment was hitting unskilled workers the hardest. If you happen to be in a profession that had a skill set that was in demand, you could find a job. Even during the worst of unemployment in Michigan, people were being hired in Michigan....Despite Michigan being the worst state for employment. Michigan lost a lot of MFG jobs, but if you were employed in the Medical profession or the Software industry there was work. Hence, if you were a doctor or nurse your situation would be a lot different than if your skill set was general labor and hence should not judge your prospects by the prospects of what happened to general laborers.
The same thing holds true for crime. If you look at the details of the crimes, instead of the aggregate, then you could such a crime have happened to you. If 3 people get killed in a Drug house, how is that potentially something that can happen to you unless you plan on frequenting drug houses? The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of incidence of violence are things that would NEVER happen to you if you did not demonstrate certain behavior.
It is a matter of comparison. If the unemployment rate of city A is 5% and the unemployment rate of city B is 10%, then city B is not 5% worse than A; it's 100% worse than A.
If the crime rate of city A is 5% and the crime rate of city B is 10%, then city B is not 5% more dangerous; it's 100% more dangerous.
Comprehend?
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It IS a problem!
. Talk about over dramitization. Yikes 
. That said, the opinion or experiences that never get heard are the thousands of people who live their life in the city of Detroit who have not been murdered, raped, robbed or burglerized. If the only opinion one gets is from THE NEWS or from victims......its certainly not a balanced representation of reality. Have you ever heard "If it bleeds it leads" in regards to the media? There is a profit bias in presenting bad news or emotional news......because Americans are twisted to the degree that such is what they are more captivated by. Detroits media feeds of this and suburban residents beliefs are born from such headlines and no one ever gets to hear the stories of the 10's of thousands who exist year to year in Detroit with no major problems. I know live in the Twin Cities. North Minneapolis has people scared to death in this area. I am in North Minneapolis all the time and never have a problem or worry. Yet, most people in this area say they would NEVER live there. Of course....its the larges concentration of blacks in the area.
My stats may be old, but let's just say, at least 46% drop out of high school and cannot find work. If you don't have any money to pay your bills you are poor. 
) that it is not a matter of Detroit having something that other cities don't; it's a matter of the degree/amount/scale of Detroit's problems in relation to others.
