Rust Belt vs Midwest Compared

[_Buster]

Originally Posted by Duderino

They absolutely have a Rust Belt character; no question.

Same with Brooklyn, Syracuse, Utica, Rochester, Springfield, Waterbury, New Haven, Bridgeport, Fall River, New Bedford, Pawtucket, Worcester, Lowell, New London, Providence etc. The list goes on. These were all manufacturing hubs at one time and have had to grapple with deindustrialization.

Of course, some have weathered the trajectory much earlier and better than others, but the same challenges with economic stagnation and transition are all universal.

Yep. It seems to me that around 80% of the Northeast (by land area) could be considered rustbelt. And only about 10-15% of the Midwest could be considered rustbelt (and really it's only the northeastern portion of the midwest, along the great lakes).

Why do many people have it in their mind that it's the other way around, is what is so weird.

[QCongress83216]

Originally Posted by _Buster

Yep. It seems to me that around 80% of the Northeast (by land area) could be considered rustbelt. And only about 10-15% of the Midwest could be considered rustbelt (and really it's only the northeastern portion of the midwest, along the great lakes).

Why do many people have it in their mind that it's the other way around, is what is so weird.

Because most people have their own biases, stereotypes and preconceived notions about the Northeast, South and the Midwest based on today's standards. A lot of people look at the Northeast as the Gold Standard for wealth, sophistication, progressiveness, cultured, exposed to the world (which we know that's not true). Also, we look at average media income and poverty rates of both regions; a lot of people think that there's no poor people in these regions or that there hidden away in certain areas.

On the flip side, the Midwest is seen as uneducated, conservative, MAGA (which I'm not), no economy, dwindling population, bunch of opioid addicts (no, I'm not one). Most people think the only cool places in the Midwest are Chicago and Minneapolis. Plus, the Northeast and even the South has greatly benefitted from positive PR and media hype while the Midwest, except for Chicago and Minneapolis, has suffered tremendously from negative PR and media scrutiny. So, most people think the Rust Belt (I don't like that term because it brings negative connotations to it) is a bunch of declining areas that have never grown in economy and population, although there are Rust Belt areas in every state in America but most of us don't think it or most people say "industrial." Plus, they make great stories in the media and on social media because it gets a lot of clicks and views. Also, to a certain extent, some people can say, "At least that's not my city" or "Glad I moved away from that place." Correct me if I'm wrong, that's just my .02.