Irvine_laird Member Username: Irvine_laird
Post Number: 18 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 1:56 pm: | |
What are Detroit's true boundaries? Who is "in" and who is "out"? Recently, a friend of mine asked if we should think of Detroit as geography or psychology. Our conversation produced three points of view: 1) Detroit is GEOGRAPHY, that is, all that falls within the city limits. 2) Detroit is GEOGRAPHY, that is, all that falls within the loose bounds of the metro Detroit region. 3) Detroit is PSYCHOLOGY, that is, an idea that exists in people's hearts and minds. This encompasses all of Detroit's communities, cultures, histories, places, etc. All three are obviously true. But which one should most influence the way we perceive ourselves as we try to build a healthy society here in the next 100 years? |
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 1274 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 2:02 pm: | |
Eight Mile Road is the damndest geo/psych border ever to exist in the United States. Period. |
Jt1 Member Username: Jt1
Post Number: 8727 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 2:03 pm: | |
Both. Many people consider themselves Detroiters due to history but the reality is that the Detroit defined by geographic lines is facing the issues facing Detroit. I think the idea of metro region or phsychology is fine for most core cities but the fact is that Detroit has dealt and continues to deal with population flight, economic flight, racial division with the suburbs, infighting with the suburbs, legacy costs, insurance costs etc. that are defined by geography. Sadly the only way to build a healthy Detroit is by defining it as your #1 because how our metro region and state work. If every regional bill gets killed at the polls then we as a eographic region certainly aren't embracing the region as Detroit with the exception of sports or convenience. |
Detourdetroit Member Username: Detourdetroit
Post Number: 281 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 2:11 pm: | |
amen ray1936. damn those surveyors!!! |
Transitrider Member Username: Transitrider
Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2007
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 2:24 pm: | |
Agreed, Detour. Damn Thomas Jefferson! ;) |
Jjw Member Username: Jjw
Post Number: 279 Registered: 10-2005
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 3:55 pm: | |
There are ex-Detroiters and suburban Detroiters and there is a metro Detroit. But, Detroit should be defined by its geographical borders, just like any other nation, state, or city. The psychology or sociology aspect of Detroit is to evasive to consider. |
Yelloweyes Member Username: Yelloweyes
Post Number: 110 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 4:32 pm: | |
Small talk conversations I have had related to this topic. Where do you live? Detroit? What part? The far east side? Oh...Detroit, Detroit. Yeah, Detroit, Detroit. Isn't that (place favorite Detroit stereotype here) |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 1777 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 5:55 pm: | |
quote:What are Detroit's true boundaries? It seems that, psychologically, the perceived size of Detroit grows in direct proportion to the observer's distance from Detroit. Curious phenomenon, that. |
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1955 Registered: 06-2004
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 7:10 pm: | |
probably true of any large city |
Esp Member Username: Esp
Post Number: 47 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 7:20 pm: | |
I would say 3) Psychology, but, the question is unanswerable because you haven't defined where HERE is. |
Craig Member Username: Craig
Post Number: 119 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 9:45 pm: | |
I believe that your friend overlooked at least one other option: political Detroit in/out, yes/no speaks to political power, e.g. Detroit is a defacto one-party town, and many suburbs constitute strongholds of the alternative party; Detroit is a bastion of black political power; municipalities outside of Detroit thrive on their independence/home-rule; etc. I expect that if one is black and Democrat then one is happy to claim "Detroit" because to do so is to identify with tangible political power. If one is white and Republican than I imagine that the pull of identifying with Bloomfield or Birmingham or Rochester is stronger. Further, I don't believe that political orientation necessarily trumps or is incapable of co-existing with the psychological dimension. For example, I claim Detroit as home (it was) for purposes of tribal identity, but I simultaneously thank God that I am a part of different governmental unit, a unit small enough that I feel that I can exert some influence (via the ballot and persuasion) over my elected officials. Guess who here has a little poli sci under the belt... |
Kronprinz Member Username: Kronprinz
Post Number: 212 Registered: 12-2006
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 9:58 pm: | |
who here DOESN'T have a little poli sci under his belt? or urban studies for that matter ? |
Craig Member Username: Craig
Post Number: 121 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 10:14 pm: | |
^good point, KP. Did anyone enjoy it? |
Quozl Member Username: Quozl
Post Number: 373 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007 - 11:28 pm: | |
Agrees with Ray1936. |
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame
Post Number: 64 Registered: 12-2006
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2007 - 2:10 pm: | |
Oh, absolutely psychology. Ask anyone who's ever moved out of town: "Where you from?", you're asked. Be you from Walled Lake or Warren, Redford or Romeo, the answer is always: "Detroit." |
Gibran Member Username: Gibran
Post Number: 164 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2007 - 3:42 pm: | |
I always claim to be from Detroit and then I pause and say Detroit proper....Like public schools...But I am sure that when you said I pull for the Pistons it was always not the Auburn Hills Pistons but the Detroit...It is the same in Dallas or other regions where there is a strong suburban base. In San Antonio where the city over took the burbs it maybe different. |