moorlander wrote:dbInSouthCity wrote:I dont have a problem with this-- why do a warm and fuzzy piece when that isnt reality. this is 40 years of crap just exploding and everyone is to blame.
I'm not saying a paper should only print fluff pieces but some of these news stories are just so over the top negative it's nauseating. Don't underestimate the effect on a population who's constantly bombarded by negative press. At some point you have to lift your foot off someones head or they'll drown.
A quick aside, if you don't mind: I spent a week in Nashville this summer. Although I've been there many times, this was the first time I really got the chance to explore the city like an urbanist rather than a tourist, and I fell in love. Granted, it cannot compare to St. Louis in terms of interesting urban neighborhoods and it definitely falls short in architecture, but there are so many up-and-coming places and construction is everywhere you look, and that's exciting. I am seriously entertaining the idea of moving there, although it would be several years off. When my wife asked me what I liked the best about Nashville, I said, "Well, there's not a constant doom-and-gloom around here like there often is in St. Louis". Don't misunderstand me, I still have a very positive opinion of St. Louis and a lot of hope for its future. However, I said this a month before the Brown shooting, and the last two months (especially the last two days) have proved to be a serious test for the strength of my civic pride. Since I'm sticking around for a while, I'd better find a way to get that civic pride back, I guess.
That said, I agree with you. I think Enginerd has a good point about the value of pointing out the negative in a way that prompts us to think of how we want to be seen as a community. Sometimes a critical look at things prompts positive action. However, besides the Cardinals entering the playoffs, I struggle to think of any good news I've heard in the last two months. Things that would have ordinarily gotten more attention- like the announcement of 700 more jobs at Boeing- have been relegated to footnote status at best. I suppose that's because the media knows that the Brown story generates clicks, ad sales, and revenue. I suppose it also explains the high amount of irresponsible reporting on that matter, in my opinion at least.
I agree that the line needs to be drawn somewhere. However, I must confess that I still enjoyed the RFT article. The characterizations of outstate Missouri regions were pretty funny and quite accurate as well.
