To some, this topic may seem somewhat nebulous.... it is. To me, there seems to be a wave of overwhelming negativity cresting over Metropolitan Detroit. There are few optimistic and hopeful leaders, few bright stars offering solutions, few people interested in "rising to the challenge" [[for whatever that means to you).

I see a lot of stifling pessimism, self-loathing, disgruntlement, closed-off attitudes, unjustified NIMBY behavior, unreasonableness, finger-pointing, bitter apathy, melancholy, griping, stubbornness, and the undermining of others. Often times, it is not even understandable. I find that in Metro Detroit, too many people are reserved to a life of misery and get off on spreading it. People with a bad demeanor are way too common.

I don't like using current events as examples, but the demise of light rail without any public discourse, the reaction of the Troy city council to federal transit funding, among so many other examples, highlight this pervasive negativity. There is a "stick it to the other guy" mentality that is both sickening and maddening about Metro Detroit. It's Schadenfreude to the extreme.

Instead of trying to work through problems for the betterment of the collective, people seem to enjoy watching others drown and our society collapse so long as they still have a little air left in their floaties. Why? What happened to people caring about things bigger than themselves? What happened to pride? What happened to civility and civic-mindedness? What happened to our bountiful work ethic and infinite desire for innovation?

The condition of the city/metro is one thing, but the attitudes of so many people is even harder to handle. It just makes being here tiresome and depressing. I wonder if there is any goodwill left in this city...