"Detroit vs. Everybody"

As I began to read “Detroit vs. Everybody” I felt so unaware of the challenges the city faced. As Rembert Browne continued his tale and showed pictures of the overturned cars and busses, my own feeling of ignorance shocked me. Obviously, the devastating upheaval was not real in Detroit, but in many cases it is. There is a bubble of judgments that are associated with certain places, Detroit being one of them. These conclusions are not a result of any evidence or fact but misconceptions that are associated with a place or time because it’s what we once heard.

         I could relate because of my own experience this past summer visiting Paris. Everyone warned about being pick-pocketed and the lingering gypsies that stay by most of the tourist attractions. I never once thought to look anything up; rather I simply followed everyone’s advice and paranoia. I was so caught up in watching my bags, I believe I missed out on some of the essence of Paris. Furthermore, I was surprised that there was more than The Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower. These landmarks that Paris is so well known for are similar to the car industry and poverty that Detroit is associated with. The point being there is more than meets the eye, however our predispositions sometimes cloud even the truth.

         Detroit has no black and white, but as human beings we feel better if we can put things in categories, and the longer they have a label the harder it is for us to change our thoughts on the subject. Browne depicted how even his attempt at being open-minded was soon murky with judgments surrounding Detroit, and this is normal. The only solution is to wipe away the grime we associate with it and give Detroit a new name. Through media and other forms of awareness we control how a younger generation will think of Detroit, and every place with a bad reputation for that matter.