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Comment by SwellJoe | Hacker News Reader

"Detroit has so many good things going for it: An international border. A water trade route to the Atlantic. More fresh water resources than any other state. Rail lines that are well connected to Chicago and the East Coast."

TIL Detroit would be an awesome capitol city in Civ V.

But...how much do those things matter in a modern world?

I think I agree with the basics of your assertion about racism playing a role in what's wrong with Detroit. But, I think you have rose-colored glasses about Silicon Valley. There is class warfare happening in the Bay area, just like in every major city, and poor people of color are coming out with the short end of the stick.

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In SV, it's less about color, and more about education. Yes, that's IMO, not fact, OK? But, seriously, I've worked with 1,000+ people in Silicon Valley, and >50% of them are not white. So, Indian, Chinese, and other "colors" can be extremely prosperous here. The market doesn't care about "color", as much as their education, passion, and collaboration. To raise people out of poverty, it is more about attitude than physics. The attitudes in Detroit are far more toxic than the minor class warfare in SV.

> To raise people out of poverty, it is more about attitude than physics.

Actually, it's just about money.

So, what about hispanic and african americans?

There's a world of difference between the kids brought up to choose between pre-med and pre-law, and kids brought up to stay away from the cops.

Those two ideas aren't mutually exclusive. Education is the way out of poverty. America provides more opportunities than most other countries.

> The attitudes in Detroit are far more toxic than the minor class warfare in SV.

Currently live downriver from Detroit - I disagree that the attitudes are more toxic. We have yet to have protests in front of our busses (then again, we don't have very many buses, and the 'mugger mover' only goes in a circle). Unfortunately racial tensions still exist (especially when you leave the downtown area), but anecdotally I believe things are getting better.

  But...how much do those things matter in a modern world?

I think they're going to start mattering a lot more in the future. The drought in the west is likely to continue to get worse. Water isn't exactly abundant in many cities in the south and west, either. Other metro areas that are built on endless sprawl like Phoenix or Atlanta are in trouble when oil gets expensive again (and it will). They have no natural resources and no strategic reason to exist. Detroit does.

Detroit has the same sprawl with no public transit issue as Phoenix, and unlike LA, Dallas, Miami, etcetera, isn't doing anything to fix it. If it's about water and natural resources, along with an urban environment and car-free lifestyle, Chicago is really the only place to be.

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