Boosterism is the problem...really?

A few weeks ago the local twitterverse exploded with contentious debate on the topic of boosterism.  The catalyst was this article about boosterism in Cleveland, although you could replace Cleveland with St. Louis and the article would still read almost perfectly.  This created a lot of chatter on several fronts.  We had a contingent that lead the charge that many well to do city supporters tend to ignore the plight of the underclass in favor of highlighting progress that is more superficial in nature (IE: a new coffeeshop or restaurant).  For a second, I felt a tinge of guilt.  But then there were many pro-boosterism tweets pointing out that highlighting your city's strengths doesn't have to come at the expense of ignoring the poor.

I spent a lot of time deliberating on this.  Like the author of the Cleveland article, my version of my city is pretty great.  I eat at great restaurants, I own a home, I enjoy great parks, and there is just always something fun going on in the city.  And like the author, sometimes I feel some city boosterism goes a little overboard to the point where it can get annoying.  But I do not see an honest argument being made in favor that the most ardent city supporters deny St. Louis' problems.  And I do not at all see how boosterism and acknowledgement of major problems are mutually exclusive.

Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time here can see that negativity is the prevalent feeling in the St. Louis area regarding its future.  How else could you feel about how a city that once hosted the Olympics and now is barely holding on to its title of largest metro area in Missouri (see, even I can't succumb to not being negative!).  So what is so wrong with enthusiastic people who love promoting the city?  Even if they completely ignore the fact that the city has serious problems, you only have to throw a rock to hit someone who will be quick to remind you.  If anything, we need more delusional happy booster people.

Except that these same boosters we are attacking are the very people who actually are doing positive things for the city.  They are choosing to spend their money in the city, live in the city, volunteer in the city, work in the city, and be a part of the larger city community.  And sometimes they can even convince someone else to do the same.  The problems of crime, failing schools, and drug abuse are not going to be "solved" overnight, if ever.  But city boosters are a helluva lot closer to making the city a better place than the negative defeatists who have held our city back for far too long.