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Thanks for this commentary. I'm the author of the article and certainly didn't mean to gloss over some of the really big problems Detroit has. But I was impress

Thanks for this commentary. I'm the author of the article and certainly didn't mean to gloss over some of the really big problems Detroit has. But I was impressed with the energy there (I also co-hosted a dinner for education innovators in the city during my time there and felt a similar energy). I do think we have two options with cities like Detroit. We can give up on them and move elsewhere and let them become ghost towns. Or we can fight to keep them alive, similar to what people did in New Orleans post-Katrina. I'm a believer that the latter is what we need to do. It's not going to be easy but I'm really proud of the folks there who are committed to sticking around and doing whatever they can to help make the city better.

SwellJoe 15y ago
That's an admirable position. But, I'll point out that when starting a new tech company, you have two options. You can do everything you can to make it a success. Or, you can start it outside of a major tech company startup hub, such as in Detroit. If your priority is to help save Detroit, by way of starting a company that provides jobs in Detroit, that's cool. Good on you. But, odds are very good it's not going to become a big tech company. There are a lot of ways to frame the world as "two options". We have two options with regard to poverty in Africa: Give our savings away to help feed the poor, or buy a new TV or car or whatever it is we were planning to do with that money. We have two options with regard to the environment: We can sell our cars and start biking everywhere, or we can continue doing what we've always done. Just because a cause is worthy does not mean I'm the person to take it up. I'll leave solving Detroit's problems to the people who have reasons to love Detroit. For people in Detroit who are starting tech companies, and care about the success of their company more than the recovery of Detroit, the smart money is on leaving Detroit for greener pastures. By the way, I'm not really criticizing your article. I think it's an interesting story; I think a lot of what's happening in Detroit right now is an interesting story, which is why it was high on my "places in the northeast to visit" (right below NYC).

SwellJoe 15y ago

That's an admirable position. But, I'll point out that when starting a new tech company, you have two options. You can do everything you can to make it a success. Or, you can start it outside of a major tech company startup hub, such as in Detroit. If your priority is to help save Detroit, by way of starting a company that provides jobs in Detroit, that's cool. Good on you. But, odds are very good it's not going to become a big tech company. There are a lot of ways to frame the world as "two options". We have two options with regard to poverty in Africa: Give our savings away to help feed the poor, or buy a new TV or car or whatever it is we were planning to do with that money. We have two options with regard to the environment: We can sell our cars and start biking everywhere, or we can continue doing what we've always done. Just because a cause is worthy does not mean I'm the person to take it up. I'll leave solving Detroit's problems to the people who have reasons to love Detroit. For people in Detroit who are starting tech companies, and care about the success of their company more than the recovery of Detroit, the smart money is on leaving Detroit for greener pastures. By the way, I'm not really criticizing your article. I think it's an interesting story; I think a lot of what's happening in Detroit right now is an interesting story, which is why it was high on my "places in the northeast to visit" (right below NYC).