The Perils of Rust Belt Memes (Richey Piiparinene, Atlantic Cities)

"Ruin!" versus "Revival!" narratives are mesofacts— broad, flexible yet significant beliefs about places or peoples. Mesofacts influence perceptions, which drive behaviors, which affect how places are cared for, praised, derided, or left for dead. When we package the idea of a Rust Belt death and rebirth with superficial themes, people on the ground are left to clean up the mess.