From The Jaws of Victory: Vol. 38
Erie’s Favorite Pastime: Complaining
If there’s one thing Erie residents seem to be great at, it’s complaining about Erie. Now, don’t get me wrong—criticism is essential for ensuring accountability. But when it comes to Erie, more often than not, the complaints are unproductive negativity instead of legitimate and constructive feedback. Whether it’s the local economy, population trends, or new efforts to move the community forward, a lot of people are reluctant to voice anything but harsh criticism or sarcasm laced apathy. Yes, Erie was hit hard by the shift of manufacturing and industrial jobs overseas and the shift to a knowledge-based economy. But nearly fifty years have passed since these changes began, so why can’t some people shake the negativity?
It’s a Defensive Mechanism
Much like victims of trauma who highlight their flaws to preempt criticism, Erie’s residents emphasize negative aspects and complain to shield themselves from disappointment or perceived attacks. By screaming about shortcomings first, they gain a sense of control over the narrative, protecting themselves from further disillusionment. This preemptive strike helps individuals to feel less vulnerable to external criticism and more prepared for potential setbacks.
Collective Low Self-Esteem
Communities that have experienced economic decline, like Erie, often suffer from the collective low self-esteem phenomenon. This manifests as a tendency to doubt and devalue any positive progress, similar to trauma victims, members of the community frequently undervalue the community’s own achievements. Prolonged economic hardship leaves people feeling inherently inadequate, fostering a negative outlook. This collective low self-esteem stifles enthusiasm for new initiatives and hinders the community’s ability to embrace change and progress.
Fear of Hope
For economically distressed communities, hope can be a double-edged sword. Having hope and then facing setbacks can be more painful than maintaining low expectations. By focusing on the negatives, people avoid the risk of dashed hopes and further emotional pain. This fear of hope prevents people from fully engaging with positive initiatives and celebrating progress. The possibility of future disappointment often overshadows the potential for success so they keep hope at arms length.
Normalization of Negativity
Prolonged exposure to negative conditions and apathy can lead to the normalization of negativity. Community members have become used to viewing their surroundings and prospects in a negative light. It’s accepted and viewed as normal. This normalization makes it hard to recognize and celebrate improvements, as negativity becomes the default mindset. Over time, this pervasive negativity can become ingrained in the community’s culture, making positive change even more difficult to achieve.
Seeking Validation
By vocalizing complaints, people seek validation and solidarity from others who share their views. Misery loves company, or something, right? This is similar to how trauma victims might seek reassurance from others by highlighting their own perceived flaws. In Erie, this behavior has created a cycle that reinforces and amplifies negativity leading to complaints and criticisms echoing within the community. This collective validation of negativity creates a toxic environment where pessimism is perpetuated, and optimism is dismissed.
Historical and Cultural Context
A history of economic decline can create a cultural context where pessimism becomes a dominant narrative. This shared cultural context reinforces the tendency to focus on negative aspects and an inability to find positives. The industrial downturn and loss of manufacturing jobs have deeply ingrained a narrative of decline and negativity in Erie’s collective consciousness. Our historical perspective has shaped how our community views current and future prospects, too often overshadowing recent progress and successes.
Learned Helplessness
Repeated economic setbacks can lead to a sense of learned helplessness, where the community feels that no matter what they do, the outcome will be negative. This learned helplessness manifests as apathy and a reluctance to engage with new opportunities or support revitalization efforts. Overcoming this sense of helplessness is a massive undertaking and requires a concerted effort to rebuild confidence and demonstrate that positive change is possible.
Coping Strategy
Complaining and focusing on what’s wrong can be a coping strategy. It can provide a sense of solidarity and communal identity, even if it’s built around negativity, people bond over shared experiences of suffering. For Erie, communal bonds have been forged through shared grievances rather than shared aspirations. While this may offer short-term comfort, it ultimately hinders long-term progress and development.
Addressing the Root Causes
With hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in economic revitalization initiatives, there’s a lot to be proud of and even more coming to be excited for. But these efforts can’t succeed on their own and need to be paired with initiatives aimed at boosting community morale and self-esteem. We need to create a culture of resilience, celebrating small victories, and promoting stories of positive change… we need to be Erie’s cheerleaders.
Erie’s negativity is not merely a reaction to economic conditions but a complex psychological response to prolonged hardship. We can create a more optimistic and unified community. We can change the narrative to one of hope and resilience, we have to celebrate our progress, and support each other in the journey towards a brighter future for Erie.