RubberBuzz || Akron Unleashed: More on Seth

9.22.2005

More on Seth

Davie G.'s* article in today's BJ is all about the Seth Godin blog post. I'm glad that Mr. G. pointed out that this whole "Akron's dead" statement isn't nearly as important as who said it. Seth Godin is highly influential. If he states Akron is dead, people believe him. He's kinda like Oprah. When she said she wouldn't eat beef because she was afraid of mad cow disease, others followed suit. She pissed off the beef world and all of their efforts to make a living much like Seth pissed off all the Akron people who are working hard to make their city better.

Giffels also pointed out that this is a reflection on where we are as a city. I think Captial G summed up the situation fairly well with the last few paragraphs of the article.

I don't blame anyone for being angry with Godin. I was too, at first. Those of us who understand Akron and its history know that his comment was incorrect. But if we want to prove we're coming back, we need to get over our inherent inferiority complex. Brighten our eyes and un-stoop our shoulders, y'know? If Godin had blogged that Paris is a dying city, Paris would hardly have sniffed.

His impression now, based on the flood of e-mails, is that Akron is a dying city with thin skin. Don't give him any more anecdotal evidence.

We're not dying. But we're also not far enough back to ignore the occasional insult, or to use it as the opportunity for healthy self-examination. Self-confidence is the next step.

I suspect Godin already knew all this. After all, he's from Buffalo. It's no Akron, but a fine place nonetheless.

The BJ :: Anti-Akron comments a little stale

*It occurred to me a few days ago that it is entirely possible that David Giffels could have gone by Davie G. in kindergarten.

(joe :: More on Seth)

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