Around 2015/16, when Minnesota began facing what would become a string of cross-ethnic, deadly police encounters culminating with George Floyd, racism was generally credited as the culprit. I questioned whether Minnesota is more racist than other states. After all, many people here take pride in how Progressive our culture is and how much our state and its residents invest in social welfare.
So then why all these incidents here?
I wondered if there was something more ingrained causing this.
Around this same time, I learned how US regions had measurably different personalities and how these differences affected political and social outcomes. One coincidence from the Upper Midwest's "Friendly and Conventional" personality type: We happen to have five of the states with the highest racial achievement wealth gaps.
Since then, our world has become evermore dynamic, fluid, and even chaotic. How have reserved Midwesterners dealt with this? Well, in the case of Minnesota, I argue, not too well.
I put it all together in my full page story in today's Star Tribune.
This article looks at how Minnesota's been struggling (education, safety) in recent years. Then it lays out this theory around how our culture/personality manifests challenges in today's world. Finally, I offer some ideas for how we can work to turn things around.
Check it out here: https://startribune.com/is-minnesota-in-trouble/601157717
Archived version https://web.archive.org/web/20241006195350/https://www.startribune.com/is-minnesota-in-trouble/601157717
Whether or not you agree with my hypothesis or thoughts on policy or how to best move forward as a state, I think you'll appreciate some thought-provoking ideas.
