Fear and Self Loathing in Bozeman, Montana

Bozeman is having an identity crisis. Where we came from vs. where we're going. Traffic. Housing. Comments about the weather. Nothings seems relaxed around here anymore and we're sort of hating on ourselves.

Social media certainly isn't the best measure of a community's mental health but I DO think it speaks volumes about certain attitudes we have about our town and whatever the issue of the day may be.

If you took a look at some of the Facebook comments that have been made in recent weeks, you'd think Bozeman was full of impatient, rude, judgmental experts on everything 'Montana'.

Have we lost our manners? Where is our patience and hospitality? Are we terrified of 'what Bozeman is becoming'? Are we solely focused on taking care of our own day-to-day needs and screw the rest of y'all? What's going on?

These are actual comments made in Bozeman area Facebook groups:

• "What the hell is wrong with you people. It's wintertime and it snows here. Learn how to drive or go back to wherever you moved here from in your expensive suv." (This was made in a road conditions group, mind you. Asking about current conditions from other drivers is kind of what it's all about.)
• "Bozeman sucks. It can't even build a new building that looks mildly different than the one that went up last week. Another million dollar condo? We're doomed and out of state ass****s brought this on."
• "Does the GCHD even bother to try to get the most vulnerable people vaccinated or are they just sitting back and watching the chaos with their bowl of popcorn?"
• "You should probably take those white bread, white collar, moved here yesterday comments elsewhere."
• "Apparently there's a check your brain at the state line rule when you move to Montana now. Idiots everywhere."

The rude comments are everywhere and perhaps the frustrations are justified, but when did we become this community of impatient, intolerant jerks behind a keyboard?

Perhaps my brain is just picking up on all the negative stuff and not seeing enough of the positive. (And yes, I realize it's social media...not real life.) But isn't it true that if you see or read something enough times you eventually believe it to be true?