Google Ngram trends show 'gentrification' usage surging in books starting around 2014 and overtaking terms like 'black crime,' while 'white flight' references also climb relative to the 1990s. The author argues this focus outstrips real‑world gentrification outside a few cities and faded after May 2020. The gap suggests elite narratives about cities shifted faster than conditions on the ground.
— If language trends steer agendas, a post‑2014 fixation on gentrification and 'white flight' could skew media coverage and policy priorities in urban debates.
Steve Sailer
2025.10.02
100% relevant
Steve Sailer's Ngram graphs comparing 'gentrification,' 'white flight,' and 'black crime' frequencies and his claim of a 2014 takeoff and post‑2020 stall.
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