Native Baltimoreans and their anti-intellectualism! (residential, area, dinner)

[choccity]

Originally Posted by KodeBlue

That's just about everywhere. People have no interest in learning something new. I guess people get set in their ways. Personally, I seek knowledge as much as possible. Also, many cities have people that never leave their neighborhoods- NYC is a prime example. Some of them never leave their neighborhoods, let alone boroughs.

But so much more to do within those neighborhoods, boroughs etc. Self contained, you don't need to venture out. Not the same in Baltimore, at all.

[choccity]

Originally Posted by molukai

Learning about the Ravens? Or Orioles? Or Faidleys Crab Cakes? Or the National Aquarium-Baltimore? These are but a few examples of the 'best' of Baltimore in which I have exposed myself to. My general feelings are lackluster at best. And you know what? For all the crime that the WaPo posts about PG County (which is a huge territory, of course), I feel absolutely safe where I live. I do not feel safe in Baltimore. This is not to say that I don't hope that Baltimore sees a revival, but the fact that the entire city is enveloped in drug corruption for decades tells me that it is not being governed correctly. But I guess that can be a narrative for the state of Maryland in general, too.

So anyway, your assertion that I have no idea what there is in Baltimore is wrong. The meaning of my previous post's statement was that I just don't like going to Baltimore.

Oh, I will say one thing I find humorous about Baltimore: How everyone seems to think it is okay to jaywalk, especially during an Orioles game. I was at a game last year and even saw POLICE OFFICERS just lazily walking across the heavily congested roads surrounding the stadium.

OMG you have got it. I am from DC too, but I live here in Baltimore. My daughter goes to a very good school, so when she's done, we are outta here. We have been here for 10 years and NOTHING has changed. People here deserve so much more than they are getting. This city government is more corrupt than DC, lol and that's saying a lot. Past Mayor Williams and Berry for that matter are responsible for DC's revival and 'gentrification' and over haul of the entire city. I don't see a revival for Baltimore any time soon. Taxing the citizens to death will not get the city out of debt. This city needs a overhaul of the city politicians from the mayor on down. Get the home town out of the politics and bring people in NOT from Baltimore. Local politicians tend to stroke the same problems and not fix them and the citizens a lot of times don't hold them accountable. Enough of that. The jaywalking is off the chain, lol. I thought it was just me. Those Orioles games are horrible when you have to drive through that mess like I do everyday. No crowd control at all.

[choccity]

Originally Posted by LunaticVillage

I would say that it was easier to distinguish white and black folks from Baltimore from DC folks a few years ago when regional clothing styles and trends were more distinctive. A few years ago, people from Baltimore would wear those long @$s capri shorts with an oversized polo shirt that was buttoned all the way to the top. Braids parted down the center of the head is another Baltimore thing. Black Baltimoreans tend to dress more similar to Black Philadelphians in some respects.

DC's style is very unique to the region. Black folks in DC were heavy on local clothing brands like Solbiato which featured quirky early 90's-esque clothing featuring heavy primary color blocking and strange fashions like t-shirts with lightweight hoods attached. Today, people in DC wear jackets by brands like Helley Hansen and Spyder as well as wearing those Snoop Dogg-esque wave caps.

Today, regional styles across the country among urban blacks are disappearing as blacks in big cities across the country are all beginning to dress exactly alike wearing the latest Air Jordan retros, fitted clothing, Polo, snapbacks etc. But I have noticed that heavy tattoos, especially on the face, are more prominent in Baltimore than DC today.

White folks from DC and Baltimore are easily distinguishable. The type of working class white folks that live amongst blacks in places in South Baltimore do not exist in the DC metro area. White people in the DMV are upper middle class or just plain rich and do not associate with urban dwelling blacks or any other minorities except for the standard token upper middle class Asians, Indians and bougie thoroughly whitewashed suburban blacks that live in Montgomery County. Whites in DC are very aloof and dress very preppy like people from the Ralph Lauren catalog. Whites in Baltimore dress more urban like the black folks they live around, either that or they still dress like its the 90's (in a bad way) or don't care about how they look, period.

Spot on. Why don't people here care how they look?

[Infinite_heights77]

I care about how I look, and people call me "bougie" and all that negative garbage..

[Infinite_heights77]

Choccity,

"Get the home town out of the politics and bring people in NOT from Baltimore."

I have problems with this statement. Hometown talent can be a good and prosperous thing if they are "conscious", "intelligent" and "progressive." I have NO problems with out of town talent, but they must understand the culture and mindset of this population. Sometime, out-of-towners do have special insight because they aren't blind and drunk by an unconditional loyalty to this city.

[tairos]

So, is this purported "anti-intellectualism" really rank in the 'yuppie areas' too? I consider myself a pretty middlebrow person, when it comes down to it. I'm into current events, history, politics, social sciences, but nothing truly 'refined' like the arts or whatever. But I hated my time at state school, and would be absolutely thrilled if I could keep my exposure to yet more shallow, parochial, and stupid people to a minimum. Call me conceited, but spending four years around people whose only interests were getting drunk and watching "the game" and who were repulsed by four syllable words was not a fun experience. Say what you want about DC people. Soulless, status obsessed amoral ladder climbers that they are, at least you can strike up an interesting conversation from time to time.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by LunaticVillage

I would say that it was easier to distinguish white and black folks from Baltimore from DC folks a few years ago when regional clothing styles and trends were more distinctive. A few years ago, people from Baltimore would wear those long @$s capri shorts with an oversized polo shirt that was buttoned all the way to the top. Braids parted down the center of the head is another Baltimore thing. Black Baltimoreans tend to dress more similar to Black Philadelphians in some respects.

DC's style is very unique to the region. Black folks in DC were heavy on local clothing brands like Solbiato which featured quirky early 90's-esque clothing featuring heavy primary color blocking and strange fashions like t-shirts with lightweight hoods attached. Today, people in DC wear jackets by brands like Helley Hansen and Spyder as well as wearing those Snoop Dogg-esque wave caps.

Today, regional styles across the country among urban blacks are disappearing as blacks in big cities across the country are all beginning to dress exactly alike wearing the latest Air Jordan retros, fitted clothing, Polo, snapbacks etc. But I have noticed that heavy tattoos, especially on the face, are more prominent in Baltimore than DC today.

White folks from DC and Baltimore are easily distinguishable. The type of working class white folks that live amongst blacks in places in South Baltimore do not exist in the DC metro area. White people in the DMV are upper middle class or just plain rich and do not associate with urban dwelling blacks or any other minorities except for the standard token upper middle class Asians, Indians and bougie thoroughly whitewashed suburban blacks that live in Montgomery County. Whites in DC are very aloof and dress very preppy like people from the Ralph Lauren catalog. Whites in Baltimore dress more urban like the black folks they live around, either that or they still dress like its the 90's (in a bad way) or don't care about how they look, period.

This.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Good description. You can find some working class Whites in the DC area though in places like Waldorf and Rt 1 in Virginia but in DC and close in suburbs forget it.

As well as some in St. Mary's County and Calvert County in Maryland along with Jefferson County in West Virginia. Even the outer fringes of PG County (quite possibly the last remnants of PG County's former predominate White working class demographic).

[are you kidinme?]

Originally Posted by tairos

So, is this purported "anti-intellectualism" really rank in the 'yuppie areas' too? I consider myself a pretty middlebrow person, when it comes down to it. I'm into current events, history, politics, social sciences, but nothing truly 'refined' like the arts or whatever. But I hated my time at state school, and would be absolutely thrilled if I could keep my exposure to yet more shallow, parochial, and stupid people to a minimum. Call me conceited, but spending four years around people whose only interests were getting drunk and watching "the game" and who were repulsed by four syllable words was not a fun experience. Say what you want about DC people. Soulless, status obsessed amoral ladder climbers that they are, at least you can strike up an interesting conversation from time to time.

Exactly right!

[james777]

Originally Posted by tairos

So, is this purported "anti-intellectualism" really rank in the 'yuppie areas' too? I consider myself a pretty middlebrow person, when it comes down to it. I'm into current events, history, politics, social sciences, but nothing truly 'refined' like the arts or whatever. But I hated my time at state school, and would be absolutely thrilled if I could keep my exposure to yet more shallow, parochial, and stupid people to a minimum. Call me conceited, but spending four years around people whose only interests were getting drunk and watching "the game" and who were repulsed by four syllable words was not a fun experience. Say what you want about DC people. Soulless, status obsessed amoral ladder climbers that they are, at least you can strike up an interesting conversation from time to time.

Agreed.