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Old 05-01-2014, 07:54 PM
 
409 posts, read 583,589 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Back to NE View Post

I think Chicagoans are actually more pretentious and snooty than other big city dwellers. They are more likely to think they are cool just being urban, maybe because so many come from Midwestern small towns. And there are a huge number of foodies, not interesting ones like Anthony Bourdain, just folks who must have the best food and wine and must critisize those who might eat at a chain restaraunt.
In some ways, I agree with this, too. Chicago (the gentrified parts) has this weird thing where people think they're cooler than other people because they live in an urban city. It's like "didn't you just graduate from UIowa/Michigan State/Purdue and grow up in suburban Indianapolis/Chicago/Detroit"?

I have not experienced this to the same extent in even the NYC/SF type super-elite cities. If you're in Manhattan and tell someone you live in Connecticut, no one will look at you like you just farted. Hell, you can say you're from Nebraska and then won't care, they're so Manhattan-centric they'll think it's cute, like you're from Upper Slobovia or something. In Chicago you'll sometimes get some douchey comment about "Omaha's not a REAL city" or something...
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Old 05-01-2014, 08:46 PM
 
Location: St. Louis
2,690 posts, read 3,157,231 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
I haven't read all the comments, but no, Chicago is not known as a friendly town. You don't get many smiles or thank-yous.

In that respect it reminds me of Canada and the Pacific NW. It's a little cold in terms of the human element. It isn't "in your face" like the Northeast, it isn't "in your business" like the South, it isn't "casual and cool with everything" like the West. It isn't even similar to other Midwest cities like Detroit or Indy, which are generally friendly.

That isn't to say that Chicagoans are rude. They just aren't particularly warm.
I would agree with this. It's actually one of the things I enjoy about the people of Chicago.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
In some ways, I agree with this, too. Chicago (the gentrified parts) has this weird thing where people think they're cooler than other people because they live in an urban city. It's like "didn't you just graduate from UIowa/Michigan State/Purdue and grow up in suburban Indianapolis/Chicago/Detroit"?

I have not experienced this to the same extent in even the NYC/SF type super-elite cities. If you're in Manhattan and tell someone you live in Connecticut, no one will look at you like you just farted. Hell, you can say you're from Nebraska and then won't care, they're so Manhattan-centric they'll think it's cute, like you're from Upper Slobovia or something. In Chicago you'll sometimes get some douchey comment about "Omaha's not a REAL city" or something...
New Yorkers might think it's quaint when people are from places like Nebraska, but they can be pretentious when you say you're from another large city. When I was visiting NYC and I was being introduced to my friends' friends I got one of two responses: either they had been to Chicago and enjoyed it or they wanted to know when I was planning on moving to a "real" city, aka NYC.

One of them even tried to explain to me how to hail a taxi. He literally thought that Chicago "wasn't big enough" to have taxis. I wish I could say that I thought it was one of the transplants I met in NYC, but he was a native.
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Old 05-01-2014, 08:47 PM
 
7,107 posts, read 8,878,992 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
In some ways, I agree with this, too. Chicago (the gentrified parts) has this weird thing where people think they're cooler than other people because they live in an urban city. It's like "didn't you just graduate from UIowa/Michigan State/Purdue and grow up in suburban Indianapolis/Chicago/Detroit"?

I have not experienced this to the same extent in even the NYC/SF type super-elite cities. If you're in Manhattan and tell someone you live in Connecticut, no one will look at you like you just farted. Hell, you can say you're from Nebraska and then won't care, they're so Manhattan-centric they'll think it's cute, like you're from Upper Slobovia or something. In Chicago you'll sometimes get some douchey comment about "Omaha's not a REAL city" or something...
This is true on the north side. I think it was funny when people think they are better than xyz because of the city they live in. When some found out I had experience living in the south the first thing comes out of their mouth is racism and different types of prejudices. When I tell them that Chicago is more segregated than Memphis and Charlotte, they look like I have a problem and how dare talk bad about progressive Obama voting Chicago. Lol.

I actually like Omaha and Detroit. Actually there are many cities that I enjoy that are not in Chicago league.
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Old 05-01-2014, 08:49 PM
 
Location: Earth
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I treat people on how they want to be treated. If they're nice I'll be nice if they act stuck up I'll give them the same treatment rather if it's in Chicago, NYC, or down in Antarctica. I don't care where they are from. You have nice and mean people everywhere. There are many different personalities out there and not everyone is going to be your friend.
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Old 05-01-2014, 09:00 PM
 
21 posts, read 26,855 times
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In terms of friendliness, I think you'll find in Chicago:

Older people more friendly than younger people
Minorities more friendly than whites
Working class more friendly than professionals

For instance, on the 'L', if you want to experience relatively friendly people, hop on a Green Line train where there's often camaraderie amongst the passengers. For the opposite experience, take the Brown Line where your typical passenger is a yuppie transfixed to his iPhone.
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Old 05-01-2014, 10:49 PM
 
11,973 posts, read 31,635,920 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
Chicago (the gentrified parts) has this weird thing where people think they're cooler than other people because they live in an urban city. It's like "didn't you just graduate from UIowa/Michigan State/Purdue and grow up in suburban Indianapolis/Chicago/Detroit"?
I am also quite annoyed by this attitude/behavior, and it has been going on for the history of humanity everywhere that people live. I think this is largely an issue of maturity, and that most people eventually see that there is more than one way to live a life. But I find it funny that you are basically disparaging people for being from small towns or midwestern suburbs, or for going to large public universities… By implying that these people are provincial based on where they are from, you're doing exactly what you just condemned one sentence earlier.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
I have not experienced this to the same extent in even the NYC/SF type super-elite cities.
I strongly disagree with this. Transplanted New Yorkers basically invented this behavior, and transplants in the Bay Area aren't much better. The difference in Chicago is that they eventually grow out of it, but in New York they have to perpetually keep up the superiority complex to justify the inherent difficulties involved in living in New York.
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Old 05-01-2014, 10:56 PM
 
11,973 posts, read 31,635,920 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket1 View Post
Minorities more friendly than whites
Uh… Huh…. ???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket1 View Post
For instance, on the 'L', if you want to experience relatively friendly people, hop on a Green Line train where there's often camaraderie amongst the passengers. For the opposite experience, take the Brown Line where your typical passenger is a yuppie transfixed to his iPhone.
Or in other words, the train through the black neighborhoods is friendly while the train through the whitest neighborhoods is mean and standoffish? Interesting hypothesis.
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Old 05-01-2014, 11:36 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
The difference in Chicago is that they eventually grow out of it, but in New York they have to perpetually keep up the superiority complex to justify the inherent difficulties involved in living in New York.
I never noticed this, at all. New Yorkers tend to not care where you're from. They don't care about anything in the U.S. west of the Hudson, except for maybe Cali, so don't really have negative vibes if you're from somewhere else.

In contrast, in Chicago, people have to kind of remind you "hey this is a big city, ya know; we're no Indy", in a kinda insecure, just moved into town kind of way. I think people actually from Chicago are less like this, but I have definitely noticed it in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview neighborhoods. It's like, people in NYC or LA don't care about this kind of crap, generally speaking. Chicago has a bit of a chip on its shoulder, and is a bit insecure about its status, sometimes.
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Old 05-01-2014, 11:39 PM
 
409 posts, read 583,589 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
Or in other words, the train through the black neighborhoods is friendly while the train through the whitest neighborhoods is mean and standoffish? Interesting hypothesis.
This part is definitely true. Black neighborhoods are invariably more friendly than white neighborhoods, nationwide. Blacks in Chicago are still a bit country, and roots in the South (esp. Delta region), and people make eye contact, smile, and "Good Morning" to your neighbors.

If you pulled that crap in Lincoln Park your neighbors would probably call 911.
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Old 05-01-2014, 11:54 PM
 
Location: Illinois
596 posts, read 815,083 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111 View Post
This part is definitely true. Black neighborhoods are invariably more friendly than white neighborhoods, nationwide. Blacks in Chicago are still a bit country, and roots in the South (esp. Delta region), and people make eye contact, smile, and "Good Morning" to your neighbors.

If you pulled that crap in Lincoln Park your neighbors would probably call 911.
If this is true, you would think there would be less crime.
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