Why does Chicago have so many "tough guys"...? (high school, bus)

[dementor]

Originally Posted by analyticalkeys

Just throwing in the NY perspective: There's certain people you wouldn't want to stare down, but it's not like you're going to get into a brawl with every person you look like. A lot of the "tough people" are pretty meek here too, can't say if it's more or less than there, they're usually all talk, no fight. A lot of random people talk to each other around here, and it's not really considered weird or anything, you'll just talk to them, and then be on your way. A lot of false perception around, and just because you have the mean look in the subway, doesn't mean that people are going to come at you and want to throw down. It just doesn't work like that.

That's a big difference between New York and Chicago: a lot of random poeple actually talk to each other. And I do not mean exchanging pleasantries and "how you doings" but you actually talk to other people.
LookoutKid said it himself in his post: he does not like to talk to strangers, he is afraid that the strangers approaching him are beggars (that's a serious epidemic on Chicago) or Greenpeace folks (really scary looking girls in glasses, right? )
That all is pretty strange considering Chicago is a huge city, usually people that choose to live in big cities are the ones who like contact with other people, including some "random" strangers. In comparison with New York Chicago seems very scared to the point people are afraid to actually talk to other people, however they will never admit it instead providing different excuses why they do not like to be approached by strangers...

[noid_1985]

Dementor where are you from?

[dementor]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I personally like the Chicago "don't **** with me" attitude. I can't stand it when strangers walk up and start a conversation, unless they are neighbors or have some other connection to you (like you were both waiting for the same bus for a very long time or something like that). 99 times out of 100 a stranger starting a conversation in Chicago will be asking for money, or will be trying to distract you for a pickpocket or something like that. And then there's the ever cheery Greenpeace canvassers who seem to multiply like rabbits...

Yup, Chicagoans definetely have this standofish attitude despite all the claims of being friendly. From my experience they do not really care for contact with other people. The rest are just excuses, you have beggars, greenpeace and salesman in all cities... Even if you approach someone on Chicago street (the Loop) and ask for directions people seem kind of perplepxed, like this is unexpected that someone they do not know is actually talking to them... That reminds of these small towns in the South with residents very suspicious of anybody who has not spent 25 years living in their town... That's why I do not buy that "friendly Chicago" c**p anymore.

[Lookout Kid]

Dementor, quit pretending you're from New York.

I've lived in New York and Paris, and will be the first to say that these cities do not deserve the reputations they have for being rude. However, if there is a noticeable difference between public behavior in New York and Chicago, New York is certainly the ruder of the two.

I love New York City, and actually prefer it in many ways to Chicago. But this "Dementor" poser is so full of $hit that I can't help myself. If you must attack Chicago and compare it to New York in every post you make, fine. New York has many advantages. But it's annoying when you simiply make up B.S. advantages based on your failure to make friends here. If your online persona is any indication of your real personality, it's pretty obvious that your unhappiness in Chicago is your own doing.

[Ron.]

Boy....some of you need to loosen up......it's a light hearted thread. No wonder why folks randomly shoot people. You guys actually agree with this nonsense.



Have fun.....back to my normal forum.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by dementor

Yup, Chicagoans efinetely have this standofish attitude despite all the claims of being friendly. From my experience they do not really care for contact with other people not matter what excuse they provide...
Even if you approach someone on Chicago street, asking for directions people seem very of shocked that someone they do not know is actually talking to them...
That reminds of these small towns in the South with residents very suspicious of anybody who has not spent 25 years living in their town...

The fact that I tend to dislike discourse with strangers on the street is more a factor of my own personality than any sort of "Chicago trait".

And like I said, there is NO WAY you are from New York.

[dementor]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Dementor, quit pretending you're from New York.

I've lived in New York and Paris, and will be the first to say that these cities do not deserve the reputations they have for being rude. However, if there is a noticeable difference between public behavior in New York and Chicago, New York is certainly the ruder of the two.

I love New York City, and actually prefer it in many ways to Chicago. But this "Dementor" poser is so full of $hit that I can't help myself. If you must attack Chicago and compare it to New York in every post you make, fine. New York has many advantages. But it's annoying when you simiply make up B.S. advantages based on your failure to make friends here. If your online persona is any indication of your real personality, it's pretty obvious that your unhappiness in Chicago is your own doing.

Take it easy Lookout. Your own post exemplifies what I call the general Chicago attitude: standofish and reserved. I do not care for forced politeness when I can see people I speak to try to end the contact as soon as they can. I think you heard it before but New York is not rude but direct. People do not dance around each other for five minutes before actually starting a real meaningful conversattion. New York is huge, there are a lot of people there, most of them you will never meet again in your life so nobody is wasting any time on false pleasantries and "feeling out" each other. No, Chicago in comparison feels really standofish, reserved and cold. You said it yourself, you do not like to talk to strangers and I know in Chicago it is a big no-no but in New York the reason you are there - if you do not like contact with "random" poeple there is always a cabin in Vermont you can move to... Why are you guys scared of strangers/people you do not know yet?


PS. Lookout after what you said about talking to strangers I am not surprized you did not stay in New York or Paris. With that attitude Chicago will always be your favorite city

[dementor]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

The fact that I tend to dislike discourse with strangers on the street is more a factor of my own personality than any sort of "Chicago trait".

No, after considerable time I spent in Chicago I can say Chicagoans are mostly standofish and not only towards people from other cities but to people they do not know in general. As a matter of fact this waht people usually say about Midwesterns, reserved and vary suspicious of outsiders or people they do not know, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

And like I said, there is NO WAY you are from New York.

Questioning other people's integrity is another Chicago trait I do not like.

PS. The reason I brought up New York in this discussion is not to show that it is a better place but simply to provide some point of reference.

[Nafster]

Originally Posted by dementor

No, after considerable time I spent in Chicago I can say Chicagoans are mostly standofish and not only towards people from other cities but to people they do not know in general. As a matter of fact this waht people usually say about Midwesterns, reserved and vary suspicious of outsiders or people they do not know, isn't it?
.

No. I have never heard that before, and I know TONS of New Yorkers who go to school with me (graduate and undergraduate) who have all told me they cannot believe how friendly Chicago and Midwesterners are compared to New York.

No, we don't have as much cosmopolitan culture and glamour as NY, but we are friendlier, and we DO talk to strangers more than NYC. Don't you realize that Chicago is slower paced city than NY?

You cannot possibly be from NYC if you think the pace of life is relaxed enough to allow people to have random conversations.


BTW- I love contact with strangers. You obviously seem not to because you have failed to take up offers from members here to meet in public and discuss our disagreements

[reppin_the_847]

I know "Lookout" ain't really feeling your posts and all, but I do have to agree that the sheer amount of Midwestern transplants in Chicago does have an impact on our culture.

Originally Posted by dementor

No, after considerable time I spent in Chicago I can say Chicagoans are mostly standofish and not only towards people from other cities but to people they do not know in general. As a matter of fact this waht people usually say about Midwesterns, reserved and vary suspicious of outsiders or people they do not know, isn't it?




Questioning other people's integrity is another Chicago trait I do not like.

PS. The reason I brought up New York in this discussion is not to show that it is a better place but simply to provide some point of reference.