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I'm not debating that Chicago is Midwestern, but I'm curious, what does that mean to you as a resident of SF? Meaning, in your mind, what do you think of when you label Chicago as having a Midwestern mindset?
I'm not debating that Chicago is Midwestern, but I'm curious, what does that mean to you as a resident of SF? Meaning, in your mind, what do you think of when you label Chicago as having a Midwestern mindset?
My mother is from Chicago, as is a lot of my family. So through them, and family friends amassed in the area there is definitely a somewhat hard to describe culture of values and rules there that you *definitely* don't find so much in San Francisco. It's not Boston rigid in "tradition" and "this is how things are and you are part of the club or not", but it's family values, gentility, a definite sense of morality (not in the Evangelical or Tea Party frame, but a subtle sect of that that you can still feel in the city) etc etc.
I can tell you one thing is for sure, there is definitely a reason that SF/Bay Area is a cluster of innovation. In fact, ironically, there are probably more people here from Chicago than from anywhere else, and Chicago is still the #1 or #2 source of domestic migration to the city and to Oakland. However, the city started as a gold rush with NO LAWS whatsoever and to some degrees that has carried over to today.
People here don't have the outward attitude that they must follow a certain set of rules or hold within them a certain set of values. It's all about defining "what works for you". There is a reason that things such as the "sexual revolution" were born in SF, or why things get invented here, or why SF's finance sector is built on taking serious risks (VC), etc etc. It's a city that is literally antagonistic to Chicago, Boston, and most other cities that have refined their working and living cultures over 100-200+ years.
I think this sets the area apart and creates a huge component of its appeal, especially for ambitious young people. It's still seen as a frontier, whereas Chicago is still kind of a family-oriented city (that to me is less so than St. Louis but still exudes a stereotypical Midwestern culture) and Boston is very "New Englandy" and I think we all know what that implies in both good ways and bad.
People on the East Coast view New York like idolworshippers.
It's bizarre.
I love NYC but by no means idolize it. I actually for the most part love SF (though to be honest sadly this site has caused me to like it less than I once did)
An honestly saying a ridiculous level of idol worshiping is bizarre is very ironic from your keyboard.
I generally think myself to be more realist than idol worshipper though I suppose we all have some level of favorites
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