Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm genuinely interested in all of these responses.
I find it odd that some people are up in arms about a singular person's published comments. He shared his opinion, which was rather broad and generalizing (and I would say incorrect), yet a lot of people are responding with the same kind of comments in return. Pot meet kettle.
I'm curious about this desire to try and distance Columbia and Greenville, too. Why? I find Spartanburg residents doing this as well and I don't understand it. At the end of the day, it seems like comparisons are the issue, but I don't know. If we try so hard to distance ourselves, then opportunities to learn from one another become much more difficult. The often contrived contrasting points start to overshadow the similarities where lessons can be learned and applied. No city does everything correct, right?
Anyway, I ultimately know that most people who are expressing their thoughts on these forums are not in places of power and don't reflect the views of people who actually make the choices for their city. And honestly, I think we can all be thankful for that. Emotions can often get in the way, but I would like to see what you all have to say.
I would say the 'anti Columbia' mentality stems mainly from these issues:
-It is the capitol city..thus anything done by the Governor or the General Assembly is "those b*stards in Columbia's fault"... Same can be said for Washington, DC as it is viewed by many around the nation. Columbia also evolved by government for government while the other largest cities were tied to industry and agriculture thus the 'elite' in the Upstate and Low Country EARNED their living while the ruling class in columbia TAKE their living by taking/controlling/taxing the others.. Columbia by its mere existense was a compromise between the ruling elite of the upstate and the low country since neither trusted the other to have the capitol in their section of the state for political access reasons.
-Clemson and USC rivalry...this is a given
-Columbia is the largest city in the State.. thus some natural competition for business, tourism, industry, bragging rights etc.
-Upstate-GOP.. Columbia mainly on the Richland side is DNC
I am sure others here could add more.
I dont see the Columbia bashing other city thing as much (maybe because I am from Columbia). The Mayor of Columbia went to visit Greenville's downtown and actually praised the City for its efforts. Most people I talk to have a high opinion of Greenville.. If anything locals are MORE critical of Columbia if you use the State newspaper as a barometer you will get a sense of that when local issues/downtown discussions arise.
....My sense is that Columbians may come off as being self absorbed/focused/self important because we are the "center of the state" " the capitol" etc etc.. and that may rub others the wrong way elsewhere in the state..Im not saying that is intentional.. but maybe a perception issue. I flew on SWA into to Charleston and rented a car to go to Columbia.. The lady at the counter asked me where I was headed and I said.. 'Columbia'.. she looked at me and said "You poor thing".. .I told her I could handle the drive.. and she was like.. "Im not talking about the drive....." Im going to make it a point to fly into Greenville next time and to see what reaction I get..lol
If anyone on here is lurking from The State Newspaper, Charleston Courier or the Greenville News..they should dive deeper into this issue. This would be an excellent story.. on SC provincialism....
Last edited by Woodlands; 03-14-2013 at 12:54 PM..
The lady at the counter asked me where I was headed and I said.. 'Columbia'.. she looked at me and said "You poor thing"
I've gotten a similar reaction on a Charleston horse and buggy ride from the tour guide when they were going around asking people where they are from. I've also heard "Oh Columbia sucks, that's the armpit of SC"
Some people are easily brainwashed. Politically speaking on a state level, Columbia is only the meeting place where the idiots from the hinterlands gather. That's not Columbia's fault. Comments like the woman's at the counter are just plain rude and childish. She has drunk the kool-aid. At least Columbia can support a ballet, three in fact. And the law school in Columbia is in U.S. News & World Report's first tier. The comments against all things Columbia will probably continue, and I know ignorance will.
I haven't commented much on this forum lately. However, I still read the Columbia threads with some interest. It seems like this particular thread has taken a turn from its focus on the Vista and 5 Points to the more common discussion that I have seen repeated in some of the other threads. I gave gvillsc some reps points because I thought that s/he made a thoughtful post that had the potential to turn the focus of this discussion back the Vista and 5 Points.
I am not from SC. And, I must admit it is very interesting reading these comments from the vantage point of an "outsider." If I didn't know anything about the history of SC, these comments, alone, would provide some interesting insights into how raw the emotions are in SC regarding territory and place. I am certain that many are making some valid points. Nevertheless, I must admit that I am immuned to this Columbia/Greenville divide, or even a Columbia vs all other argument. gvillsc seems to question how productive it is to create such a divide. However, given that this topic seems to always emerge (even from the most innocent discussion), maybe we should reflect on how (and why) such a divide benefits different SC cities. Of course, since this is a Columbia thread, maybe that reflection should start with folks in Columbia focusing on how they benefit from it, and what they do to reinforce it.
Okay, I will go back to just reading the threads now
I'm not bashing the city of Greenville. I like the city. Greenville used BMW as a shot-in-the-arm to the maximum extent and has really reached a critical mass of development in the past few years.
My issue is with the more vocal Greenvillians who get off on bashing Columbia like they've won an Olympic gold medal. To me, these people reveal themselves as parvenus. I think some Greenville residents have a sense that they're triumphant underdogs, but have taken it too far. Twenty-five years ago, after the collapse of the textile industry, Greenville could have become a crumbling skeleton of a city. This is a fate that Columbia and Charleston weren't - and aren't - vulnerable to because of their unique economic drivers. Greenville was able to capitalize on the I-85 corridor, attract BMW, etc., and has turned around its fortunes to a remarkable extent.
It still seems like Greenvillians have a grudge against Columbia and seek us out on the internet (or in person, when possible) to gloat. Why? Personally, I don't feel the need to do this to anyone from any city. Why do so many Greenvillians feel differently?
A city is more than its Main Street. Although the built environment is very important, culture matters, too. Perhaps more so. It seems like Greenville's anti-Columbia vendetta is becoming a part of its culture. Civic pride and a healthy rivalry are one thing, but the meanspiritedness coming from the Upstate is something else. I like living in a city that doesn't need to demean others to feel good about itself. Columbia is far from perfect, but at least we aren't a high school Mean Girl.
I actually once or twice have witnessed Columbia residents, who I know love Columbia and have no desire to live anywhere else, selling out to a Charleston or Greenville resident as though they were intimidated when the topic of where they lived came up. It's not like lots of Columbians themselves haven't bought into the notion that it's inferior. Whenever I have encountered people's snide comments, I've always been right back at 'em, in person or otherwise. I guess my response readiness comes from 30 years of analyzing the amenities and "minds" of the three cities. Columbians who habitually bash the other two cities are few and far between. They just don't think that way. But there's nothing wrong with coming to the defense of one's city, even if it means pointing out the specks or logs in the eyes of the perpetrator's city.
Anyway, there's going to be a lot of activity here this weekend between the Tatoo Arts Festival at the convention center in the Vista and the ABC News top-15-in-the-nation St. Patrick's Day Festival in Five Points.
I'm not bashing the city of Greenville. I like the city. Greenville used BMW as a shot-in-the-arm to the maximum extent and has really reached a critical mass of development in the past few years.
My issue is with the more vocal Greenvillians who get off on bashing Columbia like they've won an Olympic gold medal. To me, these people reveal themselves as parvenus. I think some Greenville residents have a sense that they're triumphant underdogs, but have taken it too far. Twenty-five years ago, after the collapse of the textile industry, Greenville could have become a crumbling skeleton of a city. This is a fate that Columbia and Charleston weren't - and aren't - vulnerable to because of their unique economic drivers. Greenville was able to capitalize on the I-85 corridor, attract BMW, etc., and has turned around its fortunes to a remarkable extent.
It still seems like Greenvillians have a grudge against Columbia and seek us out on the internet (or in person, when possible) to gloat. Why? Personally, I don't feel the need to do this to anyone from any city. Why do so many Greenvillians feel differently?
A city is more than its Main Street. Although the built environment is very important, culture matters, too. Perhaps more so. It seems like Greenville's anti-Columbia vendetta is becoming a part of its culture. Civic pride and a healthy rivalry are one thing, but the meanspiritedness coming from the Upstate is something else. I like living in a city that doesn't need to demean others to feel good about itself. Columbia is far from perfect, but at least we aren't a high school Mean Girl.
I think my comment about the beer guy started the diversion away from 5 Points. I added the comment because I thought it was dumb and made a good lead into the story About the new brewery. I also can't believe a journalist would publish the quote when I know there were many others that could have been used. That being said, there is a lot happening in The Vista so, maybe a new thread is more appropriate to talk about Columbia perceptions.
I'm not bashing the city of Greenville. I like the city. Greenville used BMW as a shot-in-the-arm to the maximum extent and has really reached a critical mass of development in the past few years.
My issue is with the more vocal Greenvillians who get off on bashing Columbia like they've won an Olympic gold medal. To me, these people reveal themselves as parvenus. I think some Greenville residents have a sense that they're triumphant underdogs, but have taken it too far. Twenty-five years ago, after the collapse of the textile industry, Greenville could have become a crumbling skeleton of a city. This is a fate that Columbia and Charleston weren't - and aren't - vulnerable to because of their unique economic drivers. Greenville was able to capitalize on the I-85 corridor, attract BMW, etc., and has turned around its fortunes to a remarkable extent.
It still seems like Greenvillians have a grudge against Columbia and seek us out on the internet (or in person, when possible) to gloat. Why? Personally, I don't feel the need to do this to anyone from any city. Why do so many Greenvillians feel differently?
A city is more than its Main Street. Although the built environment is very important, culture matters, too. Perhaps more so. It seems like Greenville's anti-Columbia vendetta is becoming a part of its culture. Civic pride and a healthy rivalry are one thing, but the meanspiritedness coming from the Upstate is something else. I like living in a city that doesn't need to demean others to feel good about itself. Columbia is far from perfect, but at least we aren't a high school Mean Girl.
To add to that... When I have been in either Greenville.. but more so in Charleston.. Many of their residents believe that Columbians are knuckle dragging flip flop backward baseball cap wearing frat boys whose idea of fine dining is dollar beer on draft in a plastic cup and hot wings. The arts lies solely in sports and the ballet is some who parks your car at a fancy restaurant. Not to mention if you want modern dance you must go to the strip club. THis off course was perpeturated by sterotypes from USC and the soldiers of Ft Jackson (and some airmen from Shaw) that have long dominated the City's image. Of course all this is furthest from the truth and the rise of places like The Vista and now Main Street are eroding the "Five Points Only" image that has dominated the City's entertainment scene for so many years... I think that has been why like what Cola Data said many shy away from getting into comparison debates... Now many may engage because of the increase in variety and amenities but many people from these other places havent been to Columbia recently to see what has changed/improved....Just my 2cents. That is another adoring quality about Columbians we can be self deprecating...
Last edited by Woodlands; 03-14-2013 at 03:10 PM..
To add to that... When I have been in either Greenville.. but more so in Charleston.. Many of their residents believe that Columbians are knuckle dragging flip flop backward baseball cap wearing frat boys whose idea of fine dining is dollar beer on draft in a plastic cup and hot wings. The arts lies solely in sports and the ballet is some who parks your car at a fancy restaurant. Not to mention if you want modern dance you must go to the strip club. THis off course was perpeturated by sterotypes from USC and the soldiers of Ft Jackson (and some airmen from Shaw) that have long dominated the City's image. Of course all this is furthest from the truth and the rise of places like The Vista and now Main Street are eroding the "Five Points Only" image that has dominated the City's entertainment scene for so many years... I think that has been why like what Cola Data said many shy away from getting into comparison debates... Now many may engage because of the increase in variety and amenities but many people from these other places havent been to Columbia recently to see what has changed/improved....Just my 2cents. That is another adoring quality about Columbians we can be self deprecating...
Good point, but it begs the question why Greenville isn't stereotyped by Bob Jones the way Columbia is apparently stereotyped by the Five Points image. There is a lot more to substantiate the Greenville-Bob Jones stereotype than the Columbia-Five Points stereotype.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). The Mayor of Columbia went to visit Greenville's downtown and actually praised the City for its efforts. Most people I talk to have a high opinion of Greenville.. If anything locals are MORE critical of Columbia if you use the State newspaper as a barometer you will get a sense of that when local issues/downtown discussions arise.
Im going to make it a point to fly into Greenville next time and to see what reaction I get..lol
. That is another adoring quality about Columbians we can be self deprecating...
