Has City-Data forums become a place for city bashing? (Des Moines: places to live, vs.)

[CincyIowan]

In all respect, does anyone else think that the Forums mostly in the Iowa and Illinois ones have been very busy with city bashing lately with City vs. City and city loving fanatics?

[econboy]

Yes, there is alot of bashing on certain boards here on City Data. Interestingly it's usually from people who already hail from or live in a much larger metro on the coasts or one that is doing economically better than another (Des Moines 500K vs. LA 10Million) (Detroit vs. xyzville). Don't know why people actually get disdainful of a place that may or may not have had bad times visit said city or state idependent of it's own doing. Or a place that just never had the headstart in history that another has so it hasn't reached a certain population threshold or have a certain cultural history or not be 'progressive' enough or sit in the right spot geographically. These are often things that nobody can do anything about.

The fact that those doing the bashing have some sort of anger or disgust is truly fascinating. Not sure what causes it. Especially the desire to keep hashing it out on a message board with no productive end to the discussion.

A similar phenomenon would be someone who bashes alot of places and in the same breath always praises the same one or two cities for some odd reason. Yet never claiming to have any tie to the place they keep praising at the expense of another.

Picking fights of sorts " Has Des Moines been going downhill?" " Why does Indianapolis or Omaha always seem to be this way or that?" Opened ended stuff.

[steel03]

Pretty much, yes. You gotta take breaks from this place, it'll drive you mad.

[msamhunter]

Answer is yes. Place is getting ridiculous and phony. For the most part, I now stay in different areas of the site got the most part.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by steel03

Pretty much, yes. You gotta take breaks from this place, it'll drive you mad.

Agreed. I'll get into to it once and a while because I don't think the "I don't live there, but I think the place is terrible" freaks should be allowed to get away with it. I am surprised that the mod for this forum allows it it on such a large scale. That assumes there is a mod for the DSM forum.

You must always remember that there are a lot of people who can only feel better about themselves, their lot in life, or where they live, by criticizing other people and places. We have a pitiful example or two on the DSM forum.

Engaging with them can be a great sport but it soon wears thin.

[smpliving]

Originally Posted by econboy

The fact that those doing the bashing have some sort of anger or disgust is truly fascinating. Not sure what causes it. Especially the desire to keep hashing it out on a message board with no productive end to the discussion.

Picking fights of sorts " Has Des Moines been going downhill?" " Why does Indianapolis or Omaha always seem to be this way or that?" Opened ended stuff.

Originally Posted by msamhunter

Answer is yes. Place is getting ridiculous and phony. For the most part, I now stay in different areas of the site got the most part.

[quote=Tek_Freek;26375382]
You must always remember that there are a lot of people who can only feel better about themselves, their lot in life, or where they live, by criticizing other people and places. We have a pitiful example or two on the DSM forum. quote]

It's amazing that at least one particular "troll" on here can get away with all of this. It's ridiculous.

[tollfree]

Again, there is no reason to get Freudian. It's a tactic almost exclusively employed between these types of cities.

Look in the forum, across-the-board, at 100 + page threads with titles like "I Hate Miami", "I Hate Houston", "I Hate Atlanta", "I Hate Las Vegas", "LA represents everything wrong with America", "New York City is TOO overcrowded", "Seattle is stuck in 90s grunge and I hate it", "I hate the Californians moving into Dallas metro", etc.

The interesting thing, while people do get upset, with larger cities, there isn't the same level of tribalism. In mid-size regional cities trying to be larger, almost everyone still has the "town crier" mentality and only accepts nothing but pandering.

I've said several times Des Moines (and Indianapolis, Omaha as well) are good places to live overall. There are still some small-town traits such as everyone shouldn't know a world outside their respective counties exists.

[CincyIowan]

Anyone have any idea how to move this forum to Iowa or tag it into the forum??

[cfbs2691]

Originally Posted by CincyIowan

Anyone have any idea how to move this forum to Iowa or tag it into the forum??

The problem IMO isn't just Iowa.
Maybe the economy drama's making people so frustrated, they're taking it out on where they live?
Or the whiners just like to whine?
Or there're too many lonely people?
Not sure. But if you read others cities/states...
The Midwest people seem to have the better attitudes?

Other state's forums can get super nasty

[princesasabia]

Originally Posted by CincyIowan

In all respect, does anyone else think that the Forums mostly in the Iowa and Illinois ones have been very busy with city bashing lately with City vs. City and city loving fanatics?

Oh yes! I see that a lot on here. A lot more than people saying how great a city is and everyone is going to have their cities they like and hate, but there is no need for city bashing since every city is unique.