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Working-class areas often have their own pretenses, typically relating to how "real" they are. You're not a real citizen of an area if you didn't attend high school there. You're not a real football fan unless you cheer for a team that hasn't won anything in over 50 years. You don't get the local culture if you don't like the local cheap beer. If you haven't been to this bar before, you don't need to be here. And if it's not country or classic rock, then you need to turn that ***** music off.
Take anyplace east of the 100th meridian that's within 200 miles of the 40th parallel, at least 90% white, and has a median household income under $50,000, and you'll encounter plenty of working-class heroes and other pretentious proles at some point.
You can even find this in Seattle if you go to city-wide FB groups or subreddits. For a city that's seen by outsiders as so worldly and diverse, people here sure can get defensive of their cheap mom-and-pop fast food joints.
Upstate NY is so unpretentious. You won't know your neighbor w/ an old beat up car and plain jane house has more money than you ever dreamed.
Yes!!!! I remember reading an article from the Buffalo News that said it is usually frowned upon to be rich here because it insinuates your false superiority over them. It is definitely still a blue-collar town that was born from hard, physical work even if that line of work is gone.
Edit: found the quote from a Buffalo News Article, "The Region's 'hidden class': The Rich go unnoticed in Spaulding Lake-and like it that way"
"living in Western New York means assuming a certain cultural modesty no matter how great one's personal success"
San Diego: It is in a stereotypically Californian, materlal possessions-driven sort of way.
How are San Diego's stereotypes so at odds with each other? I'm constantly hearing people classify it as "Iowa/Arizona-by-the-sea" or a "military town". But it's somehow also pretentious at the same time?
I'd say a very small portion of San Diego is pretentious: the triangle of La Jolla>Carlsbad>Poway, which represents a tiny fraction of San Diego's population. East County, South County, the 78 corridor, and most of San Diego city are not pretentious at all.
I cannot stress enough how obnoxiously low-key the majority of San Diegans are. Yes, we brag about the weather, but damn...people around here are so unimpressive in how they present themselves, it's ridiculous. Just really low standards all around for nearly all aspects of life...except weather.
It's definitely a go-with-the-flow place. You aren't going to impress anyone by being super stylish, trendy, career-driven, or fit. To many San Diegans, that mentality and way of thinking belongs in LA. And people with that mentality, who are more motivated or driven, get tired of San Diego real fast...because they realize the local population is more focused on a "chill" lifestyle to the point of delusion. As if all our problems are solved because the weather is nice.
Frankly, I wish San Diegans were more pretentious and we had higher standards for ourselves. It's why nothing big gets accomplished here.
Yes!!!! I remember reading an article from the Buffalo News that said it is usually frowned upon to be rich here because it insinuates your false superiority over them. It is definitely still a blue-collar town that was born from hard, physical work even if that line of work is gone.
Edit: found the quote from a Buffalo News Article, "The Region's 'hidden class': The Rich go unnoticed in Spaulding Lake-and like it that way"
"living in Western New York means assuming a certain cultural modesty no matter how great one's personal success"
I generally agree this, as there are a lot of low key middle class and up folks in Upstate NY. Even the more affluent communities/school districts aren't really "exclusive" in nature either, as you can find more middle of the road areas within them as well.
That some posters are jumping in defense of their cities even when it doesn't show up much on either list is quite pretentious and shows being easily offended as well.
So, I will add those places to the pretentious list along with just anywhere in Florida, St Louis, and probably anywhere along coastal US, both East and West. And yes the South is extremely pretentious, of course pretending not to be.
Yes!!!! I remember reading an article from the Buffalo News that said it is usually frowned upon to be rich here because it insinuates your false superiority over them. It is definitely still a blue-collar town that was born from hard, physical work even if that line of work is gone.
Edit: found the quote from a Buffalo News Article, "The Region's 'hidden class': The Rich go unnoticed in Spaulding Lake-and like it that way"
"living in Western New York means assuming a certain cultural modesty no matter how great one's personal success"
Right. Hudson Valley, Northern region, Central NY, etc. all like that. Some transplants in certain areas have changed some of it, but down to earth roots still there.
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