Do you consider Overland Park a suburb of KCMO or KCK? (California: school, subdivisions)

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by aragx6

The only way to solve this is to ask 100 audience members "What do you think of when you hear the word 'Kansas'"

Those who frequent this section of the forum are mostly from MO though. So we would first need an unbiased audience.

Secondly, even those things that folks around the country would list that kcmo mentioned: Oz, tornadoes or what-have-you, are not necessarily "negative" images as kcmo claims that "most people" think that they are.

So in the end, it could be spun any way you want it.

My only request is that kcmo stop claiming that "most people" despise and disparage the state as much as he does based on his warped perceptions of one tiny county that he can't stand.

"Most people" don't want to live in Kansas (Thank God!). Of course it doesn't have the same popular draw that the coastal or mountain or lake states have. So it would be pretty silly for Kansans or anyone else to compare their state to one that does. But depending on what matters to you, Kansas can be a great place to live.

"Most people" in the country and even the region don't give it much thought at all. And that's pretty okay with "most" Kansans!

I think that those who are "insulted" or offended to be accidentally associated with Kansas must have personal issues that extend way beyond geography lessons. This forum really isn't the proper place to air those.

[kcmo]

My son did a project last year about this. You see, people back home think we live in manhattan while people out here thought he was from a farm and always asked him about "kansas" or how he's adapting to living in a city. So he actually did a pretty cool project on the matter, sending out emails to random people asking a series of questions of what their image of Kansas, Missouri, KC were out east and asking the same about DC, Maryland, Virginia etc back in MO and KS. He asked me and my wife to send the questions out at work and most people responded.

It was really very interesting to say the least. Trust me, MO has a better image. Even if that image of KS they gave is not “negative” in your opinion. It’s very stereotypical and generally pretty wrong. Sunsets and waving wheat never came up.

The bottom line is it’s annoying. Even to my kids and really most people I know that people are so clueless about KC. And people in the Midwest are equally clueless about what it’s like to live on the east coast.

I know you will never understand this because you are from Kansas, but people generally like to have their hometown properly represented.

[aragx6]

So my attempt at NYE lightheartedness obviously fell on deaf ears ...

What if I post more funny pictures of Richard Dawson?

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by kcmo

My son did a project last year about this. You see, people back home think we live in manhattan while people out here thought he was from a farm and always asked him about "kansas" or how he's adapting to living in a city. So he actually did a pretty cool project on the matter, sending out emails to random people asking a series of questions of what their image of Kansas, Missouri, KC were out east and asking the same about DC, Maryland, Virginia etc back in MO and KS. He asked me and my wife to send the questions out at work and most people responded.

It was really very interesting to say the least. Trust me, MO has a better image. Even if that image of KS they gave is not “negative” in your opinion. It’s very stereotypical and generally pretty wrong. Sunsets and waving wheat never came up.

The bottom line is it’s annoying. Even to my kids and really most people I know that people are so clueless about KC. And people in the Midwest are equally clueless about what it’s like to live on the east coast.

I know you will never understand this because you are from Kansas, but people generally like to have their hometown properly represented.

And, from my experience living in a number of different metro areas over many years, it usually is. If your social circle is, in fact, as geographically clueless as you portray them to be, then you certainly deserve an E for effort in finding them. E-mails to random people? Where do you get random E-mail addresses?

When I lived in JOCO, people I knew were quite well traveled and intelligent and certainly would not confuse Wash DC with Manhattan. Likewise, when I lived back East no one I knew would mistake Cincinnati for South Dakota. Where do you get this stuff? My best guess is from your imagination when you feel another let's attack all things Kansas spell coming on.

I don't know - maybe you're just trying to entertain. You do have a knack for keeping things lively here and this forum would surely suffer if you began locking yourself away from all keyboards when you look up to see a full Kansas bashing moon.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by kcmo

My son did a project last year about this. You see, people back home think we live in manhattan while people out here thought he was from a farm and always asked him about "kansas" or how he's adapting to living in a city.

Wow. Again, maybe you should try to hang out with smarter people. Or at least not take people's ignorance based in disinterest so personally.

It was really very interesting to say the least. Trust me, MO has a better image.

"Better" is SUBJECTIVE. That's all I'm saying, dude.

But of course I genuflect when I say "Missouri" - I mean don't we all????

I know you will never understand this because you are from Kansas

Right. Because Kansas is full of ignorant farmers.

Seriously. Am I the only one who thinks this guy is a jackass?

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by aragx6

So my attempt at NYE lightheartedness obviously fell on deaf ears ...

Not entirely

What if I post more funny pictures of Richard Dawson?

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

And, from my experience living in a number of different metro areas over many years, it usually is. If your social circle is, in fact, as geographically clueless as you portray them to be, then you certainly deserve an E for effort in finding them. E-mails to random people? Where do you get random E-mail addresses?

When I lived in JOCO, people I knew were quite well traveled and intelligent and certainly would not confuse Wash DC with Manhattan. Likewise, when I lived back East no one I knew would mistake Cincinnati for South Dakota. Where do you get this stuff?

Wow, this is just going right over your head isn't it? I was trying to use cincy as an example of what it would be like if KC's situation were applied to Cincy. I never said people think Cincy is in SD.

Also, the Manhattan thing was not meant to take so literally. I was simply saying that many people in the midwest think of anything on the east coast to be extremely urban and crowded when that's just not that case at all.

The emails were random enough. Asking people from our places of work to respond to a quick email. If you really want, I can dig up some of those responses.

Again, it's very simple. KC takes on the stereotypical Kansas image, much of which is false and derived via hollywood.

And people from KC tend to be annoyed by it. At least a lot of people do. I understand this insults you and you can't possibly understand why somebody from KCMO would be annoyed that people would confuse them from being from Kansas.

But it’s similar to when people confuse KCK with JoCo. People new to KC tend to lump the entire KS side as “KCK”. I can tell you I have heard many JoCo people quickly correct people and tell them that they are from Johnson County and that KCK is a completely different place.

Same deal.

[RichMonk]

As far as the US Census Bureau is concerned KCK and KCMO are one economic, social and cultural unit. If anyone wants to be divisive about our metro, go ahead. It will get you nowhere. Heck, they even list it as Kansas City, MO-KS. So might as well just call it Kansas City. We need to start approaching our region's problems together instead of fueling this petty border war that has gone on for over 150 years. Or maybe this region will always be limited to Midwest obscurity because of all the infighting and regressive behavior. So, in my view, Overland Park is a suburb of Kansas City.

BTW, I was born and raised in Kansas, decided its flavor wasn't for me and now live in Missouri. However, I still proudly state that I am from Kansas (add Kansan inflection on Ka). I have a history from there I wouldn't have anywhere else. Don't let the narrow minded coasties bother you with their ignorance.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

And, from my experience living in a number of different metro areas over many years, it usually is. If your social circle is, in fact, as geographically clueless as you portray them to be, then you certainly deserve an E for effort in finding them. E-mails to random people? Where do you get random E-mail addresses?

When I lived in JOCO, people I knew were quite well traveled and intelligent and certainly would not confuse Wash DC with Manhattan. Likewise, when I lived back East no one I knew would mistake Cincinnati for South Dakota. Where do you get this stuff? My best guess is from your imagination when you feel another let's attack all things Kansas spell coming on.

I don't know - maybe you're just trying to entertain. You do have a knack for keeping things lively here and this forum would surely suffer if you began locking yourself away from all keyboards when you look up to see a full Kansas bashing moon.

The reason they are so well traveled is that they know lots of other interesting places exist outside KS and MO. I know I always wanted a vacation every couple of weeks to get away from so many of the annoying people there, including the odd social culture. Thank goodeness I have seen most of the country since that time, and have lived in many different cities and states. Too often, people are quite afraid of any change, moving, or trying anything outside their comfort zone. I will always be more of an easterner because that is the area of the country that I am most comfortable in. KC, via in-migration (particularly) in the suburban areas, is starting to allign itself more with the Sunbelt in more ways than one- therefore becoming less Midwestern. I attribute it to lots of Texas, Colorado, and California TRANSPLANTS- particularly during the 1990s boom period in JOCO.

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Wow, this is just going right over your head isn't it? I was trying to use cincy as an example of what it would be like if KC's situation were applied to Cincy. I never said people think Cincy is in SD.

Also, the Manhattan thing was not meant to take so literally. I was simply saying that many people in the midwest think of anything on the east coast to be extremely urban and crowded when that's just not that case at all.

The emails were random enough. Asking people from our places of work to respond to a quick email. If you really want, I can dig up some of those responses.

Again, it's very simple. KC takes on the stereotypical Kansas image, much of which is false and derived via hollywood.

And people from KC tend to be annoyed by it. At least a lot of people do. I understand this insults you and you can't possibly understand why somebody from KCMO would be annoyed that people would confuse them from being from Kansas.

But it’s similar to when people confuse KCK with JoCo. People new to KC tend to lump the entire KS side as “KCK”. I can tell you I have heard many JoCo people quickly correct people and tell them that they are from Johnson County and that KCK is a completely different place.

Same deal.

No kcmo, nothing went over my head.

I'm simply saying that your two fundamental contentions are false.

1) That nobody outside of the KC metro understands the Kansas City, MO-KS thing. Many do....more than your portrayal of such.

2) That Kansas has this terrible image that you keep trying to ascribe to it. It does not - and especially not with respect to Missouri's image.