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First, ill say most of you may say my opinion doesn't matter because: My family moved my brother and I out of new york, to the south and I no longer live there anymore. However, I'm coming right back this summer permanently but I do have a lot of love for the city (I want to become a city planner even)
To me, no place stays the same. All the people complaining about the "direction" of NYC are the people who will be left behind. In this country, to get along u have to go along, and if you want to sit back and keep thinking of what the place used to be, without making any moves for yourself, then yes you should be worried.
The city has always been changing, with new people moving in. Harlem wasn't always known for being a heavily African American neighborhood. There were actually many italians and other white ethnicities. Now mind you, this was when racism was common. The same way many are complaining "These hipsters are coming in ruining our neighborhood and way of life!" How do you think those same people in harlem before the blacks felt? What was the Bronx before it was known for having a large puerto rican population? White also. I'm not using these points to offend anyone in a prejudice way, but my point is NYC has always been changing and like before, whatever new people move in, the city will still go on.
Everyone is saying "I miss the way it used to be. It was gritty and crime was high, but it was great". I think that is a bit disrespectful to believe the high crime was a good thing. I don't think some of the people realize innocent people were killed, and women raped, which contributed to the gritty city you favored. But yet some of the people who say that will go right away and say "ENY?? That place is the worst ever, id never move there!". High crime and "grit" isn't exactly a good thing. I have no problem with the people who say "I miss when NYC wasn't about materialism" because I agree. But to glorify crime isn't right.
Another point id like to make is that these "hipsters" I admit CAN be a bit annoying and may have a stuck up attitude, and also attract these big businesses, but its a two way street. You know one thing I've learned from living in the south for the past 2 yrs.? Its that southerners don't exactly like NYers moving into their cities either. The quiet, suburban lifestyle they love is being changed into a "loud, traffic congested place" all over. You may say "that's different, were contributing to their small economy", but hipsters/yuppies could also say "Were helping bring bigger business to your city, and helping the rough neighborhoods change". Just look at the states for rural areas in city data forums you will see many "Is (insert rural city) friendly towards NYers or big city people?" And u hear "No, they just create problems".
I do dislike that the cost of living is so high and rising, but hey, I still love the place so I won't let it stop me from enjoying it. The displacement of minorities is wrong also and I wish it wasn't like that because the middle and in low class are important to an economy but let's be honest, what can we do to change that. Its not that its hipsters/yuppies agendas to "Let's move from the midwest to displace blacks" its just the fact that in NYC, some of the neighborhoods with minorities are the most affordable. Its happening in many other cities too, not just NY. As long as money is on peoples minds, condos and other upper class businesses will be coming.
Lastly, this wasn't a thread to start any hate or anger, but to summarize everything, NYC since the 1600s has been evolving. New groups of people have been coming for decades, just accept it. NY isn't "becoming generic and like any other city" either, I can tell you many things that I would find in NY and not others.
Well I don't mind yuppies because they work and support themselves. Hipsters, on the other hand, are supported by mommy and daddy. Both yuppies and hipsters drink alot but yuppies know when to call it a night and they are easy on the eyes. Hipsters are not. I remember there was one vehement anti-hipster on Craigslist years ago who called hipsters "funpigs". LOL! I burst out laughing because that does seem to be their focus - Fun, play, fun, drink, fun, eat, screw, play foosball, check bank account to see if mommy and daddy added da funds. They're white but will say stuff like "Later, nee-groes" (translation: "Bye for now") and other things that scream "I'm super immature and make no apologies for it!!"
Well I don't mind yuppies because they work and support themselves. Hipsters, on the other hand, are supported by mommy and daddy. Both yuppies and hipsters drink alot but yuppies know when to call it a night and they are easy on the eyes. Hipsters are not. I remember there was one vehement anti-hipster on Craigslist years ago who called hipsters "funpigs". LOL! I burst out laughing because that does seem to be their focus - Fun, play, fun, drink, fun, eat, screw, play foosball, check bank account to see if mommy and daddy added da funds. They're white but will say stuff like "Later, nee-groes" (translation: "Bye for now") and other things that scream "I'm super immature and make no apologies for it!!"
LOL @ this post. I pretty much agree with all of it (easy on the eyes meaning a lot yuppie broads to me are very smashable).
Honestly the pussification of this city started with sex and the city. Sure the city has always been changing. There is no arguing that. But it is more bland than it ever has been right now. Even my 70 yr old father agrees. He came up for a visit last year. We were walking on the lower east side. He was dumbfounded. Pretty disgusted really. That speaks more volume to me than any rant on the Internet.....
LOL @ this post. I pretty much agree with all of it (easy on the eyes meaning a lot yuppie broads to me are very smashable).
Honestly the pussification of this city started with sex and the city. Sure the city has always been changing. There is no arguing that. But it is more bland than it ever has been right now. Even my 70 yr old father agrees. He came up for a visit last year. We were walking on the lower east side. He was dumbfounded. Pretty disgusted really. That speaks more volume to me than any rant on the Internet.....
Maybe it's our culture in general that is turning bland. NYC just reflects that culture. Comedians make jokes all the time about how our culture has been "pussified".
I think it's more that when hipsters come to your little corner of NYC, big business isn't far behind so the local flavor tends to get sucked out (read kicked out) by high commercial rent prices followed by high residential rent. Sometimes, it's a good thing (in a way) like when Harlem went from being entirely scary for the non-natives to being a cool place to hang out. Let's face it, when Sephora or MAC Cosmetics opens a store in your general neighborhood, it's no longer a "dangerous" place to be. And in other ways it's not so great...like the fact that there's a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Chipotle and Cosi on almost every other corner in certain parts of Manhattan.
And then there's things like how Williamsburg often feels like it's practically entirely comprised of Cali/West Coast people. And I'm not hating on that, many of my Cali transplant friends live in that area. But that's what NY is...people coming from all over (whether that's other countries or regions of the US).
First, ill say most of you may say my opinion doesn't matter because: My family moved my brother and I out of new york, to the south and I no longer live there anymore. However, I'm coming right back this summer permanently but I do have a lot of love for the city (I want to become a city planner even)
To me, no place stays the same. All the people complaining about the "direction" of NYC are the people who will be left behind. In this country, to get along u have to go along, and if you want to sit back and keep thinking of what the place used to be, without making any moves for yourself, then yes you should be worried.
The city has always been changing, with new people moving in. Harlem wasn't always known for being a heavily African American neighborhood. There were actually many italians and other white ethnicities. Now mind you, this was when racism was common. The same way many are complaining "These hipsters are coming in ruining our neighborhood and way of life!" How do you think those same people in harlem before the blacks felt? What was the Bronx before it was known for having a large puerto rican population? White also. I'm not using these points to offend anyone in a prejudice way, but my point is NYC has always been changing and like before, whatever new people move in, the city will still go on.
Everyone is saying "I miss the way it used to be. It was gritty and crime was high, but it was great". I think that is a bit disrespectful to believe the high crime was a good thing. I don't think some of the people realize innocent people were killed, and women raped, which contributed to the gritty city you favored. But yet some of the people who say that will go right away and say "ENY?? That place is the worst ever, id never move there!". High crime and "grit" isn't exactly a good thing. I have no problem with the people who say "I miss when NYC wasn't about materialism" because I agree. But to glorify crime isn't right.
Another point id like to make is that these "hipsters" I admit CAN be a bit annoying and may have a stuck up attitude, and also attract these big businesses, but its a two way street. You know one thing I've learned from living in the south for the past 2 yrs.? Its that southerners don't exactly like NYers moving into their cities either. The quiet, suburban lifestyle they love is being changed into a "loud, traffic congested place" all over. You may say "that's different, were contributing to their small economy", but hipsters/yuppies could also say "Were helping bring bigger business to your city, and helping the rough neighborhoods change". Just look at the states for rural areas in city data forums you will see many "Is (insert rural city) friendly towards NYers or big city people?" And u hear "No, they just create problems".
I do dislike that the cost of living is so high and rising, but hey, I still love the place so I won't let it stop me from enjoying it. The displacement of minorities is wrong also and I wish it wasn't like that because the middle and in low class are important to an economy but let's be honest, what can we do to change that. Its not that its hipsters/yuppies agendas to "Let's move from the midwest to displace blacks" its just the fact that in NYC, some of the neighborhoods with minorities are the most affordable. Its happening in many other cities too, not just NY. As long as money is on peoples minds, condos and other upper class businesses will be coming.
Lastly, this wasn't a thread to start any hate or anger, but to summarize everything, NYC since the 1600s has been evolving. New groups of people have been coming for decades, just accept it. NY isn't "becoming generic and like any other city" either, I can tell you many things that I would find in NY and not others.
so you were bored and thought about blacks in Harlem and decided to make the 100th blog post about blacks, Harlem, yuppies, and hipsters???
a lot of people over do the whole gentrification thing. its not as much as a big deal as you people make it out to be.
Also when people say they missed how the area used to be they are not talking about crime .
crime was their but that is not what their referring to when they say that. im sick of people claiming that people who are displaced claimed they missed the crime.
i know plenty of people who lived in that era of nyc who despise gentrification and also despised the massive crime that was occurring in their area back then also. Crime has nothing to do with anything its more of a childhood type thing.
also blacks taking over white areas in the 50,s and 60,s had nothing to do with blacks it had to do with the segregation and whites fleeing to the suburbs. Whites had the perfect opportunity to integrate with blacks.
To be completely honest - - - Our generation (25 and under) didn't create anything new, that we see today. It just became more mainstream when we discovered it and we have better tools of finding out "what went on" (basically better communication).
My point is "hipsters" always been here and while I don't like the title (I hate labeling anything), it's not going anywhere. Most of you guys know I'm a native NY'er and when people say "NY isn't the same" I get it. I remember when I was 8-9 (late 90's) playing outside (Tag, hide and seek, freeze tag lol) and had to be in before the street light came on. I remember after-school I had band-practice and STRAIGHT afterwards I had to be home to start homework. THAT'S THE NY I miss! Parents today seem like they don't want to teach there kids to have ANY guidelines or respect for anyone. It's more then putting them in front of the TV; lack of communication But I digress. . .
I accept the Old and "New NY" (what ever that means) because it's what we do. NYC has never been still we're always growing and expanding. I don't think we'll slow down anytime soon either. ANOTHER thing I can't stand is when people complain about the gentrification of DoBro. I always felt like Brooklyn needed this. For many reasons but most importantly, we have our own Central Business District. New business should've been started in BK and now everyone is starting to realize it.
It's not the Brooklyn I grew up with, but I'll accept it. I'm Pro-NYC so whatever keeps us going strong (trend or not) I'll support it.
And furthermore (lastly) I just don't care enough to ridicule people for their lifestyle and other people shouldn't either. If I want to wear a vintage tshirt with a leather vest and fitted jeans it should be my business.
LOL @ this post. I pretty much agree with all of it (easy on the eyes meaning a lot yuppie broads to me are very smashable).
Honestly the pussification of this city started with sex and the city. Sure the city has always been changing. There is no arguing that. But it is more bland than it ever has been right now. Even my 70 yr old father agrees. He came up for a visit last year. We were walking on the lower east side. He was dumbfounded. Pretty disgusted really. That speaks more volume to me than any rant on the Internet.....
ANOTHER thing I can't stand is when people complain about the gentrification of DoBro.
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