Is it "cool" to live in the "hood"? (New York: apartment, houses)

[Guywithacause]

In the news, and amongst the various newbies searching for their foothold in NYC, the idea that it is cool or hip, or otherwise something positive to live in the hood tends to come up.

As a longtime resident of arguably the most notorious hood in the country, Mott Haven (aka South Bronx), it was hard for me to understand how living here could be something sought after or otherwise cool. However, I am now seeing more new faces and it begs the question: "Is it cool to live in the hood"?

After careful consideration, I can see how it is possible...and part of the theory is the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side. Those that have experienced solely the suburban lifestyle, and life without many real challenges yearn for meaning, substance, the need to belong via the everyday struggles of people, the hunger to experience life in a raw form, and, in theory, to take those lessons and make you a better, more resilient, stronger, well-rounded, and wiser person. Someone that has experienced, even on some level, the other side of life, and has drawn some knowledge or wisdom from such an experience.

I can understand, then, that there are very few places that can provide such a slice of life that anyone can experience. As a result, I can see why many would seek to live in areas like Mott Haven....it is similar, in my opinion, to living in a live art exhibit, where you are surrounded by the people, struggles, environment, and all that is good and bad.

If my understanding is correct on the coolness of living in the hood, the more compelling question then is whether considering these people and their struggles as a life lesson/art exhibit is demeaning to the community and belittles the real problems/struggles that people face. I can see both sides of the issue more clearly now....can anyone provide some insight...I would especially like to hear from those who made a move to a "hood". Thanks.

[rlrl]

After careful consideration, I can see how it is possible...and part of the theory is the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side. Those that have experienced solely the suburban lifestyle, and life without many real challenges yearn for meaning, substance, the need to belong via the everyday struggles of people, the hunger to experience life in a raw form, and, in theory, to take those lessons and make you a better, more resilient, stronger, well-rounded, and wiser person. Someone that has experienced, even on some level, the other side of life, and has drawn some knowledge or wisdom from such an experience.


I like and agree with this statement. Although I'm not sure it applies to everyone who chooses live in such hoods, I am an example of such a person who grew up in the 'burbs and felt unchallenged and now get fulfillment from the lifestyle you describe in rawer form. Although my neighborhood ( central E. Riverdale) is not Mott Haven or a 'hood, it is still quite different than where I grew up.

It doesn't bother me to use public transit, work with the less fortunate(as I've been doing for a long time) or serve jury duty in the Bronx, but I myself could just not live in Mott Haven. My maternal grandmother lived in Riverdale for 22 years which is part of the reason why i chose to live there; I could not even live in another caucasian area(I'm white) of the bronx like Morris park or Country Club because such areas just don't mesh with my ethnic background and i wouldn't feel totally comfortable as i do in Riverdale

[SuperMario]

I take pride in being from the hood. It's like ...a lot of people would not step foot in were you live but you made it...and you're ok. People would be like "OmG The BrOnx" but you're like pstt..pleasee. You make it in the hood you can live anywhere. If your in the Patterson Houses or any other projects it would be even cooler IMO because everybody knows your place is "hard". Sometimes I would like NYC circa 1990 because everybody nowadays think NYC is soft...hence making you soft. Before NYC was a feared place to be in, and only a few made it. Now it's soft and hence the ***** yuppie/hipsters that wouldn't come here before are now coming in the 1000's.

To quote Tupac:

"Yes I am gonna say that im a thug, thats because I came from the gutter and im still here".

[Guywithacause]

I don't know if I necessarily take price in being from the hood, but I take pride in knowing that I made I successfully navigated all the pitfalls and minefields through the hood, and it made me a stronger person as a result. I think the notion of "hard" and "soft" is ridiculous and the "gutter" mentality (as Tupac would say). I am happy that I can walk down the street in most every neighborhood and not be attacked, I am happy that I can park my car and not have it broken into, I am happy I can have my little cousins come over and play outside in the park without them being harassed or otherwise intimidated, I am happy I can take decent, relatively clean, reliable public transportation just about anywhere I need to and not have to worry about being robbed, I am happy to be able to walk to a decent park and not one covered in garbage and needles...

And if that's what makes NYC soft...I am happy to be soft...mushy even!

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by Guywithacause

"Is it cool to live in the hood"?

It's cool to live in YOUR hood, with friends and family. But if you move into the hood thinking it's cool... loser?

It sucks being from New York.

Everybody dreams about making it in NYC, but people who are REALLY from NYC dream about far away places like Hawaii, California, Florida, or overseas.

That's why it sucks being from New York

[Guywithacause]

Lol...that just supports the theory of the grass is always greener on the other side. It doesn't suck being from NYC anymore than it sucks being from anytown, USA.

[Rudbeckia]

Originally Posted by SuperMario

I take pride in being from the hood. It's like ...a lot of people would not step foot in were you live but you made it...and you're ok. People would be like "OmG The BrOnx" but you're like pstt..pleasee. You make it in the hood you can live anywhere. If your in the Patterson Houses or any other projects it would be even cooler IMO because everybody knows your place is "hard". Sometimes I would like NYC circa 1990 because everybody nowadays think NYC is soft...hence making you soft. Before NYC was a feared place to be in, and only a few made it. Now it's soft and hence the ***** yuppie/hipsters that wouldn't come here before are now coming in the 1000's.

To quote Tupac:

"Yes I am gonna say that im a thug, thats because I came from the gutter and im still here".

I am glad to see this thread b/c the "ghetto glorification" I hear in this city from people who seem to have grown up in the hood/ghetto is something I do not understand. Moving to the hood b/c you think it will make you cool is even worse. I do not understand the "keeping it real" and " I am "cool" and "hard" b/c of where I live mentality. It is great to be proud of friends and family and progress in your neighborhood, but to just be proud because you grew in an environment that makes you "hard" I don't get.

Supermario-Why is the mentality not to clean up the neighborhood and get rid of the "hood" quality?

[UpsonDowns]

I agree that it is a grass is greener situation. I grew up in California and it was insanely BORING. Even the girls who lived in the tri-state suburbs in Judy Blume books seemed to have more interesting lives than I did in my suburb filled with malls.

When I first came to NYC, I landed in Hell's Kitchen and then moved to the East Village which at the time was still seriously the hood. The walk from my apartment to the subway was filled with drug dealers, prostitutes, junkies, and rats. And I loved every minute of it - I enjoyed the struggle. Some people climb mountains, I dodged syringes. But, I think if I had grown up in that world, I would have wanted to escape to sunny and serene California.

[Rudbeckia]

Originally Posted by UpsonDowns

I agree that it is a grass is greener situation. I grew up in California and it was insanely BORING. Even the girls who lived in the tri-state suburbs in Judy Blume books seemed to have more interesting lives than I did in my suburb filled with malls.

When I first came to NYC, I landed in Hell's Kitchen and then moved to the East Village which at the time was still seriously the hood. The walk from my apartment to the subway was filled with drug dealers, prostitutes, junkies, and rats. And I loved every minute of it - I enjoyed the struggle. Some people climb mountains, I dodged syringes. But, I think if I had grown up in that world, I would have wanted to escape to sunny and serene California.

Okay so maybe I just a wimp, but I do not enjoy the "struggle" and some of the encounters I have in my neighborhood. I would live quite peacefully if it weren't for the drug dealers, the crazies, the "hey baby can I come home with you" crap I get every time I go to the local market, the hookers I saw on the corner last time I had an early morning trip to the airport.

The things I like about my neighborhood are the hardworking people from all different cultures and the potential I see in the neighborhood

[Irish Eyes]

I have to agree with BXGEAR. It might be cool to be from the hood because you grow up learning to take care of yourself in a way you don’t learn everywhere else. But to move there because you think it makes you cool? If you’re a loser where you are now you’ll be a loser wherever you go. I knew a girl who moved here from Kansas (yes, seriously). She wanted to know how long it would be before she could say she’s from Brooklyn. The answer, of course, was you are never going to be from Brooklyn.