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Well, the first comments by the OP certainly did not sound like love for Asheville.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hey_guy
Easily Asheville
Way too expensive, full of obnoxious hippies and lowlifes at one end, and rich people trouncing in with way too much money to splash around at the other. The mountains in Asheville aren't that good compared to the other end of the state say around boone. Cost of living strangely high despite no real good jobs.
Ok, since when did Asheville become a hated city? Did I miss something?
The discussion centers around places that are overrated. An overrated place isn't necessarily a bad place. It can have many positive attributes. What being overrated does mean is that the positive buzz around it is distorted and exaggerates how good it really is and that the community as a whole tends to take itself too seriously. Being overrated also distorts the job market, housing market, costs of living, etc., and makes it more a more perilous struggle to try to live in or even visit an overrated place. Which ironically erodes those very attributes which made it so acclaimed to begin with. All of a sudden a "best kept secret" becomes overrated and stressful once the wide sweeping coverage starts to expose the "best kept secret" and people start herding in.
The OP started off the topic by citing Asheville as an example, so that set the tone for people who agree with the OP to chime in with their thoughts specifically about Asheville. Asheville isn't the only place with this issue.
I have been and go to Asheville quite a bit. In fact my perspective on Asheville runs easily over 15 years. I went to college in the mountains so I have no shortage of love for the mountains either.
Fundamentally, Asheville isn't much of a livable city if you need to actually work and want to make a good life. I think what it's becoming is a farther away from what it was and what it's reputation says it to be.
I'm going to pick on a previous poster just a little bit but you had the person who was A. retired B. world traveler compares Asheville to their time in London and NYC and then turns back around and says "Haha I love Asheville keep Asheville weird!". But I have trouble seeing what's weird about wall of retirees flooding into homes in the mountains with money to splash around and live well. I think at that point we're just playing make believe.
I think Asheville now is like Vale Colorado or Disney Land. You are either propping up the economy as a visitor, you are either are coming in with your own money and living well off. Or you're part of the service economy underclass that services the former or the latter. So on that point I feel it is just to grind on Asheville. I don't feel it's a healthy city.
I fully acknowledge lots of people live in asheville have a great time and visit too. What I'm trying to hone in on is that Asheville has fundamental livability problems and the type of people drawn there just increase the distortions.
I have been and go to Asheville quite a bit. In fact my perspective on Asheville runs easily over 15 years. I went to college in the mountains so I have no shortage of love for the mountains either.
Fundamentally, Asheville isn't much of a livable city if you need to actually work and want to make a good life. I think what it's becoming is a farther away from what it was and what it's reputation says it to be.
I'm going to pick on a previous poster just a little bit but you had the person who was A. retired B. world traveler compares Asheville to their time in London and NYC and then turns back around and says "Haha I love Asheville keep Asheville weird!". But I have trouble seeing what's weird about wall of retirees flooding into homes in the mountains with money to splash around and live well. I think at that point we're just playing make believe.
I think Asheville now is like Vale Colorado or Disney Land. You are either propping up the economy as a visitor, you are either are coming in with your own money and living well off. Or you're part of the service economy underclass that services the former or the latter. So on that point I feel it is just to grind on Asheville. I don't feel it's a healthy city.
I fully acknowledge lots of people live in asheville have a great time and visit too. What I'm trying to hone in on is that Asheville has fundamental livability problems and the type of people drawn there just increase the distortions.
THAT is your opinion. As can be seen from many responses on this thread, MANY here do not agree with you.. btw, where do you live?
To me overrated means those places that all the magazines talk about that when you get there and experience them, they fall flat OR there is some things there that were failed to be mentioned.
I think the HOT places in NC are Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, Cary, Apex, Huntersville, Wilmington, the Outer Banks, Chapel Hill, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and maybe a few others.
I honestly don't think Boone, Durham, Greenville, Beaufort, Southport, Manteo and a number of other good places get their due.
So for me, I look at what those places are...I think Asheville is slightly overrated but its because it is SO promoted, mainly because of it being a vacation destination. I actually think the area is great, but that doesn't mean its not overrated.
That's why I said the most overrated is Raleigh. Someone from another state who has never been to Raleigh has to be like "what is all the fuss about?". Very underwhelming, especially for a big city.
To be honest, I don't even think Raleigh is overrated. It looks and feels like a Metro of 1.3 million, which is what it is. However, I do feel as though Raleigh gets a disproportionate amount of credit for the Triangle's successes. Durham and Chapel Hill should be mentioned more.
To be honest, I don't even think Raleigh is overrated. It looks and feels like a Metro of 1.3 million, which is what it is. However, I do feel as though Raleigh gets a disproportionate amount of credit for the Triangle's successes. Durham and Chapel Hill should be mentioned more.
I agree. As a region, I get the accolades...and factor in Cary, Apex, ect... in there as well.
But as a stand alone big city...meh. You would think it is the best city in the country if you just read some magazines.
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