Does everyone hate Philadelphia? (Pittsburgh, Hershey: crime, neighborhoods, theater)

[edgeoftheworld]

So I'm in high school in a pretty rural part of PA (west), like most of the students live in the country. And they, for some reason, mostly hate Philadelphia. (Obviously not everyone has the same opinion; some don't care one way or the other, some just don't like cities, some actually want to live in one.)


When I'm older I plan to move to Philadelphia but for some reason, 95% of the people I've told that to absolutely hate that city. They say how dirty/crime filled it is and how the people are rude there, but I've been there before and it isn't that dirty compared to other cities I've been in, and I haven't run into any outright rude people there. As for crime, it's a city....what do you expect.

By the way, none of these kids (or adults for that matter) have been there. However, they'll say Pittsburgh is a nice place that's not dirty at all and doesn't have much crime....there are bad neighborhoods there too, somehow none of these people have caught on that Philly is way bigger in both population and size.


My teachers mostly think that it's a terrible place with terrible people; one told me I wouldn't do well there because I'm just a "small town girl". Even though I've been to many cities, walked alone in them, and most of my family has lived in cities and can help me with living in one.

What's with all the hate for Philly, and do a lot of people assume/think that around here? I just find it shocking that people can make those kind of assumptions without ever having even been in the city.

[RightonWalnut]

Most people in the state do hate Philly. I think they hate it because not only Philly, but the whole metropolitan region is more accepting, forward thinking, worldly and cosmopolitan than anywhere else in the state. Basically, it's more liberal/democratic. I also think - strangely enough - that sports rivalries have something to do with it.

It is a major city indeed. Pittsburgh feels small by comparison. Maybe that's why those people feel "safer" in Pittsburgh?

Philadelphia is actually safer than Pittsburgh crimewise - at least the last few years. Tell those people to look up crime statistics and educate themselves a little.

Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are nice.... but if you want a true, big city feel, go for Philadelphia. The amount of construction/redevelopment/gentrification over the past few years have really started transforming the city. The restaurant scene is incredible. The shopping, museums and theater are superb. The parks have really started becoming something special. The city is just really starting to hit another level.

PS - my girlfriend is originally from Hershey/Central, PA area and most people are the same way there. They don't like Philadelphia. I've learned to accept it and just take it as country bumpkins who are overwhelmed by the big city.

[ElijahAstin]

7.5/10. You lose a point because this is your first post. If you're especially cheeky you may not even come back to make a second one.

[edgeoftheworld]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

7.5/10. You lose a point because this is your first post. If you're especially cheeky you may not even come back to make a second one.

What? Lol I didn't know my post was rated
Edit: why wouldn't I post again lmao

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by edgeoftheworld

What? Lol I didn't know my post was rated
Edit: why wouldn't I post again lmao

That one was 6/10. But you're going to catch at least a few worms on that hook anyway.

[edgeoftheworld]

Originally Posted by RightonWalnut

Most people in the state do hate Philly. I think they hate it because not only Philly, but the whole metropolitan region is more accepting, forward thinking, worldly and cosmopolitan than anywhere else in the state. Basically, it's more liberal/democratic. I also think - strangely enough - that sports rivalries have something to do with it.

It is a major city indeed. Pittsburgh feels small by comparison. Maybe that's why those people feel "safer" in Pittsburgh?

Philadelphia is actually safer than Pittsburgh crimewise - at least the last few years. Tell those people to look up crime statistics and educate themselves a little.

Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are nice.... but if you want a true, big city feel, go for Philadelphia. The amount of construction/redevelopment/gentrification over the past few years have really started transforming the city. The restaurant scene is incredible. The shopping, museums and theater are superb. The parks have really started becoming something special. The city is just really starting to hit another level.

PS - my girlfriend is originally from Hershey/Central, PA area and most people are the same way there. They don't like Philadelphia. I've learned to accept it and just take it as country bumpkins who are overwhelmed by the big city.

I've been to Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia definitely has more of a city feel, or at least big city. I fell in love when I went there.
Yeah, a lot of people will hear about bad neighborhoods and the crime there as I said, and assume the entire place is a ****hole with shootings every 5 minutes.

As for the sports teams, a few times I've heard people try to say the city is bad for their sports teams. Which I've never understood because what the hell does that have to do with Philadelphia itself?

[edgeoftheworld]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

That one was 6/10. But you're going to catch at least a few worms on that hook anyway.

I'm so confused

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by edgeoftheworld

So I'm in high school in a pretty rural part of PA (west), like most of the students live in the country. And they, for some reason, mostly hate Philadelphia. (Obviously not everyone has the same opinion; some don't care one way or the other, some just don't like cities, some actually want to live in one.)


When I'm older I plan to move to Philadelphia but for some reason, 95% of the people I've told that to absolutely hate that city. They say how dirty/crime filled it is and how the people are rude there, but I've been there before and it isn't that dirty compared to other cities I've been in, and I haven't run into any outright rude people there. As for crime, it's a city....what do you expect.

By the way, none of these kids (or adults for that matter) have been there. However, they'll say Pittsburgh is a nice place that's not dirty at all and doesn't have much crime....there are bad neighborhoods there too, somehow none of these people have caught on that Philly is way bigger in both population and size.


My teachers mostly think that it's a terrible place with terrible people; one told me I wouldn't do well there because I'm just a "small town girl". Even though I've been to many cities, walked alone in them, and most of my family has lived in cities and can help me with living in one.

What's with all the hate for Philly, and do a lot of people assume/think that around here? I just find it shocking that people can make those kind of assumptions without ever having even been in the city.

" Hate" is often driven envy and jealousy.

I find it fascinating that Pennsylvanians, who claim a certain degree of patriotism, would dislike the place where the country was born. That attitude makes no sense to me.

[edgeoftheworld]

Originally Posted by kyb01

" Hate" is often driven envy and jealousy.

I find it fascinating that Pennsylvanians, who claim a certain degree of patriotism, would dislike the place where the country was born. That attitude makes no sense to me.

That's true.

Huh, never really thought of it that way.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by edgeoftheworld

I've been to Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia definitely has more of a city feel, or at least big city. I fell in love when I went there.
Yeah, a lot of people will hear about bad neighborhoods and the crime there as I said, and assume the entire place is a ****hole with shootings every 5 minutes.

As for the sports teams, a few times I've heard people try to say the city is bad for their sports teams. Which I've never understood because what the hell does that have to do with Philadelphia itself?

Here's something to think about. A portion of my family has lived continuously in W. Philly for slightly over a century. Parts of W. Philly are more prone to crime. But my family members have never been victims of any crime in all that time. Also even in the worst neighborhoods crime is not going on every five minutes.