Philly Wannabe's (Philadelphia, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: live in, stats, gardens)

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by 2dc

Let me first say that I live in the city and don't feel ashamed to say I do. Secondly I'm African American and I would like to say that this has got to be one of the most bigoted cities in the US. The people here are so segregated and its a very polarizing place to live. SOME people in the suburbs think that their better than people who reside in the city; mostly because at least half of the population is black. Granted there is alot of crime in the city but not everyone is a criminal; just like not everyone who lives in the suburbs is a saint... no really they aren't. And to the poster who said that people presently living in the suburbs built this city...please. Improve the economy of Philly and alot of the problems would disappear. I'm young and I just want to get away from here. It is so toxic.

People up my way refer to it as "Filthadelphia"

[dorado0359]

Originally Posted by ajb842

I think people say they are from Philly just for convenience. I suppose there are those who say it for other reasons, but I don't think I know many of those people. I do live in the city limits, and even when I didn't I told people from out of town I was from Philadelphia, same way they would tell me they were from Boston or LA but living outside of it. Unless I specifically request an address, I think when you ask people where they live they just reply with the area you will most likely be familiar with if possible. I don't think it's that premeditated.

I disagree. Many suburbanites intentionally distort the truth by claiming they are from Philly for their own self gain. Suburbanites say they are from Philly for business reasons to win the big deal or land that big contract...after all, Philly letterhead stationary is a whole lot more impressive than having Quakertown printed across the top.

Furthermore, when Philly is spoken of in a negative light (crime, etc) , amongst these suburbanites and their associates; then the dis-association begins...everything changes. Then the suburbanite says, "Oh, I live in Narabeth, or Radnor, or Quakertown, or Villanova, etc, because Philly is such a terrible place to live and raise a family".

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

People up my way refer to it as "Filthadelphia"

I personally like" Kill-a-dayphia myself.

[Pilot1]

Originally Posted by dorado0359

Then the suburbanite says, "Oh, I live in Narabeth, or Radnor, or Quakertown, or Villanova, etc, because Philly is such a terrible place to live and raise a family".

Yeah, because they are decent places to live. I was born in the city and will never live there again.

[cremebrulee]

I'm from Bucks County...everytime someone asks where I live, I tell them, and they say...."Where", so you get tired of it and just say, Philly, because if you don't, they're next question is..."Is that anywhere around Philadelphia?" People know Philadelphia, but not the surrounding suburband areas...so, it became natural to simply say, Ohhhhh I'm about an hour from Philly...or I'm from Philly area....

So, I suggest, the OP lighten up
..I don't think anyone is trying to get something past you, or mean any harm or disrespect...it's pretty simple to figure out....

Why does it bother you so much would be my question?

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

Why does it bother you so much would be my question?

I can't speak for the OP, but from my experience, the people saying it just for convenience is not that big of a deal. You tell someone from North Carolina that you live in Newtown, chances are they have no idea what you're talking about. In general it's always been more of a running joke between my "city" friends and "suburb" friends.

The only ones that bother me are the ones running around bashing Philly, saying they know what it's like "on the streets", etc., and yet they've never lived a day in their life closer than 10 miles from the city limits, let alone in a bad area. These are, I suppose you could say, the "true wannabees." They want the image without having to leave their housing development. I just find them annoying.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

I can't speak for the OP, but from my experience, the people saying it just for convenience is not that big of a deal. You tell someone from North Carolina that you live in Newtown, chances are they have no idea what you're talking about. In general it's always been more of a running joke between my "city" friends and "suburb" friends.

Exactly....you have no idea what we all went thru...and every single time, they'd say...."Is that close to Philly?" therefore, we just adopted Philly as our home town....besides, I love Philly and go there all the time, reading Market, The Arts....and love the commercials for sleep overs...cute...

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

Exactly....you have no idea what we all went thru...and every single time, they'd say...."Is that close to Philly?" therefore, we just adopted Philly as our home town....besides, I love Philly and go there all the time, reading Market, The Arts....and love the commercials for sleep overs...cute...

Hell, I say Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to people out of the area, and even though we have a population of nearly 600,000, people still ask me "Is that near Philly?" It's amazing the sheer ignorance of the American public when it comes to geography. It seems as if our public educational institutions are failing American children. If I can point out Dubuque, Iowa and Spokane, Washington on a map, then I expect everyone else to be able to point out Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on a map. I suppose the dolts are too busy watching American Idol to care.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Hell, I say Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to people out of the area, and even though we have a population of nearly 600,000, people still ask me "Is that near Philly?" It's amazing the sheer ignorance of the American public when it comes to geography. It seems as if our public educational institutions are failing American children. If I can point out Dubuque, Iowa and Spokane, Washington on a map, then I expect everyone else to be able to point out Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on a map. I suppose the dolts are too busy watching American Idol to care.

Just tell them it's where "The Office" is from.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

I lived in the Philadelphia suburbs for over 25 years and I tell people I'm from Philly all the time. For me, it's not because of convenience, it's because I feel that the Philadelphia region is "Philly". I'm connected to Philly by spending time there, by being a Philadelphia sports fan, by watching the Philadelphia news, etc.

I also lived in Southern California for 14 years. Do you think that people who live in in the city of Los Angeles are the only ones that call themselves from LA? There are hundreds of towns that make up the LA basin. Many people just say... "I'm from LA". To each their own I guess!