growingly violent philly? (Philadelphia, Shippensburg: home, neighborhoods, buy)

[serpent_of_old]

i was born and raised here. i am a 34 year old male. i went to schools in overbrook and wynnefield as well as Phelps and Shippensburg. was in western NY for about 6 years and have been back home here for 5 years. i live in university city

it seriously seems as if its getting more and violent here every year. i really do prize center city over the burbs. the burbs have changed alot since the 80's. they (main line) were fun back then, and now they are old money with angry mercedes-driving farts that need to prove something via image. i find that in center city, no matter who you are, compared to many places out of state, you are still treated with dignity by others.

my appreciation for this is declining, for i find that the middle class that made philly awesome....i dont know where the hell they went, but they found their destination sometime in the mid 90's???

seriously. the two classes in philly appear to now be:
-anrgy/disgruntled/edgey/ready-to-snap/excess-procreation/haterville
and
-pretentious/steven star restauraunt/fake/ under 30 or over 60

am i wrong????
and can you thrive here anymore if you arent the above???

[JHG722]

Originally Posted by serpent_of_old

the burbs have changed alot since the 80's. they (main line) were fun back then, and now they are old money with angry mercedes-driving farts that need to prove something via image.

Really? So you're saying all of us on the Main Line fit that description? Funny, considering my family is new money, far from angry, doesn't need to prove a damn thing to anyone, and my dad wouldn't buy a Benz, because he finds them to be pretentious. Maybe if we're talking Gladwyne and Villanova, but even so, to say everyone is like that is absurd. I'm sure my Overbrook-raised dad would be insulted...

What a joke...

[FindingZen]

Hmmm... well there are still plenty of middle class people in the area, perhaps more so in the 'burbs than in the city. Although granted, many opinions on those who live in the more challenged, lower-income city neighborhoods - as well those who live on the upscale Main Line - have been shared here.
You may have a point that the class stratification within the city limits is higher than before. But generally speaking for the entire metro, I would respectfully disagree.

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by serpent_of_old

seriously. the two classes in philly appear to now be:
-anrgy/disgruntled/edgey/ready-to-snap/excess-procreation/haterville
and
-pretentious/steven star restauraunt/fake/ under 30 or over 60

am i wrong????
and can you thrive here anymore if you arent the above???

I think you're right on...I've kinda been noticing that dichotomy myself.
And I think the dissolving of the once middle class in this country is a contributing factor also.

[serpent_of_old]

its as if one group is deciding that the stars are gonna get pushed farther
and the others are gonna be on edge while trying to reach those stars for desperate need of validation
this has made the latter aggressive
as if some fierce competition, for EVERYTHING
it was like that on some mass scale like 15+ years ago
i realize places change, but DAMN
and its every part of the city and burbs you go to
to deny it is like denying that Wayne randomly has klan marches
denial is a river in africa

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by serpent_of_old

its as if one group is deciding that the stars are gonna get pushed farther
and the others are gonna be on edge while trying to reach those stars for desperate need of validation
this has made the latter aggressive
as if some fierce competition, for EVERYTHING
it was like that on some mass scale like 15+ years ago
i realize places change, but DAMN
and its every part of the city and burbs you go to
to deny it is like denying that Wayne randomly has klan marches
denial is a river in africa

Welcome to Philadelphia...the CITY of denial
So is it really that violent in the suburbs? All of them?
I must admit(see I actually admit things)the last time I was really in a 'suburb' was maybe a year or two ago and it seemed pretty calm to me.
So Wayne has klan marches?...

[Huckleberry3911948]

its is not unique to philadelphia. but the problem with the increased urban violence
(which is a clever way of saying what jessie jackson has said for a long long time, we gota a black on black violence problem)
punishment and reward will make it go away. when the people that live with it think there is a problem it will get better and not b4. how many times you have been told its not so bad, im not so bad we are not so bad my city is no so bad. stop it.
i have a dream.