"5 Markets Sure to Grow in 2012" (Duquesne, California: for sale, homes)

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by genew

how many people have asked you "why did you move here?" i got that question for years after i moved here.

+1,000,000.

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I suspect your demeanor might be more the problem. Are you putting down the city to natives? If you are, expect them to stick up for their hometown.

AGGIEZ uses all caps.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by GeneW

How many people have asked you "Why did you move here?" I got that question for years after I moved here.

Yup, that's probably more of the vibe he got out of people instead of him being shunned. Yinzer mentality is "I like da Burgh n'at, but how's come yinz guiz wanna move dahn here?" What this means is that of all the places you could choose why would you want to live here?

I worked with a guy from Germany at one of my previous jobs and he traveled to Pittsburgh quite frequently. I remember him asking, "why did you choose Pittsburgh?" because out of all the places he traveled this city just wasn't appealing at him at all. I told him Pittsburgh chose us, not the other way around.

[gg]

Seems like there is such a difference in the circles people are involved with. I can see this guy from Texas hanging around the "yinzers" all over the place and encountering that style, while a business person from Europe moving to the East End's experience would be completely different. Aqua's responses also show the circles he runs with. Just a more gloom and doom kind of crowd. Aqua I always felt you should move to the East End and start hanging around more positive people.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Seems like there is such a difference in the circles people are involved with. I can see this guy from Texas hanging around the "yinzers" all over the place and encountering that style, while a business person from Europe moving to the East End's experience would be completely different. Aqua's responses also show the circles he runs with. Just a more gloom and doom kind of crowd. Aqua I always felt you should move to the East End and start hanging around more positive people.

I wouldn't classify my neck of the woods as "gloomy" but more "blue collar" than anything else. I come from a family and a community that work for a living and their blue collar perception of the world shows (in my opinion) a more realistic look at how things are when your pockets aren't overflowing with cash.

I've lived on a campus of a private university for 4 years and I've lived in Ireland, and Beaver County too and it's amazing how much perception plays into things. People from all over the spectrum just don't get the way things are and you can't convince them otherwise.

Also for the record, I hate the East End. I love the amenities and the things to do, but the Shadyside population is stuck up to me and so far removed from my "whatever floats your boat" mentality.

[gg]

Originally Posted by jay5835

AGGIEZ uses all caps.

Yeah someone from Texas with an in your face attitude driving some big duelly, might not be overly welcome. It is harder to break into the "yinzer" crowd, but if you do, you are in.

As far as people asking, "Why did you move here?", that would be a very common question out of curiosity. Was it work? Just moved here on a whim? Spouse? Just a start of a conversation and I wouldn't understand why anyone would look at that question negatively.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Just a more gloom and doom kind of crowd. Aqua I always felt you should move to the East End and start hanging around more positive people.

The people in the East End, based on my experiences living there, were not positive at all. I find people in the East End are more judgmental, narcissistic, and materialistic ("What kind of car do you drive?" "Where do you work?") than the residents of other areas of Pittsburgh. Whenever I experience someone judging me based on where I live, it's coming from someone who lives in one of the hip East End neighborhoods. I think this is because all people who fear rejection tend to move to the East End, because they know it's acceptable to live there. Then they try to feel better about themselves by ridiculing the lifestyles of their inferiors.

Okay, this sounds harsh, but honestly it was my impression living there and why I had to get out of Shadyside! lol Obviously, there were some good people there, too.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

The people in the East End, based on my experiences living there, were not positive at all. I find people in the East End are more judgmental, narcissistic, and materialistic ("What kind of car do you drive?" "Where do you work?") than the residents of other areas of Pittsburgh. Whenever I experience someone judging me based on where I live, it's coming from someone who lives in one of the hip East End neighborhoods.

Yup, I agree here (tried to rep you but couldn't). Every city has sections like this and Pittsburgh's is the East End. I was having a conversation with my fiance about this topic and I said that a little grime in ones life seems to take the wind out of the whole "keeping up with the Jones" American mindset (which I hate).

In fact, one of the dudes I work with lives in Shadyside, drives a BMW SUV, and gloats about being a "capitalistic pig" fairly often. Despite the whole "East End liberal" stereotype I've found that most dudes in that section of town secretly want to let the world know that they're ballers. Not my scene really.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Yeah someone from Texas with an in your face attitude driving some big duelly, might not be overly welcome. It is harder to break into the "yinzer" crowd, but if you do, you are in.

As far as people asking, "Why did you move here?", that would be a very common question out of curiosity. Was it work? Just moved here on a whim? Spouse? Just a start of a conversation and I wouldn't understand why anyone would look at that question negatively.

It's more in the tone of voice, I think, when the question is asked. I moved here from DC, and the subtext very definitely seemed to be "Why, when you lived in one of the best cities in the country, did you move to this ****hole?" One woman I know used to call me "City Boy." My not smoking in 1999 may have had something to do with this, but I don't really know.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

a little grime in ones life seems to take the wind out of the whole "keeping up with the Jones" American mindset (which I hate).

Yeah, it's not my scene, either. I loved the Victorian architecture, the well-kept homes, and the sense that I was in the nice side of town. I kept up with that lifestyle for a while. I had a nice apartment in Shadyside, a new car, a job at a hospital, etc. But there is something about the mentality of people in the East End that I just don't like. There was a combination of snobbish attitudes and conformity that was off-putting, but maybe I am being a snob for pointing it out? lol, I don't know. All I know is I'm a lot happier in the poor side of town.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I think this is because all people who fear rejection tend to move to the East End, because they know it's acceptable to live there. Then they try to feel better about themselves by ridiculing the lifestyles of their inferiors.

WOW. Talk about generalizing like SteelCityRunner.