Why is it so hard for past citizens to praise the current Pittsburgh?? (Dallas: how much, live in)

[Augie6]

I have a lot of family and friends who lived in the Pittsburgh area say 80's early 90's and moved away... NO matter how much praise or growth the city has they STILL will put down the city and amenities. Even though haven't been to most areas in last 15-20 years...

Example... A Cousin grew up in city left 94' ( still thinks metropole is the happening place in the city) , her husband ( from Dallas) is considering a job in Pittsburgh , She is doing everything she can to bring up past flaws , most of the which are torn down or closed. Doesn't stop with her, just seems like its impossible to get former residence to admit the city is improved and only will get better...

(by the way Dallas man loves the city )

[bradjl2009]

This should definitely be moved to the Pittsburgh thread and to answer your question because they're fools stuck in the past. Essentially a group of self hating yinzers who tend to love the local sports teams but love to bash everything else about it for some reason. It makes no sense.

[sskink]

Watching on tv, I saw a whole lot of Bucs gear at Chase Field in Phoenix tonight. I have no idea what any of those people think of Pittsburgh, but I'm confident that once they run out of water, they'll be happy to move back.

[gg]

I have lived other places and every time I talk to another former Pittsburgh'er they talk very highly of the city. What you are describing would be very rare.

[szug-bot]

But ask her, Auggie, how can she POSSIBLY feel safe in Dallas??? I mean, its only a matter of time before the mexican army storms the city to reclaim its renegade state! FLEE, she must!

[Strelok]

I'd rather live in a city where people don't want to go to.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by Augie6

I have a lot of family and friends who lived in the Pittsburgh area say 80's early 90's and moved away... NO matter how much praise or growth the city has they STILL will put down the city and amenities.

That explains everything. They experienced Pittsburgh at its nadir, when the city was basically thrown away. To those people, leaving was a sign of "making it," and anybody who saw anything worth salvaging in the city was considered crazy. People like that also tend to think that wherever they left doesn't change at all once they leave, let alone for the better.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

That explains everything. They experienced Pittsburgh at its nadir, when the city was basically thrown away. To those people, leaving was a sign of "making it," and anybody who saw anything worth salvaging in the city was considered crazy. People like that also tend to think that wherever they left doesn't change at all once they leave, let alone for the better.

Plus, to admit that anything improved would be to admit that maybe they made a mistake.

[Copanut]

Not true from my standpoint. Quite a few of my friends and family left for Houston and Atlanta in the late 70's when the decline of the steel industry and all of the ancillary businesses it supported started to wane. At the time it was a good choice. A lot of them are trying to find their way back here and have never badmouthed the area. Guess my friends are different.

[charisb]

I find it funny that people are talking about how rare this is when we have posters on this forum who seem to fit that description.

Originally Posted by doo dah

Plus, to admit that anything improved would be to admit that maybe they made a mistake.

I think some people probably felt forced to leave due to (very real) economic circumstances and now feel resentful that the city didn't completely crash and burn. But once you have made a life somewhere else for 20 years it isn't so easy to just move back.