Pittsburgh has an inferiority complex (Philadelphia, Butler: motel, camp, live in)

[javajive711]

I think a lot of the negativity stems from the fact that most of the negative "natives" have never lived anywhere else. Their only point of reference is what Pgh/Western PA was like before the mills closed (or hearing their parents talk about how much "better" it used to be). They may have visited other cities, but visiting a place and living there are completely different experiences.

I grew up in Beaver Co., and was educated at CMU and Pitt, and was itching to get out of Western PA for about as long as I could remember. It took living in the Washington DC metro area for 3 years for me to realize how fantastic Pgh really is.

That said, I think the "midwestern humility" does have something to do with it. There are few things that drive me up the wall more than listening to someone talk about how amazingly perfect everything about themselves, including their hometown, is. (Not that that EVER happened in Northern Virginia!)

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

It is mainly the 50 some or older yinzers that have never moved away during the steel mill crash that are really bitter, negative, and annoying. I also know a lot of 20/30 somethings that never left, and are very bitter and negative when they saw many of their friends move away.

There is a big difference between Pittsburgh and Denver (another city I experienced living in). There everybody is happy, positive, has a youthful attitude. Here people are bitter, negative, and cynical on everything. My old coworkers act like there is nothing positive here. It is annoying, and I do agree with you. I actually have been considering leaving for a while when my lease is up, and I will finally be out of debt by then, so I can afford a Higher COL(if it don't put me back into debt that is). Maybe N.Y.C., Washington/Baltimore, Boston? I may stay here and keep what I pay in debts to save for a house, or move and not save as much and live life in a city that isn't so negative.

[pman]

Originally Posted by javajive711

I think a lot of the negativity stems from the fact that most of the negative "natives" have never lived anywhere else. Their only point of reference is what Pgh/Western PA was like before the mills closed (or hearing their parents talk about how much "better" it used to be). They may have visited other cities, but visiting a place and living there are completely different experiences.

I grew up in Beaver Co., and was educated at CMU and Pitt, and was itching to get out of Western PA for about as long as I could remember. It took living in the Washington DC metro area for 3 years for me to realize how fantastic Pgh really is.

That said, I think the "midwestern humility" does have something to do with it. There are few things that drive me up the wall more than listening to someone talk about how amazingly perfect everything about themselves, including their hometown, is. (Not that that EVER happened in Northern Virginia!)

it may also have to do with decades of decline and what that does for a psyche. in Philadelphia they're called negadelphians so I don't think it's just pittsburgh. by and large the whole state has been in decline with a few exceptions. that said, the msot negative people I've met have been buffalo expats.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by pman

it may also have to do with decades of decline and what that does for a psyche. in Philadelphia they're called negadelphians so I don't think it's just pittsburgh. by and large the whole state has been in decline with a few exceptions. that said, the msot negative people I've met have been buffalo expats.

Do you think it also may have something to do with national perceptions as well? I'm just thinking of the laughter in the White House Press Room with the G-20 announcement. There are certain go-to places for jokes like New Jersey or Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Buffalo too. The old one for Philly was something like -- "first prize, a week in Philadelphia, second prize, two weeks in Philadelphia..." Has any area ever beaten that?

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

Mattjd,

How many times do I attack Pittsburgh? I am usually insulted on this board for being a Pittsburgh cheerleader, weird. I say a few negative things about Pittsburgh from time to time, and I get attacked for it. Am I not allowed to talk about the negativity of many Pittsburgh citizens? Why am I again getting attacked for a view of mine? Can somebody that knows my post on this forum please back me up. Also, I LIVED in Denver, and I am not going back there.

As somebody that lived out in a city that has a large amount of Transplants, I can compare and contrast if I please. There is a HUGE change of attitude between Denvernites and Pittsburghers without a doubt. I AM NOT saying Denver is better than Pittsburgh. As you all know (the ones who know me on this board), I am a very proud Pittsburgher, and love the city of Pittsburgh. I find it to be more livable then the city of Denver itself. However, I will not stop pointing out the negatives of this city. Things such as negative attitudes, old cynical yinzers, excessive steelerism, our stangnant political system, and others annoy me.

Please do not attack me, and politely challenge me to why my opinions are wrong. These personal attacks and personal bickering in this forum have got to stop. Making fun of me for enjoying photos, trying to call me out on everything I say is getting annoying. Also, I will insult the immaturity and annoyance of this forum as I please.

Thank you, carry on.

Yeah, I'm actually surprised that you're thinking about leaving. Please don't! There are bitter old people everywhere. They'll be dead soon enough. Pittsburgh is on the way up. Stay on board.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by JoeLeaphorn

True, but as someone who started coming here as a child more than a half a century ago, there is a lot more that used to be here that was demolished as part of "progress". If it hadn't been for individuals such as Dolores Boniface (South Side) and the History and Landmarks foundation, many more landmarks of our Golden Era would have long since been bulldozed.

When I was a child, my dad would drop the family off in downtown (which had a Kaufmanns, Horne's Jenkins Arcade, Woolworth, Sax) and we would take the streetcars to the Highland Park Zoo. By the time that I was in college, they were tearing up the tracks, a half century before many cities started going back to streetcars. In fact, after the streetcar lines were removed (or paved over), CMU was commissioned to do a study of transportation needs for the region. Their answer? Streetcars!

We're too quick to embrace the new instead of cherishing the old. East Liberty was a thriving retail district until someone decided that it might be a good idea to make it an open air mall.

A few decades back, some Pittsburgh politicians hired James Rouse, the developer behind Columbia, MD, to visit and make suggestions about what to do with the Strip District?

His answer? Leave it alone, there is nothing wrong with it.

I sympathize with outsiders who wonder why it is that so many people who have lived here all their lives want to change the city while keeping politics the same. We should be doing it the other way around!

I mourn the loss of the core of Allegheny City every day, and I only moved here in 2007. I hate so-called urban renewal.

[alleghenyangel]

Allegheny City gets me, too. Imagine if central north side was as well preserved as the south side.. Wouldn't that be something!

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

Kat -- I don't know if you can answer this -- is there any possiblilty of Denver having an amazing amount of immigrants from other US locales? In other words, everybody in Denver is FROM somewhere else, and chose to move to Denver.

What I seem to hear all the time is the newbies think Pittsburgh is a great place and the natives all think they're crazy. When you go to the trouble to relocate -- and it's a real hassle to move cross country, espeucally if you have pets, you're far more likely to come into a place with hopes and dreams and positive attitudes.

And when you're a native all you see is how things have changed, and it's not the same and you're stuck. And your attitude SUCKS.

I've seen it out here. I had a co-worker who I became friendly with who was a native Californian. Born and raised in Redwood City. When she got married and moved to Fremont (less than 20 miles away across the bay with a bridge right there) it had been like she was moving to Outer Mongolia. Her PARENTS didn't want to visit her in Fremont because it was TOO FAR AWAY!

She and her husband -- also native -- had never been to Napa to the wineries. Never been to Santa Cruz, or Monterey, to the aquarium. We opened up their world....

All she did was complain about how CA stunk and why would anyone want to move here...

SAN FRANCISCO CA, PEOPLE... so this happens everywhere and from what I've experienced, it's natives. People that CHOOSE to live here are happy to live here....

Am I on to something? Or crazy? Keep in mind, could be both!

You're on to something. I grew up in Richmond, VA and for as long as I could remember, I wanted out. In my late teens, very early twenties (I left the day after my 22nd birthday), I met lots of people who moved there by choice and absolutely loved the place. I kind of saw it through new eyes, but it still wasn't enough to keep me there. I was back briefly in 2006-2007 as I planned the next stage (Pittsburgh, ultimately) and a lot had changed, but my feelings about it hadn't. Some people just weren't meant to stay in their hometowns.

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by Katiana

You can say what you want about Denver: brown cloud (though much improved since I moved here in 1980); too brown (though not this spring); no big rivers; no trees outside the city until you get to the foothills; no lakes (but then again the Pgh area doesn't have any either that I can think of); I wouldn't say no hills, just different hills than in Pgh, but Awesomo.2000 is right that the prevailing attitude is "this is a great place", etc. It's way different than Pittsburgh. I can't really put my finger on it.

If it's anything like the attitude in Seattle, it's called smugness.

[Pitts64]

We know what Pittsburgh is and that's all that counts.. Why in the hell do you people have to brag all over the place? Its really ugly...
If they all find out, they will come and all more people do is ruin things.... Quit believing these no good politicians about how the population is declining, that is total BULL!!! I use to hunt were Ross Park Mall is ( I worked construction there too) and use to go to Camp Trees in Trees Dale / Cranberry from the Lawrenceville Boys Club, it was all farms then. Boy did they ruin that area!

We have a good thing here, please be quiet about it... Look at what happened to California!!!

[Pitts64]

Originally Posted by creepsinc

If it's anything like the attitude in Seattle, it's called smugness.

I don't know what your talking about, Seattle is a beautiful city... It beats the hell out of this place....