St. Louis isn't that Racist...But it does suck hard culturally! (Laclede: hotel, houses)

[desperad0stl]

obviously you cannot understand
and did not read the post without bias and did not see the fine points

You can't understand my experience obviously, you can never know or understand how my experience has been.

[kshe95girl]

No, I got everything, and I do mean everything, you had to say.
Dont assume things you dont know.
Graduating from the Pulitzer School of Journalism taught me to think and read objectively.
Getting my masters from Wash U refined that.
One can be unhappy anywhere, if you think STL is bad, you should come down here, experience the good ole boy mentality, and then we can compare notes and horror stories.
You are waaayyyy too young to be so bitter, my dear.

[desperad0stl]

Perhaps I should clarify and use my proficient writing skill in these forums
I use a lot of internet language and speak casually as I would to a peer.

I have experienced a lot...I've traveled all around the world I've lived in Beijing for a year, I've spent a lot of time in Mexico City where I could not get into certain establishments until flashing my American passport given my indigenous indian Mexican heritage.

I absolutely wont touch the south I had a bad enough time hanging around Destin I know its worse than here but lets not dismiss the fact that its not so super up here just because for some god awful reason there is something worse.

Allow me to clarify...

I can't be taken seriously here at all. I might as well be in the south because I can't even be taken seriously for an entry level job.

Once again I might as well be in the south because I can't find any ethnic groups...as I said before I am really disappointed in the fact that say 85% of the "ethnic" restaurants in St. Louis sell out and heavily Americanize their food due to the fact that the populace has not been "exposed" to these things...I was very disappointed that at an international food festival here in St. Louis the Chinese stand was selling fried rice and Orange Chicken, and a little crab rangoon action going on...At a New York, Los Angeles, San Fran, Los Angeles etc etc. yada yada you will get authentic offerings just as I saw them in Beijing...
I was disappointed that the Mexican stall was selling hard shell tacos, chimichangas and burritos...go to mexico and ask for any of these things and will be told that they dont exist.
I am a huge foodie and theres maybe 1 max 2 places that represent their cultures with authentic food in STL but that's it...everyone sells out because they know their authentic offerings will not sell.
So scratch the prevalent food culture.

Lets talk about music...your name is KSHE95 Girl I assume that you love the genre of music KSHE95 plays. No offense but I can't stand it...as a matter of fact I can't seem to escape it fast enough. I can't stand top 40 pop music that was meant for 14 year old girls either. Hell I can't stand dirty south hip hop...but I love music...I can sit here and mix music all day I even dabble a bit myself with producing. If I don't want to hear these things that I can't stand where can I go? I have been to many places that have tons of venues that play things that are not the above, house, electro, techno, salsa, merengue, reggaeton, and most of all GOOD HIP HOP etc the list goes on.
Beijing a city that is 95% han chinese had a handful of gigantic salsa clubs where even the chinese looked like they were straight out of Havana that is just one example.
If you do not like the mainstream then what's for you?
So scratch the prevalent music offerings...

Lets talk about ethnic groups...
Sure there are many of decendants of the major european groups...german, irish, italian etc...thats beautiful fine and dandy. I want something a little more...how about some brown people and people with slanted eyes. Lets see St. Louis is 2% hispanic and 1% asian and percentages of 1% for other stuff...we've already established that food culture for the most part in these groups sucks...don't get me wrong there are awesome places but what are the bulk of them? Americanized...
Im sure you can say oh yeah I saw this guy I think he was arab or something...I think I saw some Brazilian guy his name I think is Ze...
There are no strong neighborhoods for brown and yellow people and if there are the're on one street for a stretch of 2 blocks.
So scratch the prevalent diversity.

If I am really disappointed in the lack of one thing its my own culture...I was raised by my Mexican father...2% of the population of St. Louis is hispanic. But lets look closely at that 2%...lets say you have a guy born and raised in Brooklyn...even the whitest of white guys will love some hip hop in Brooklyn and whatever different styles he likes...now lets take a white guy in Kentucky...he loves to watch Country Music Television and cant stand hip hop...
Moving on we have St. Louis where most all the Mexicans you see are from the North of Mexico. They love tejano music, pickup trucks, and wearing black cowboy hats, ostrich boots, chaps, and all that fine and dandy stuff...Now lets take some people from the south of Mexico and Mexico City...they love techno, reggaeton, salsa, the latest styles and trends from america and europe, and imported cars...
I dont know anything about Northern Mexicans or their tejano music that my grandmother cringes when she hears...we love their home cooked country meals but thats about it...I can't even relate to the Mexicans that are here...
Where's that universal latin culture that binds latinos together? Wheres the music that we can all agree on and transcends all borders...I can tell you where it's not and it's not here.
I went to the latin festival which took place where the taste of st. louis was...there were like 4 tents for food maybe 100 people and in front of all the families and kids that were there, they started having a hoosier booty contest...riiiight.

Now I wonder why I can't get a job in this town.
Like I said...I got to a point where I said enough is enough. People in these other cities can sort of guess what kind of background I come from and know by the way I present myself that I am from America, that I am a citizen, that I'm educated and won't lose their previous intention to hire me the minute they see my face.
I miss my plentiful ethnic food and very distinguished and vibrant ethnic neighborhoods. I miss having tons of venues that offer music and a scene that I love and can relate to...I miss people mixing...etc...Hell I miss having hundreds of open minded women and having tons of easy dates
These girls here in STL are vicious They know exactly what they want and given that I dont fit into these white or black poles as I said they wont even consider my brown ass goddamnit! Theres tons of white women that love black men...where are the strongholds of the women that love latin men? They're in New York!! lol.
My family has escaped the poor mexican neighborhoods, so I am not around my own people.
And I HATE BEING STARED AT!!! and feeling like an alien! I'm not disfigured and consider myself fairly good looking so whats the deal?!
I've never had these conveniences at home...so I said I should make a new home somewhere else.
My dad gave me a lot of exposure to the outside world and now I just can't live without it.

So just because there is a place that is worse doesn't mean that this place is necessarily good.

Wow!!! what a long rant!
I am very bitter!
I have been extremely happy elsewhere but it hasn't been at home which blows!
I've been told that I am so easygoing and such a cheap date...give me a beer some cheap food...but give me a varitety of that beer and cheap food. What i've been posting may make me seem like a stuck up guy but trust me I'm not...everyone wants to feel at home or at least feel like they have a home with people that share some of their ideals and some of the things they like. It's not so much about horror stories as it is about just being happy and being comfortable. But I will ALWAYS be pissed about the job thing and just because police may be even more ignorant elsewhere doesn't just justify the crap they have done here...if my dad wasn't the self employed man that he is here in STL we wouldn't have 1/10 of what we have now.
So much for "proficient writing skill" I had to go on my rant sorry

[chitownwarrior]

Wow, i love the stl thread, so much controversy!

Desperado, you are the epitome of a young 20's halfie confused his whole life of his identity, and the epitome of someone who is seeking "culture" in the definition of a yuppie American (see below).

While I do agree with a lot of observations, I have to admit that you're very immature yet in your own self discovery, and this has cause much of your problems. Yes, st. louis cannot match up with Chicago or NYC in diversity and variety, but you're talking about two very different cities. Yes, it's frustrating how stl has been trying to get over this hump for many years of anti-progression, but you must give it credit given its circumstance and size. I personally think stl has soooo much potential to be bustling again with a few right decisions, it just needs more people like you to defeat the mass of anti-progressors.

KSHE girl does bring up a good point of your perspective on culture -- food and night clubs? Ever read stuffwhitepeoplelike.com? While there IS a wide array of authentic ethnic foods in stl, i'd agree it's not the same as the array in nyc or chicago, but how about compare to other cities of its size??? I'm so tired of these people that have done a little traveling and all of a sudden become "cultural experts". Of course foods are americanized targeted towards americans - it's in america! I've spent considerable time in Asia and other parts of the world too. Ever been to a chinese mcdonald's? Do they have the exact same menu as the US's? NO. They're catered to the Chinese palette.

Don't get me started on cities being more "culturally aware", esp Beijing. The funny thing is, to most beijingers, you're probably just some black foreigner, and they're interested in you just because you're different. Most don't have this concept of cultural ethnic western diversity. Did you ever stop and see though their own problems of culture? How about kicking out all the Uyghurs and a number of minority groups of a WHOLE CITY for the olympics? Or Chicago, how about south and west city being almost all latino or black. (but some of their clubs play bachata...yaaaay! ) While lincoln park is infested by rich white ignorant midwestern (from iowa, indiana, michigan, etc.) wrigleyville frat kids spoiled, but "culturally aware", who are "living it up" cause they go to a club in wrigleyville or viagra triangle that's not top 40. Which is funny cause here in chicago most places are top 40 or pop hip hop. HOw about D.C. - adams morgan, while diverse still has the same types of places littered with the same types of people. They're just better at hiding their real ignorance of what it truly means to be culturally aware.

Take a look at immigrant families in communities in the US. Most don't give a F about "cultural diversity" as you describe. Most of them just want opportunity to have a home and to make an honest living (like my immigrant parents). They like living close to each other for the comfort. They LOVE the US. They love to have food to eat and a car to drive (oh but driving is soooo overrated, right... -- its a freaking luxury!). I think if you travel more, you'll find some great truths, which it seems you've found - that there IS a different way of life than you've always known, and people around the world DO live differently. What I don't think you've found yet, is that no matter where you go, people are innately the same and have the same needs. This yuppie idea of "culture" you have is currently flawed. However, it's good though that you're aware of the world outside your own.

With that said, I would point out then that st. louis is indeed a very good city. It's cheap. It's easy to get around. You can find any type of ethnic groceries you need. You can get anything you want. You have enough choices of variety whatever you're into (although no to the extent of a chicago). It's great for people of different "cultures" as well. No its not a world class hong kong or nyc, (and god forbid only 2.9 million people ) but for the lower midwest and upper south it's definately an oasis.

To my understanding, st. louis has its own culture, it's own way of life, that's what I've discovered at least, and that's something to be proud of. Just as Beijing, chicago, nyc, denver have their own culture. Or wherever you go. But people in those places as well get tired of their own culture. (also beijing is MUCH larger than stl so why would you even compare boggles my mind).

I think the real problem is, what it all boils down to, is that according to you, and other people like you, it's not cool enough to say you're living in "st. louis". You want to say you're in beijing or nyc, because for some reason, saying that makes you believe that you're making something out of your life and gives you a sense of accomplishment. You want to be on the fast track. (i can talk about this for hours). I would say GO. Go do it. You'll love it at first, then after a few years, end up in the same boat as everyone there. Then you'll realize that life is about way more than "culture".

I happen to be mixed ethnically, JUST LIKE YOU. I used to have similar thoughts as you even living in Chicago, comparing constantly to New York, or other places, thinking things could be so much better if I lived there. But i realized, that my sensitivity to my own identity over-exaggerated situations where I thought I was being racially scrutinized. I used it as an excuse for everything. Look at what you wrote. "White people living in kentucky" "white person living in the bronx". Jeeeez, you're so hypocritical! YOU are a racist. You think, through your words, that race does define a person's actions. But aren't you supposed to preach the opposite?? COME ON. You not getting a job because you're mexican-black? Hmmm, are you 100% sure it's because of your race?

Now on an stl note:

Where in stl are you partying at? Hanging with ladue friends? I don't think you're going to the right places. I've been to some really cool places and met some cool people...and a handful of international parties. And the people there were actually friendly and fun - not snobby or your version of "culturally aware". I've been to the same kinds at nyc and here people were all douchebags (but also cool ones too). So a lot of times it depends where you hang out with and who.

Can't get a date...ohhhh then it MUST be cause youre black and mexican...or maybe cause you have low self-esteem and aren't very attractive?

Also, btw, Chicago doesn't have a lot of halfsies, in fact this whole nation doesn't, so don't be so sensitive. Be proud. And don't give into the 'life is unfair bug because i'm half and half' or ___ race. Some people at parties might think you're a novelty or exotic. Some "cultural experts" might sympathize with you. Some ignorant cops might be confused. But honestly deep inside, no one gives a f*ck.

I hope my words make some sense.

- Chitown f*cking Warrior

[desperad0stl]

You have made some good points...many which made me smile
I am in fact extremely proud of my culture...While traveling especially in Beijing I found myself defending the States on multiple occasions even getting in a couple scuffles when the arguments went too far...it was never with the Chinese but a few Europeans and Aussies...I'm very proud of my culture, my country, and in being a mid-western kid...
Low self esteem is new...I am extremely confident and overly sure of myself sometimes...but I dont come across as brash or offensive...I am in fact the guy that most of my friends turn to (especially women) when they need someone to talk to or they need some advice...I am extremely easy going and too nice sometimes...It's not hard to get a date I guess I am complaining too much when I get into this but I do get very attractive dates but they always seem to be the same kind of girl that I'm not too fond of...not too intelligent and spoiled...that's irrelevant lets not get into that.
As for the neighborhoods I am hanging around in...I spend 12 hours on average in the west end per day...I tend to go out around this area and the south side...there are not many places that I have not been to in this city and there are no boundaries I set for myself...I have to constantly be moving and try something new to keep my sanity...As for my Ladue friends i'll go have lunch with them but they never come out to the places I go because the city is "ghetto" in their view and they wont touch it...I am not biased...most of my friends are white...I have gay friends straight friends, I dont really know any latinos besides my family...The reason I am so particularly fond of Beijing right now is because I wanted a job and got one in days and a good paying job at that.
I even criticized my own mother everytime she would blame white people for everything and the rest of her family criticizing me because I have so many "white habits" so in short if it wasn't for my appearance you would pretty much think I was your average west county white kid...despite all my bad moments with police and neighbors I used to be very passive about it and expected nothing better and accepted it as my lot in life.

It wasn't until recently that I started hating this place so much. I make sure to take care of my health, my body, my appearance, the way I present myself etc...I don't wear anything flashy and always make sure I have a "clean" appearance. I've been given praise multiple times on my "work ethic" as I have been working since I was 14 for my family. I am praised on my communication skills and my ability to do an interview...but...
I have worked many a restaurant job and have never been fired from a job in my life...I've left a couple for academic reasons etc...I've been trying to get any kind of job and can't really do much since I still am a student so I've had a strong focus on trying to get a server job somewhere...I always get called back and called in for interviews I even went into a job where they told me I was going to be serving but they stuck me in the dish room to wash dishes which i haven't done since I was 16...They hired me to be a server but then decided to pull a fast one on me and make me a dishwasher...I have quite a bit of serving experience...I've had many others where I get called in show up for the interview and just watch their mood change when I show up and as I said in spite I had some friends one day when we were all bored try to get jobs at these places with no experience and they were offered the positions...I started hating this place when crap like this was going on and this is when I started getting very bitter...I have family members who have never seen me get upset in my entire 22 years of life but there are certain buttons you can push to bring that out...I was called a N****r to my face about a month ago and got into a fight...a drunk SLU kid called me a dirty mexican and I got into another fight...One of my best female friends was really nice and started giving me rides everywhere when I first got back since I sold my car before I left. This is a girl from Ladue and her parents were so frustrated with the fact that she was spending so much time with me and said that I was using her and that negroes like me will never amount to anything and are a bad influence. She cried and defended me but unknown to them I was downstairs the whole time...I drove a friend who was really drunk home and his aunt whom he lives with invited me over for dinner...he told me about a month after the dinner that his uncle and grandmother stayed in their rooms and would not eat with me because of my heritage and his uncle gave him a lecture about hanging with people like me...A russian girl I was dating lived in a russian community in U.City and there was a day I picked her up...some women that lived in the neighborhood told her mother they saw their daughter with a N****r boy but once she told her mother it was me her mother was relieved...This is all in the last year...so I start to wonder do I have exceptionally bad luck or is it this whole place and I came to my conclusions. Along the way I started picking up other things I thought were wrong with this place and I guess I kind of let it get out of hand and let all my frustrations vent in this very forum...if you have a rebutle then lets hear it.

I really look forward to our generation taking over and ousting the baby boomers.
As I said before...I would run for office but I'm too young

[desperad0stl]

as for McDonalds in China it was awesome...the burgers and fries were just the same...they didnt have chicken nuggets which sucked but they did have chicken sandwiches that were so much better since they used fresh local chicken.
You would be surprised...some american guys came over and opened up a chain of NY/Chicago pizza places some other guys opened 2 american diners and a mexican company came over and opened up a branch of this mexican chain called el fogoncito which serves authentic tacos...
To the chinese i was that one guy everyone thought was from india that had a good job...
They really do hate some black people though lol...they did round up some africans and start beating them and messed up by beating an ambassador's son...I can agree that at least i dont have to deal with that! But I had a good job! But lets get off of china i got a little off topic there...China isn't my country...the US is.

As for living differently...my own familiy does...I am actually the first person on either side of my family to finish high school and go to college as well. My parents had me at 17 and I remember what it was like being poor by American standards....Even my father who is an immigrant to this country from the slums outside of mexico city and not even a U.S. citizen criticizes STL on a daily basis which is probably where I started getting it from...My father sends money to our family in mexico that lives under the poverty line and I have stayed with them...With my mother's family the family history is depressing with the worst for me being my only male cousin getting shot and killed at Martin Luther King & Cora...While I traveled around China and southeast asia I experienced how these people lived...especially in Cambodia which I love...I hate the idea of staying in some 5 star hotel and staying around tourists I make sure I see how the locals live when I travel and eat where the locals eat, go to the places which the locals go. I stayed in family run guesthouses everywhere i went for an avg of $4 a night and just took in as much as I could.
I know how it is I know things could be worse...Ive always been brought up with the ideal that i must work for what i want...I was by no means spoiled and as soon as I reached working age I was told to buy my own furniture, clothing and anything else I wanted and as far as my father was concerned his only obligation to me was food in my stomach and a roof over my head which made me a stronger person.
I also have a real nasty temper as you have seen but it takes certain things to provoke it.

I am not your typical kind of guy...
I am overly frustrated with my own home...
I expect a lot more here and I stand by that expectation.

[chitownwarrior]

honestly, i really think what you're going through is very normal. i really do, especially at 22. i would recommend leaving stl and living elsewhere for a while. did you graduate college?

i think your problem too, which trust me brother, i feel your pain, hasn't to do with st. louis but it's with much of American culture, and sadly happens to be as a result of ignorant "white" culture.

i'm glad you're not like the "cultured" spoiled kids of priviledged families who want to be exotic themselves so they adapt this trend of trying to be culturally aware, and of course use it as a competitive statement saying how much better they are than other people.

anyway, good luck to you. i have a bunch of family in stl who share your sentiment, but they love it there too. I really think it depends on who you hang out with and where you go. Youre going to run into douchebags anywhere you go. i think the main annoyance of stl is that there's potential, but its so hard to grab the city by its horns. if it didn't have potential, most people wouldn't give a crap and just leave. also the fact that it was such a thriving city.

i also think more people like you should take action in the city. to bring these flaws of the city to light. if there were 100 people like you, you guys could do a lot of damage. why not take your anger and actually do something about, or create a cure? isn't that so much more satisfying than just walking away?

but then again, i really think that as you kind of go through more development and excitement, you'll come and realize that there's so much more than the culturalness of a place -- aka, my friend in NYC is fed up with it. everyone there is just getting by. they spend an arm and a leg. they lie about their financial reality. they grind daily. but hey, they get to tell their relatives and friends theyre living in NYC! yaaay!!! and they thinkg they have the right to look down on you because you live in some smaller less cultured city! yaaay!! anyway, he's getting the heck out because he's tired of the BS, even though its sooooo diverse in culture.

are you in college?

[desperad0stl]

since i left to travel around i interrupted my studies...
I have a few options in Chicago and one in NYC to finish schooling...i have until December to choose

As for taking some action i definitely plan on it in the future...my old man is heavily involved in politics and unsurprisingly he has a bunch of lobbyist buddies from Chicago one of whom introduced us to Senator Obama a month before his big announcement in Springfield IL which is a huge highlight of my life. I did some volunteer work for the St. Louis school board elections and I volunteered for a family friend who was running for the state senate in 06' and a little bit of work for the Cook County Board President...Whenever I graduate ill definitely get into something...don't know what yet though.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by desperad0stl

wahahaha my mother lived in cicero which is an ok neighborhood...
We have this convo constantly...i know some lobbyists in chicago, one of the directors of cook county...hell i even met barack when he was a state senator..i last saw him about a month before he announced his presidential bid....
If you compare St. Louis and Chicago, Chicago has made tons of progress since the 80s...if you look at Chicago then and look at Chicago now there is a huge difference...theres not trash layin around on the south side **** is reasonably maintained...head up to north stl and the **** still looks bombed out...
i dont hang around the mag mile son. I dont consider myself a tourist when i go to chicago im stayin with friends in Bucktown or Lakeview. If im feelin desperate ill stay at the Ohio House downtown.

You are the most uninformed person I've ever met on this forum. St. Louis hasn't made much progress, eh? How about all those abandoned buildings downtown that are being restored, or the progression of Downtown Clayton, Chesterfield, etc...St. Louis has been growing again in population for almost ten years now and has always been growing in its metro area. You sound to me more like somebody who is just angry at the world and out to blame it on St. Louis. Chicago is FAR from an integrated place....St. Louis and Chicago are both formerly industrial cities that became heavily segregated....the difference is that as someone pointed out earlier, Chicago is bigger and so is able to hide that segregation better than St. Louis. St. Louis is no more segregated than Detroit, Milwaukee, or Cleveland or most other of its fellow Midwestern cities that were once heavily industrial. Now...I am not saying segregation is a good thing, i am totally against it, but St. Louis has black people and white people intermingling in almost every corner of its metro area now. I know because I see it everyday...they may not live together in great numbers although there are many exceptions, but if you think black and white people are still trying to stay apart in their respective places and keep separated, you'd be very incorrect. As far as St. Louis being culturally bland, no comment except study its history and you will realize that it has among the richest culture of any city in the country.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by chitownwarrior

Wow, i love the stl thread, so much controversy!

Desperado, you are the epitome of a young 20's halfie confused his whole life of his identity, and the epitome of someone who is seeking "culture" in the definition of a yuppie American (see below).

While I do agree with a lot of observations, I have to admit that you're very immature yet in your own self discovery, and this has cause much of your problems. Yes, st. louis cannot match up with Chicago or NYC in diversity and variety, but you're talking about two very different cities. Yes, it's frustrating how stl has been trying to get over this hump for many years of anti-progression, but you must give it credit given its circumstance and size. I personally think stl has soooo much potential to be bustling again with a few right decisions, it just needs more people like you to defeat the mass of anti-progressors.

KSHE girl does bring up a good point of your perspective on culture -- food and night clubs? Ever read stuffwhitepeoplelike.com? While there IS a wide array of authentic ethnic foods in stl, i'd agree it's not the same as the array in nyc or chicago, but how about compare to other cities of its size??? I'm so tired of these people that have done a little traveling and all of a sudden become "cultural experts". Of course foods are americanized targeted towards americans - it's in america! I've spent considerable time in Asia and other parts of the world too. Ever been to a chinese mcdonald's? Do they have the exact same menu as the US's? NO. They're catered to the Chinese palette.

Don't get me started on cities being more "culturally aware", esp Beijing. The funny thing is, to most beijingers, you're probably just some black foreigner, and they're interested in you just because you're different. Most don't have this concept of cultural ethnic western diversity. Did you ever stop and see though their own problems of culture? How about kicking out all the Uyghurs and a number of minority groups of a WHOLE CITY for the olympics? Or Chicago, how about south and west city being almost all latino or black. (but some of their clubs play bachata...yaaaay! ) While lincoln park is infested by rich white ignorant midwestern (from iowa, indiana, michigan, etc.) wrigleyville frat kids spoiled, but "culturally aware", who are "living it up" cause they go to a club in wrigleyville or viagra triangle that's not top 40. Which is funny cause here in chicago most places are top 40 or pop hip hop. HOw about D.C. - adams morgan, while diverse still has the same types of places littered with the same types of people. They're just better at hiding their real ignorance of what it truly means to be culturally aware.

Take a look at immigrant families in communities in the US. Most don't give a F about "cultural diversity" as you describe. Most of them just want opportunity to have a home and to make an honest living (like my immigrant parents). They like living close to each other for the comfort. They LOVE the US. They love to have food to eat and a car to drive (oh but driving is soooo overrated, right... -- its a freaking luxury!). I think if you travel more, you'll find some great truths, which it seems you've found - that there IS a different way of life than you've always known, and people around the world DO live differently. What I don't think you've found yet, is that no matter where you go, people are innately the same and have the same needs. This yuppie idea of "culture" you have is currently flawed. However, it's good though that you're aware of the world outside your own.

With that said, I would point out then that st. louis is indeed a very good city. It's cheap. It's easy to get around. You can find any type of ethnic groceries you need. You can get anything you want. You have enough choices of variety whatever you're into (although no to the extent of a chicago). It's great for people of different "cultures" as well. No its not a world class hong kong or nyc, (and god forbid only 2.9 million people ) but for the lower midwest and upper south it's definately an oasis.

To my understanding, st. louis has its own culture, it's own way of life, that's what I've discovered at least, and that's something to be proud of. Just as Beijing, chicago, nyc, denver have their own culture. Or wherever you go. But people in those places as well get tired of their own culture. (also beijing is MUCH larger than stl so why would you even compare boggles my mind).

I think the real problem is, what it all boils down to, is that according to you, and other people like you, it's not cool enough to say you're living in "st. louis". You want to say you're in beijing or nyc, because for some reason, saying that makes you believe that you're making something out of your life and gives you a sense of accomplishment. You want to be on the fast track. (i can talk about this for hours). I would say GO. Go do it. You'll love it at first, then after a few years, end up in the same boat as everyone there. Then you'll realize that life is about way more than "culture".

I happen to be mixed ethnically, JUST LIKE YOU. I used to have similar thoughts as you even living in Chicago, comparing constantly to New York, or other places, thinking things could be so much better if I lived there. But i realized, that my sensitivity to my own identity over-exaggerated situations where I thought I was being racially scrutinized. I used it as an excuse for everything. Look at what you wrote. "White people living in kentucky" "white person living in the bronx". Jeeeez, you're so hypocritical! YOU are a racist. You think, through your words, that race does define a person's actions. But aren't you supposed to preach the opposite?? COME ON. You not getting a job because you're mexican-black? Hmmm, are you 100% sure it's because of your race?

Now on an stl note:

Where in stl are you partying at? Hanging with ladue friends? I don't think you're going to the right places. I've been to some really cool places and met some cool people...and a handful of international parties. And the people there were actually friendly and fun - not snobby or your version of "culturally aware". I've been to the same kinds at nyc and here people were all douchebags (but also cool ones too). So a lot of times it depends where you hang out with and who.

Can't get a date...ohhhh then it MUST be cause youre black and mexican...or maybe cause you have low self-esteem and aren't very attractive?

Also, btw, Chicago doesn't have a lot of halfsies, in fact this whole nation doesn't, so don't be so sensitive. Be proud. And don't give into the 'life is unfair bug because i'm half and half' or ___ race. Some people at parties might think you're a novelty or exotic. Some "cultural experts" might sympathize with you. Some ignorant cops might be confused. But honestly deep inside, no one gives a f*ck.

I hope my words make some sense.

- Chitown f*cking Warrior

Upper South? You just don't know when to quit, do you? St. Louis is in no way, shape, or form, part of the Upper South AT ALL. It is a Midwestern city in every way, shape, and form...it has a few Southern influences, but nowhere near enough to be grouped in with Louisville or Nashville. Its closest twins are Cincinnati and Kansas City. It has some uniqueness to it, but so does every city. it is not unique for the reasons you are describing. Geographically it is centrally located...culturally it is definitely NOT. Other than that, you make very decent points.