Inferiority Complex (St. Louis, St. Charles, Ozark: job market, neighborhoods, theater)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I've noticed quite a bit of negativity from St. Louisans. Nothing is ever good enough. Most St. Louisans can apparently find very few good things to say about their city.

Yes, St. Louis has problems. But St. Louisans have such an inferiority complex about where they live. The city has many great things: baseball, hockey, Art Museum, The Zoo, Forest Park, historic buildings, more museums, theaters, great restaurants, fantastic neighborhoods. Yes, it has issues with public transit funding, crime, schools, and bickering between St. Louis city, St. Louis County, and St. Charles county. But I really don't think it's a horrible place to live. But St. Louis (City especially) is never as good as (insert place here) in the minds of many St. Louisans.

St. Louis is not Chicago. St. Louis is not any other city. It's St. Louis. Do your best to improve it, but don't be so negative. If someone asks, you don't need to sugarcoat St. Louis' problems. But how about telling people about the good things about St. Louis? The city (and the metro) will never grow if we only highlight its problems. Every city has problems. But if you ask someone from most other cities, they'll probably start off with good things about it. You don't have to lie about St. Louis' problems. But there are great things about this city that so many residents just don't see or appreciate.

I just don't understand the inferiority complex St. Louisans have. It has problems, but there are so many good things about St. Louis. Be proud of it. Promote it. And if you're that upset about its problems, surely there's something you can do about it. There's plenty of volunteer groups around St. Louis that I'm sure what love to have help. And volunteering is rewarding for the volunteer also.

Sorry I know this thread was random. Is just don't get this inferiority complex St. Louisans seem to have.

[Huckleberry3911948]

i hear you. technically speaking cities dont have complexes, but i get your point.
often times people feel inferior because they are.
their anger is directed against those that have pointed it out.
most of us fall into this catagory,
when you get some peace about it they call it an ugly word
h u m i l i t y

[oscottscotto]

Speaking for myself, I think I am pretty fair and balanced in my critiques of STL.

I know I am using a phrase that Fox News had destroyed .

[OA 5599]

I'm looking forward to moving from a self-obsessed city to a self-loathing city

Joking, of course. I've visited STL many times and known a good deal of St. Louisians (though mostly from the 'burbs) and have never noticed much of an inferiority complex. Most of the people from the 'burbs I knew seemed to be ambivalent about it, rather than loving or hating it. Austin has a bit too much civic pride for my tastes (the negative aspects of the city are all but ignored by some), so I hope St. Louis is a little more grounded and objective about its pros and cons. The fact that the job market for my field is much better in St. Louis than here, and housing is cheaper to boot, is a huge pro for St. Louis in my book. Along with lots of great history, cool old buildings, relatively light traffic, and close proximity to the Ozarks, of course. It will take some time to get used to smoking in bars and restaurants again (one thing I don't miss about MO), but I do plan to get involved in the city, volunteer, and hopefully help make it a better place.

[arch_genesis]

I don't think St. Louis has an inferiority complex I think its just complacent and indifferent, shortsighted, unmotivated. I think w/ 91 different municipalities we're too busy warring with eachother to look at St. Louis as a whole. I think what seems like an inferiority complex is just various regions shifting blame. "Ehhh yeah its nice but the city is dangerous" or vice versa. But yeah, no we're definitely f*cked up.

[MoNative34]

You have never lived there before.... And you want to be critical of the people that do live there or have lived there?

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

I've noticed quite a bit of negativity from St. Louisans. Nothing is ever good enough. Most St. Louisans can apparently find very few good things to say about their city.

Yes, St. Louis has problems. But St. Louisans have such an inferiority complex about where they live. The city has many great things: baseball, hockey, Art Museum, The Zoo, Forest Park, historic buildings, more museums, theaters, great restaurants, fantastic neighborhoods. Yes, it has issues with public transit funding, crime, schools, and bickering between St. Louis city, St. Louis County, and St. Charles county. But I really don't think it's a horrible place to live. But St. Louis (City especially) is never as good as (insert place here) in the minds of many St. Louisans.

St. Louis is not Chicago. St. Louis is not any other city. It's St. Louis. Do your best to improve it, but don't be so negative. If someone asks, you don't need to sugarcoat St. Louis' problems. But how about telling people about the good things about St. Louis? The city (and the metro) will never grow if we only highlight its problems. Every city has problems. But if you ask someone from most other cities, they'll probably start off with good things about it. You don't have to lie about St. Louis' problems. But there are great things about this city that so many residents just don't see or appreciate.

I just don't understand the inferiority complex St. Louisans have. It has problems, but there are so many good things about St. Louis. Be proud of it. Promote it. And if you're that upset about its problems, surely there's something you can do about it. There's plenty of volunteer groups around St. Louis that I'm sure what love to have help. And volunteering is rewarding for the volunteer also.

Sorry I know this thread was random. Is just don't get this inferiority complex St. Louisans seem to have.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I'm not trying to be critical. I'm asking people to be positive about their city. I see so much negativity on these and other boards, and from St. Louisans. I'm saying St. Louisans should be proud of their city, and not so quick to start pointing out all of its faults.

[STL4eva]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

I'm not trying to be critical. I'm asking people to be positive about their city. I see so much negativity on these and other boards, and from St. Louisans. I'm saying St. Louisans should be proud of their city, and not so quick to start pointing out all of its faults.

I agree - so here's a good start - spread this around:

Smoke-Free St. Louis City

Let's get STL up to par with the rest of the great cities in this country, and allow the healthy patrons to have a nice time at a bar/restaurant and leave without smelling like sh*t.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

I've noticed quite a bit of negativity from St. Louisans. Nothing is ever good enough. Most St. Louisans can apparently find very few good things to say about their city.

Yes, St. Louis has problems. But St. Louisans have such an inferiority complex about where they live. The city has many great things: baseball, hockey, Art Museum, The Zoo, Forest Park, historic buildings, more museums, theaters, great restaurants, fantastic neighborhoods. Yes, it has issues with public transit funding, crime, schools, and bickering between St. Louis city, St. Louis County, and St. Charles county. But I really don't think it's a horrible place to live. But St. Louis (City especially) is never as good as (insert place here) in the minds of many St. Louisans.

St. Louis is not Chicago. St. Louis is not any other city. It's St. Louis. Do your best to improve it, but don't be so negative. If someone asks, you don't need to sugarcoat St. Louis' problems. But how about telling people about the good things about St. Louis? The city (and the metro) will never grow if we only highlight its problems. Every city has problems. But if you ask someone from most other cities, they'll probably start off with good things about it. You don't have to lie about St. Louis' problems. But there are great things about this city that so many residents just don't see or appreciate.

I just don't understand the inferiority complex St. Louisans have. It has problems, but there are so many good things about St. Louis. Be proud of it. Promote it. And if you're that upset about its problems, surely there's something you can do about it. There's plenty of volunteer groups around St. Louis that I'm sure what love to have help. And volunteering is rewarding for the volunteer also.

Sorry I know this thread was random. Is just don't get this inferiority complex St. Louisans seem to have.

This is any city USA. I have yet to live in any place that hasn't had this "inferiority complex" in some aspect of its population's viewpoints.

[hhillstl]

Originally Posted by Fishtacos

This is any city USA. I have yet to live in any place that hasn't had this "inferiority complex" in some aspect of its population's viewpoints.

I agree. I think it's just part of the human tendency towards "the grass is greener on the other side." A few months ago I was on an airplane flying back to STL from Dallas, and the two people sitting next to me were discussing St. Louis (one was from Dallas, the other from St. Louis). The woman from Dallas was asking the St. Louisan how she liked living here, and the St. Louisan responded by saying that it's an awful place to live, there's nothing to do, and that the weather is always absolutely awful with only about 5 truly nice days per year (keep in mind this was mid-March, and though barely out of winter we had already had at least 5 "truly nice" days). At first I was offended, being a proud resident of this city, but then I thought about it further and realized that her comments, while unfortunate, did not really reflect on St. Louis as much as they reflected on herself. Some people will not be happy, and it doesn't make any difference where they live.

Thankfully, most of the people that I choose to associate with, whether they be city or county folk, will sooner list all the wonderful things about St. Louis than its faults. People in the other camp are generally not the kind of people that I'd want to spend time with anyway.