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Not everyone in DC is playing on an even field in the "where are you from" game. I moved to DC in 1979 via NYC from rural South Carolina. People would actually sometimes chuckle or lol when I would say where I was from. And then they would turn around and introduce me to other people as being from North Carolina.
After a while that grew old because, while I had never lived in Columbia, it was my family's go-to city when I was growing up, and on my visits home I would go out in Columbia and hang around and soon found out DC residents had no reason laugh about Columbia where social attitudes, the arts - and dare I say a skyline - were concerned.
In January 1984, I moved to Columbia where I've been since. It's amazing to me every day how many blacks and whites, including apparent and obvious couples, I see together in this city. The Latino community appears to segregate themselves a little more here, but the days of the land of cotton are long gone with the wind. And some members of city council thus far have done a decent job of preventing reckless gentrification. Here, everyone has a seat at the table and everyone has a voice.
Personally, I learned to "hate on DC" insofar as I hated on it because it always felt like a place where people sat around comparing where they were from and talking about going back. I left and did come back, and never looked back. That's not to say I would never move back to DC. It might be fun after 30 years, low-slung skyline and all.
Incidentally, when I have been in NYC the natives have eaten up the fact I'm from South Carolina. They love to talk to southerners and think we're sweet with something to offer in conversation, including an accent, although they were somewhat disappointed with mine, or with the lack thereof.
I, myself, being the product of an interracial marriage as a mixed person from the Bay Area, I am always saddened by the deep segregation and learned racism that is the norm in DC. Where I'm from, the ghetto is often the most racially diverse and inclusive area of the entire metro area. In the lower middle class and working class areas of Oakland, San Francisco, Vallejo etc. blacks, Asians, latinos treat each other like family and the issue of race never comes up. But I know Northern California is a national anomaly in this regard.
But I am not a recent transplant having lived here since the 90's. What I do like about DC is that people mind their own business for the most part.
But there are too many creepy soulless Patrick Bateman closet serial killer looking types, ugly plain Jane women of all races who think they are better than everyone and hateful ghetto black people who loathe anyone who is from out of town as well as a strong but silent enforcement of same race solidarity and rejection of interracial relationships of any kind combined with a sterile gentrified pampered extremely shallow selfish materialistic yuppie culture that turns me off about the District.
Personally I love DC overall. I moved here in March 2012 and I know a lot of people are going to say I'm too new to the area and I'm still in my honeymoon phase with the city, First the positives:
1) Architecture: You have to admit that this is a gorgeous city with some amazing buildings. Every time I walk around the city I realize how lucky I am to live here.
2) Things to do: There is something to do every day of the week all year round. Whether it be museums, happy hours, social events, or the like you can find something to do all the time.
3) Weather: As a guy who grew up in MA I enjoy the mild winters in DC.
4) People: There are people from all over the world who live in DC which I think is great. Plus, it is a highly educated population which I think is a huge benefit.
Now the negatives:
1) People: Yes I also put this as a positive. I do find the people in DC to be cookie cutter for the most part. They tend to keep to themselves, don't have very good manners a lot of the times, and their job and education really define them. Plus, if you're looking for a relationship in this city it can be a nightmare. Dating is easy but finding someone who wants to settle down isn't. Oh and fashion is pretty non-existant here.
I would have to say you are spot on and being here for 5 months have made the same observations.. I would also add that the businesses also have a cookie cutter approach - "if it ain't broke" - such as restaurants, clothing stores, etc.
Spike Lee talks about gentrification in NYC and other cities like "Chocolate City DC". He also shares his personal experiences with people moving into Brooklyn and disreputing the traditional culture there.
^ hills with plenty billy boys running the fed and surrounding locales. at least it's hillbilly to me, even down to the way people talk there. it's weird. it reminds me more of well-suited appalachia than the east coast. besides, the ocean begins all the way down in virginia beach, virginia but the potomac river has to feed into the chesapeake bay before that, so the coast is hours away, even if you prefer ocean city, maryland. i don't know, it's just different, but it is still the nation's capital no doubt. besides that, dc still gets respect and will always have prestige regardless of my impression of the town.
I had a new thought on this a few weeks ago. I'm 30, and I'm on my 3rd stint in DC. It's been 4 years since my last move here, and cumulatively, I've spent about 7 years here. I still love DC, but I feel like over last few years, I've entered a weird middle ground here. DC is no longer new and exciting for me. If something is interesting in the area, chances are I've "been there-done that" a few times by now. But it's not quite "home." Whenever I go back to the boring NJ suburb I'm from, I feel like I'm "home." Even though there's much less of interest there, there is more that feels personal and intimate.
Don't get me wrong; I love it here. But I can't be the only one who feels caught in the middle. I'm wondering if maybe this is a reason so many people hate on this city. After a while, it's strange (and even a little boring) being neither a native nor a newcomer.
Last edited by OrangemanGary; 10-04-2013 at 10:18 AM..
Reason: Spelling
1. news reporters
2. politicians and their staff who act like Lords & Ladies
3. presidential motorcades
4. crime
5. city government corruption
6. too many lawyers!
7. huge difference between rich and poor
8. politicians who live in DC longer than the state they were elected to represent
9. with so much security ( FBI, CIA, Secret Service, NSA, etc), you'd think there would be less crime
10. and too many lawyers (some things deserve repeating)!
I personally hate DC. It seemed to me that people loved it and I thought it was a decent place. No. Why you ask?
--cost of living. $2000 a month for a 400 sq ft STUDIO apartment. Where I'm from, I had a one bedroom apartment almost 700 sq ft for under $600. People do not care about the worth of money here.
--driving. People here don't care about their lives, much less anyone else's on the road. Every single day, I can count on seeing a car accident. On top of that, the police here is a JOKE. I've seen so many people run red lights, drive over 80 mph and break other laws on the road ALL the time.
--the people. The people here are rude, snobby and extremely selfish. They also tend to be compulsive liars. Washington D.C. is least honest city in America, study says
This goes for DC and Maryland. Though Maryland is a DUMP, thats a different story for a different thread.
Those three reasons are enough to make someone hate DC and I swear if I didn't have to work here, I would be back home.
Last edited by Midwest_Madame; 10-05-2013 at 09:37 AM..
Overall, I like DC as a city. A city like NYC isn't for me since I have a hard time dealing with rude people and appreciate a slower pace of life and a less crowded city. As someone who doesn't party into the wee hours of the morning and doesn't need to order takeout at 4 AM I would take DC over NYC any time because it's better suited to my personality.
You're going to find nice and rude people everywhere. I've made a lot of acquaintances in DC but not friends. I think forging true friendships in this city is tough since everyone runs is so many different circles, are self absorbed, and prefer to keep any arms length from people because they don't plan on sticking around for the long haul. A lot of people in DC are just wired this way it seems.
I personally hate DC. It seemed to me that people loved it and I thought it was a decent place. No. Why you ask?
--cost of living. $2000 a month for a 400 sq ft STUDIO apartment. Where I'm from, I had a one bedroom apartment almost 700 sq ft for under $600. People do not care about the worth of money here.
--driving. People here don't care about their lives, much less anyone else's on the road. Every single day, I can count on seeing a car accident. On top of that, the police here is a JOKE. I've seen so many people run red lights, drive over 80 mph and break other laws on the road ALL the time.
--the people. The people here are rude, snobby and extremely selfish. They also tend to be compulsive liars. Washington D.C. is least honest city in America, study says
This goes for DC and Maryland. Though Maryland is a DUMP, thats a different story for a different thread.
Those three reasons are enough to make someone hate DC and I swear if I didn't have to work here, I would be back home.
Horrible generalizations
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