What is it about Oak Park ... ? (Chicago, Evanston: how much, buyers, new construction)

[chet everett]

Three posts is a row...

[chitownperson]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Three posts is a row...

Addressing three other specific post. I prefer to address specific posts as oppose to make vast generalizations, which tend to be agenda driven.

[chet everett]

... I often wondered how some grown ups were so good in determining which kids faked a parent's signature or turned in copied work as their own. When I became a teacher I quickly learned that the majority of children are very unskilled at concealing their guilt. 99 times out of 100 the kid that tries hardest to fabricate a story is the perpetrator ...

[BigLake]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

again this is kinda like saying phoenix and houston would be dystopic desert nightmares, only kept in check due to air conditioning. Or nyc would be a dystopic grid-locked nightmare without a functioning mass transit system. Hawaii would probably be a dystopic resource-starved island without modern shipping and supply chain management.

What i see is evidence of sloppy, lazy thinking.

+1

[chitownperson]

Originally Posted by chet everett

... I often wondered how some grown ups were so good in determining which kids faked a parent's signature or turned in copied work as their own. When I became a teacher I quickly learned that the majority of children are very unskilled at concealing their guilt. 99 times out of 100 the kid that tries hardest to fabricate a story is the perpetrator ...

Well, it's not hard to see through the "fabricator"... Especially when one has more specific knowledge and experience. It's also not hard to see the difference between a person that "tries the hardest to fabricate" and another who explains details in depth that are necessary for wider understanding.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by chitownperson

Well, it's not hard to see through the "fabricator"... Especially when one has more specific knowledge and experience. It's also not hard to see the difference between a person that "tries the hardest to fabricate" and another who explains details in depth that are necessary for wider understanding.

I thought all the hard work I put into presenting a balanced view of a wide of suburbs and neighborhoods of Chicago went unnoticed but it is good to know that others appreciate the extensive efforts It takes to post the complete story, well documented with links to a variety of sources that illustrate the complete picture instead of selectively posting only lightweight fluff designed to paint one town as the only place worth living in.

[chitownperson]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I thought all the hard work I put into presenting a balanced view of a wide of suburbs and neighborhoods of Chicago went unnoticed but it is good to know that others appreciate the extensive efforts It takes to post the complete story, well documented with links to a variety of sources that illustrate the complete picture instead of selectively posting only lightweight fluff designed to paint one town as the only place worth living in.

I sure there is some knowledge of some places, but throwing in a few quickly googled pieces of data, without analysis of a certain specific town that's grown out of substantial lived experience, and then over exaggerating negatives to fulfill some kind of tirade, is far from what I'd call "presenting a balanced view".

In the majority of your posts about Oak Park you go to great lengths to "paint" it in a negative light, based on limited personal experience... Complete story? Balanced view? From one perspective I suppose.

[urza216]

I've never gotten the impression at all that Chet has "limited personal experience" with Oak Park. However, ChiTownPerson, you DO like to paint the picture that Oak Park is the only good choice for a Chicago suburb - or even the only good place to move to in Chicago. Or at least you perpetuate the idea that Oak Park complet and totally blows all other options out of the water. And I think that's BS.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by urza216

I've never gotten the impression at all that Chet has "limited personal experience" with Oak Park. However, ChiTownPerson, you DO like to paint the picture that Oak Park is the only good choice for a Chicago suburb - or even the only good place to move to in Chicago. Or at least you perpetuate the idea that Oak Park complet and totally blows all other options out of the water. And I think that's BS.

I frequently attend events in Oak Park, especially those related to Frank Lloyd Wright. I have friends that live in Oak Park as well as surrounding towns like River Forest that share some schools with Oak Park and towns like Forest Park. The characterizations that other have shared, positive or otherwise, are genereally borne out -- those who deny such things are out numbered even on these boards where "neo urbanists", hipsters, and others far removed from the mainstream are over represented...

Through decades of economic shifts that have seen the fortunes of some towns like Berwyn buoyed and that of others flounder so too has Oak Park seem some upticks and downturns. Those who either weren't around to see the folly of "big government solutions" like the ridiculously futile "pedestrian mall" or mindlessly supported the "professional planners" suggestions crafted in ivory towers while "average joes" saw the silliness such things perhaps have a different persepective on how unique Oak Park is...

[chitownperson]

Originally Posted by urza216

I've never gotten the impression at all that Chet has "limited personal experience" with Oak Park. However, ChiTownPerson, you DO like to paint the picture that Oak Park is the only good choice for a Chicago suburb - or even the only good place to move to in Chicago. Or at least you perpetuate the idea that Oak Park complet and totally blows all other options out of the water. And I think that's BS.

Chets sold a few homes here, and he has some friends here, and attends FLW... that's fine, but I would not say that allows him the ins and outs of what life in Oak Park is like, just a general over view. He seems to be more familiar with north west Oak Park than any other part. But he's made countless over exaggerations regarding the quality of education and level of safety (amongst some others) here. I constantly counter these exaggerations because I live here and I know them to be vast generalizations and largely distortions of the truth. Considering this, I can only come to one of two conclusions; he either has limited experience and knowledge of the place, or is deliberately trying to paint the village (and it's residents on occasions) in a particular way. Anyone can search topics about Oak Park, and can see that the majority of his posts paint Oak Park in a negative light. Have you ever noticed that when ever anyone has anything critical to say about his beloved Hinsdale, they'll receive as flow of condescending defensiveness? THAT'S BS!

Yes, I'll admit that I'm an obvious fan of Oak Park, I wouldn't have moved here if I wasn't. I have suggested other towns on occasions, but if I don't do it more so than Oak Park, it's because I know Oak Park a whole lot more than many other towns ("know" meaning I've lived here enough to know). I've also never said that Oak Park is the "only" good choice for a suburb, and have noted that it will fit with particular people, and that it's not for everyone (just like every other place). If some of my Oak Park posts focus on the positives, it's because they typically follow and counter Chet's misrepresentations. I mention Oak Park when I think a poster would have interest in it, which is why I post predominantly in topics concerning Oak Park, which is also why it may come across that I present it as the only option, which I obviously don't believe it to be. But what I don't do is try to be a pseudo expert on every town under the sun, especially one's I've never lived in. I'm well aware of the pros and cons of Oak Park, as you tend to get very well acquainted with the place you live (as I know every town has them), and I've mentioned both on occasions. I'm fine with having an open talk about both aspects of the town, but I'm not going to stand by when encountering misrepresentations.

If you view the many other never ending past topics on Oak Park, you'll see many more than myself (many of whom are actual residents also), countering much of the misrepresentations posted. I don't have to imagine that many of these posters have grown tired and bored to this activity.