Is Chicago boring? (Naperville, Joliet, Oak Lawn: cliquey, school, living)

[stephei2000]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

You're acting as if Chicago is suppose to stop and conform to you. Chicago is Chicago, if it's not what you're looking for then it's not what you're looking for. That's no fault of Chicago.

Yes, I have learned. The next place I go to. I will have more realistic expectations and realize everyplace has plus and minus. When I moved here and visited I was 24/25 so I was young and naive. I thought all of sudden if I moved to Chicago everything would be exciting and fun especially compared to Detroit. I guess I was looking at Chicago like as a dreamworld. When you look at anything like this, you will be disappointed.

In Detroit, Chicago is looked at as the promise land. Just go to City Data Detroit people talk about Chicago as much as Detroit.
I looked at Detroit as doom and gloom just like everyone else does thought Chicago would save me from a sad miserable "Detroit life".

But now I have realized Detroit is not that bad and their are pluses too believe it or not! I learned that Chicago is what it is, there is a lot to do but the environment is not for me. I guess I feel trapped because I do not just pick up and move. I plan everything carefully. My sinus condition has effect my quality of life because certain environments especially dry tend to make me sick. I have lost or left a lot of jobs because sometimes you can not control your environment outside of your home.

This puts a burden and I feel like that I will not make the money to make to go somewhere else at times. A lot of my frustration has came through this so this probably what people are hearing. However, I have made it this far and I will figure it out.

[Chicago South Sider]

I've been pretty bored lately so Chicago must be boring.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by stephei2000
What I meant is that Chicagans might acknowledge different black cultures but only whites act like they are better and spend time putting down blacks on the south side

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

What a joke. You have exposed yourself.

There's actually a lot of truth to that statement.

[css9450]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

In Detroit, Chicago is looked at as the promise land. Just go to City Data Detroit people talk about Chicago as much as Detroit.

They do? I have not noticed that, and I check that section every day.

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by Chicago South Sider

Originally Posted by stephei2000
What I meant is that Chicagans might acknowledge different black cultures but only whites act like they are better and spend time putting down blacks on the south side


There's actually a lot of truth to that statement.

I think many north side whites just ignore the existence of the rough or minority sections of Chicago altogether, but I don't think I have ever heard a north sider make race specific insults. At the same time they pretty much look at many areas of Chicago as no-go zones. Out of sight out of mind I guess?

The only outright racist comments I have heard while living in Chicago have been from south side whites. Probably from people whose families have roots in south side neighborhoods that flipped from being white to black. I should say that these comments have been rare and I'm not trying to pick on south siders. Generally, out of the Chicago natives I have meant, I find south siders to be more personable than north siders.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Yes, I have learned. The next place I go to. I will have more realistic expectations and realize everyplace has plus and minus. When I moved here and visited I was 24/25 so I was young and naive. I thought all of sudden if I moved to Chicago everything would be exciting and fun especially compared to Detroit. I guess I was looking at Chicago like as a dreamworld. When you look at anything like this, you will be disappointed.

In Detroit, Chicago is looked at as the promise land. Just go to City Data Detroit people talk about Chicago as much as Detroit.
I looked at Detroit as doom and gloom just like everyone else does thought Chicago would save me from a sad miserable "Detroit life".But now I have realized Detroit is not that bad and their are pluses too believe it or not! I learned that Chicago is what it is, there is a lot to do but the environment is not for me. I guess I feel trapped because I do not just pick up and move. I plan everything carefully. My sinus condition has effect my quality of life because certain environments especially dry tend to make me sick. I have lost or left a lot of jobs because sometimes you can not control your environment outside of your home.

This puts a burden and I feel like that I will not make the money to make to go somewhere else at times. A lot of my frustration has came through this so this probably what people are hearing. However, I have made it this far and I will figure it out.

Honestly, I think that when you consider everything OUTSIDE the city limits but within a 60 mile radius. METRO Detroit is not that bad. While the cities themselves maybe in entirely different leagues, what is offered outside the cities, yet within that 60 mile radius, outside Detroit has as much, if not more to offer.

Where in the US do you have access to experience a whole other country. A country similar to our own, but with it own way of doing things. (Canada, true Windsor is nothing super special, but it is a truly internation glimpse of another country, one which can learn things from.

While Detroit does not have quite the international culture that Chicago does, there are ethnic enclaves, and has hands downs the largest middle eastern population/enclave in the country centered on Dearborn. Speaking of Dearborn: the Henry Ford/Greenfield Village is a one of a kind. Lots of foreign tourists there too. The closest Chicagoland has is: I guess Museus of Science and industry has exhibits that are a bit similar to the Henry Ford somewhat, and the Naper Settlement in Naperville is a smaller version of Greenfield.

Ann Arbor is an obvious one. Probably the second most prestigious university in the nation, attracting students from around the coutnry and world. Ann Arbor and Detroit need to work together and see themselves as one region.

Royal Oak and Birmingham are very vibrant suburban towns, probably with more of a young adult crowd than even Oak Park, Evanston, and Naperville (Chicagolands best suburban downtowns). Of course this is largely due to the fact that most suburban Detroiters have given up on the city, and created their own hot spots in the suburbs.

Even the city itself of Detroit has some world class cultural attractions. The Detroit institute of Arts is probably the second best art museum in the midwest. Unfortunately people have to driving through blighted areas to get to it. So that etches in peoples minds.

Bottom line is that if you like truly urban environments, then yes, downtown Chicago and the north lakefront is of the very few places in the countries that offer this. However if you don't mind driving and exploring, you will find that SE Michigan as a region has more going for it, and more potential than you think.

Sorry if this is off topic.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Move to California then. I find it hilarious someone from Detroit can be so critical of a city that makes Detroit look like a joke. But then again, Detroit is a joke without comparing it to any other city.

All she is saying is that vast swaths of the city and suburbs are really not much different from what you see and experience in metro Detroit thats all.

If a slice of New Yorks financial district and a slice of its amazing cultural attractions were suddenly airlifted and plunked down into downtown Detroit. Then yes, over time because of its unique urban landscape and career opportunities would attract enough people to the point where a third of the city would become gentrified and vibrant.

And soon people would forget the other two-thirds because the could drive down Woodward and forget that the res of Detroit is still bad, and people in working class and middle class suburbs of Waren, Sterling Hts, Livonia, Taylor, etc. that look like anywhere America who previously hated Detroit and were desparate to move somewhere else, would soon start thinking that they are suddenly cool and their communities are hot real estate now that their city is now world class. See where I am going with this?

This is essentially what Chicago is.

Thats great that you support Chicago and proud of it, but seriously most of the population of Chicago have little to do with what makes it world class. Although Chicago always had the diversified economy that Detroit didn't, what makes it special now, is that the Daley the first, had all the building and development projects done in the 60s to prepare Chicago for the future, so when living in cities became cool again starting in the 90s, young aspiring professionals would come flocking. But again, don't think that has much to do with most native Chicagoans. Working class Chicago culture is not that much different from working class culture in cities in Ohio and Michigan but with more swagger, knowing that there city is world class.

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Honestly, I think that when you consider everything OUTSIDE the city limits but within a 60 mile radius. METRO Detroit is not that bad. While the cities themselves maybe in entirely different leagues, what is offered outside the cities, yet within that 60 mile radius, outside Detroit has as much, if not more to offer.

Metro Detroit with more to offer than Chicagoland?

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Chicago South Sider

Metro Detroit with more to offer than Chicagoland?

I said OUTSIDE the respective cities. In the region surrounding the cities.

The suburbs and small cities OUTSIDE Detroit have as much if not more things to do and see than the suburbs and small cities outside Chicago.

I already the cities themselves there is no comparison. But once, you look at the whole region (within a 40 mile radius of both cities) the differences between what there is to see and do in both metro areas is narrower).

[Chicago South Sider]

Originally Posted by 5Lakes

I think many north side whites just ignore the existence of the rough or minority sections of Chicago altogether, but I don't think I have ever heard a north sider make race specific insults. At the same time they pretty much look at many areas of Chicago as no-go zones. Out of sight out of mind I guess?

Really? You must not get out much. Chicago is a very racially-charged city, one of the worst I've ever seen.