Quote:
Originally Posted by dementor
Yup, mine too. The poor people of Chicago believe they are below New York because they are smaller, have less tall buildings etc etc not realizing that what puts them behind is their own mindset and mentality. Chicago may become a great city in about 100 years when it finally loses its rural and industrial legacy, when its population becomes truly urban.. Who knows...
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You're right. This is SOOO true one many levels in terms of mindset and mentality. But also keep in mind, that Chicago is world class and attracts people from many many parts of the world.
I will admit it is a cesspool of midwest transplants "living the high life" in the "big city" from places like Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana (
)...etc, and often which bring a close minded worldview and mindset. Where big state school white midwest frat boys, who have never lived in a different environment nor consider the fact that their "culture" is not the only one in the world, all move to chicago together in their big groups and NEVER leave their comfort zones and continue living as is, bringing with them their way of life from their cornfield towns. Really annoying if you ask me. (You will find these people Cub's games and wriggleyville and all over lincoln park)
HOWEVER, there is a LOT of culture at the same time and diversity in "mindset" and worldviews. There are tons and tons of street festivals and unique neighborhoods, theater options, the list goes on. It is truly worldclass, Dementor. But people need to stop talking about how many buildings there are...or how tall our buildings are, and how that makes us world class etc. So childish.
What other parts of the midwest have you been? My favorite are: Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, KC, the Ozarks in MO, Southern IL, UP Michigan, and of course all areas surrounding the Great lakes. I like Detroit as well, and the fact it's a border city with Canada is often overlooked. There's also some amazing sites along the Great River Roads of the Mississippi in IL/MO/IA.
I would side with many "coasters" to the aura of the region being boring. The main reason is the shear size of it. The cultural centers are so spread out with not much in between. Driving from CHI to Detroit...CHI to STL... or most cities is flat farmland. And cities are literally oases. Not being by coasts (lakes dont count...sorry) affects the mindset that communicates life beyond how you have always known it. Outside major cities, and by that I would only include chi, min, det, stl, cin, cle, kc...maybe mil, exposure to the outside world is simply through TV.
Geography speaking...there are spurts of diverse and pretty terrain. MO, MI, and WI in my opinion have the best terrain. MO is simply fantastic and does not fall into the category of "flat" farmland and is scattered with orchards, vineyards, various crops like cotton in the southeast, corn...but mainly forested foothills in the southern half (I think MO and MI are our most geographically diverse states in the region...from experience). But then again, we're talking about small spurts of the midwest...where on the coasts, beautiful terrain is EVERYWHERE. In the midwest, here we are trying to find beautiful places, finding 6 and then saying..."see we ARE beautiful look at these 6 places" (which are scattered all over)...
Something to think about though...without the midwest, you would all be starving.
Hope that makes sense...
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