What do you think about the midwest? (employment, schools)

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by hipcat

Tell me if Kansas, Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois(south of Chicago), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio are cosmopolitan states. I've been to the midwest, and it's the most boring part of the country. Even rural areas of the South has its own charm about them. Most of the Midwest is plain old White Bread for a lack of a better word.

When you start excluding parts of states it makes your argument look bad.

[NowInWI]

People who think they're sophisticated and worldly, are showing quite the opposite by their comments. Talk about provincial....what they think of people in the Midwest, they themselves fit that description - to a T.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Not good: Rust, dying small towns, no mountains or oceans, weather-weary structures, segregated cities

Good: Thunderstorms, urban renewal, down-to-earth friendliness, prairies, the Great Lakes

These can attributed to the Northeast and Northwest if you rearrange some things.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by NowInWI

People who think they're sophisticated and worldly, are showing quite the opposite by their comments. Talk about provincial....what they think of people in the Midwest, they themselves fit that description - to a T.

Where im from, Upstate NY, is a mixture of Northeast/Midwest.

I never really understood any bias against the Midwest considering the smartest people ive ever met were from there. Largely. Very like-minded, at least to me. Provincial, blue collar, etc. Cities in the Midwest are no different than the Northeast, and ive always viewed both regions as just "The North."

You find boring people everywhere.

I was on a flight to Seattle once and everyone looked like Rivers Cuomo. Cosmopolitan indeed.

[NowInWI]

Originally Posted by hipcat

Tell me if Kansas, Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois(south of Chicago), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio are cosmopolitan states. I've been to the midwest, and it's the most boring part of the country. Even rural areas of the South has its own charm about them. Most of the Midwest is plain old White Bread for a lack of a better word.

Your lack of sophistication is glaring. You sterotype, and demean in one paragraph. A closed mind is a small mind.

[thefallensrvnge]

The Midwest actually has mountains, The Black Hills. There is a little known sculpture there called Mt. Rushmore...

We also have one of the best beaches in the country, The Sleeping Bear Dunes. You've just got to pick the right season to go. Though to a large portion of people, I feel I'm probably wasting my breath.

[michigan83]

There are a lot of threads about the Midwest on City Data.

But this one has by far the most ignorance I've seen yet.

[NowInWI]

Originally Posted by gosling

I am curious to know what people in other parts of the U.S. and in other countries think of this area. What stereotypes (good or bad) come to mind? Do you see the area as desirable? I define the midwest as states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.

Curious, gosling, what are your thoughts? What is your reason for creating this thread - moving to the Midwest, vacationing in the Midwest? It's always interesting when a thread like this is started, and then the OP hides.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by iNviNciBL3

I like the great plains states, true America, patriotic, historic small towns on the river, corn mazes, not as much democrat as upper midwest.

Uhhh, Northeast has the same thing, especially New England. Minus the corn, but theres NY and PA for that.

Soo?

Only difference to me is New England is more smug. Midwest/Upper Plains more down to earth and real. Both places are full of smart and educated types, and ill include the Northwest.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by NowInWI

People who think they're sophisticated and worldly, are showing quite the opposite by their comments. Talk about provincial....what they think of people in the Midwest, they themselves fit that description - to a T.

I kinda like those comments though - they actually make me happy I grew up in the Midwest and have a solid, grounded and uplifting view of life. For the most part the Midwest has a pretty high standard of living, low costs, good schools and people are quite happy and content. Most Midwesterners just laugh at all the crazy things said about them by people on the coasts who have extremely off ideas of what life is like in other areas of the country....while they're not exactly living "the dream" in their little piece of paradise. I grew up in Iowa and heard it all as far as what "Iowans" are like and what it must be like to live there. We loved all the crazy comments and it made it more of an identity to be living in what people assume must be boring. I had an absolute blast growing up there, and it's crazy what awesome houses you can get for so little, while still making a decent amount of money. Let everyone think what they want.

Des Moines, Iowa of all places came out at #1 in the country when you match the average salary with the average cost of living. I know people in their 20's who work downtown and have amazing 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom houses that they got for $300K. I about puked when I visited. Then they have money for cars, traveling the world, etc.