Why does the Midwest get so much hate? (tax rates, live)

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by fezzador

I don't think the Midwest is "hated" per se, but it is certainly ignored. It doesn't have the mild winters that some Western and Southern states have, it doesn't have real mountains or beaches (sorry, but the Great Lakes don't count), and outside of Chicago, doesn't have any truly world-class cities (MSP, Indy, KC etc are nice but just not on the same level).

On the flipside, it's home to some of the most educated and down-to-earth folks you'd ever meet, even folks from small towns can be surprisingly worldly. It also has a fairly stable economy, the job market (outside of pockets in the Rust Belt) is about as good as one can hope for, and offers the best bang for your buck in the country.

It's not for everyone, but don't let the dogging get to you. In fact, you may find that a lot of the biggest detractors of the Midwest are Midwesterners, themselves.

Agree with most of your post however, most people who poo poo the midwest are those who came
from other areas and miss what they were used to there.
The Great Lakes is the largest body of fresh water on earth created during the last Ice Age. When
the ice expanded and retreated it leveled the land (thus flat). A family member came to see me a few
years ago from California and when she saw Lake Michigan, she thought it was an ocean.
Personally, I love the midwest and the four seasons. There is so much beauty in the midwest
and one is upon us -autumn.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

how do you know?

I know because I love the ocean, the sea, gulf, bay. A year without salty water is almost a year without sunshine.

[UKWildcat1981]

Not a big fan of the Midwest in general but I do like Minnesota and Wisconsin people they are super friendly and can really party. Since I am part Swedish I love that upper midwest Swedish culture aka Minnesota Nice. Not a big fan of Michigan and Ohio. I love Chicago its a great city with an amazing nightlife and the best skyline. Midwest like the South is a vast region so with so many different sub cultures that it can't be fairly labeled. Have a blessed day y'all. -RL

[baileyvpotter]

For those who despise and hate the midwest, I wonder what areas you are talking about. There are
several states that make up the "midwest." I found the people of Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky,
Illinois (even outside Chicago) Indiana, Ohio and Missouri to be very nice. Many areas in the Rust Belt
are coming back and doing well and some are not. Just wait til water becomes a problem and the coastal areas shrink.....that negative term may change from rust to burst/bustling.

Printable maps of the Midwest (United States)

America's Top Young Adult Workforces: A Rust Belt Rebirth?*|*Richey Piiparinen

[ram2]

Originally Posted by cheese plate

Totally true - even locals dread long flat treeless runs on interstates through OH/IN/IL/IA, and further - these are the least scenic states in the Midwest overall, even if they do have much more beautiful features in regions outside the interstate (especially Iowa).

Sounds like you have never driven on I-77 in Ohio.

[Dport7674]

Originally Posted by TheBeagleLady

To judge an entire state by what one sees from the interstate is just stupid.

Lots of things are stupid..It's stupid to think that people aren't going to judge the entire region based on the I-80 drive. If that's their only Midwest experience, of course their going to base their opinion on what they saw from the interstate.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by mjlo

I think that's a malfunction of Californians in general. A couple of years ago I was in San Diego at a Chargers game with some friends who lived there. I was living in Michigan at the time. One person asked me "if I had ever been to a stadium that big". Another one wondered if we had Aeropostale locations in MI. Which to this day I never figured out what in someones thought process prompted that question. I can only assume they figured we might not be relevant enough to have mid to lower echelon clothing chains there. For both questions my response was the same caustic "No but we did just get indoor plumbing."

Ask the Californians why they can't get cable tv in Half Moon Bay, just down the road from Silicon Valley.

[TheBeagleLady]

Originally Posted by Dport7674

Lots of things are stupid..It's stupid to think that people aren't going to judge the entire region based on the I-80 drive. If that's their only Midwest experience, of course their going to base their opinion on what they saw from the interstate.

Meh, some of us are smart enough to understand the purpose of the interstate system and realize that what we see from that one stretch of road isn't all a place has to offer. However, I know this is C-D, so that certainly does not apply to everyone.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by mjlo

I think that's a malfunction of Californians in general. A couple of years ago I was in San Diego at a Chargers game with some friends who lived there. I was living in Michigan at the time. One person asked me "if I had ever been to a stadium that big". Another one wondered if we had Aeropostale locations in MI. Which to this day I never figured out what in someones thought process prompted that question. I can only assume they figured we might not be relevant enough to have mid to lower echelon clothing chains there. For both questions my response was the same caustic "No but we did just get indoor plumbing."

I remember going to Providence, RI in the late 80s and I got all sorts of stupid questions since I was from Kansas City. And they all assumed I was a farmer (not that there's anything wrong with that) But they assumed I'd never seen cable TV and asked me if there were a lot of people in Kansas who couldn't read.

The Midwest is ok. Rather bland IMO, and people overall seem to be against change. I've been happier living in CA and CO.

[Minervah]

The only hate I ever saw about any region came from those who actually lived in that region and were unhappy there. I suspect it was more the person than the region itself.