Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Admittedly I laughed at this, but its not getting mad. Its simply recognizing a subtle attempt to mislead others.
I think you are conflating deliberate misconception with laziness here. While I know there are some folks who would deliberately mislead to inflate out of optics, the vast majority are just trying to be efficient. It's actually a very common part of our culture at this point to default to the core city over metro. I do agree with you that it takes a half second longer to say, metro, or region, or area. It's just semantical at that point IMO.
Let's say I was born in Raytown MO, went to school in Independence MO, went to UMKC, worked in Merriam KS, married a girl from Lee's Summit MO, established a business in downtown Kansas Cit MO and own a home in Blue Springs MO, where I am a member of the city planning commission.
Where should I say I'm from? Is the person who is asking, from Kansas City, or Addis Ababa?
When I ask anyone where they're from, there are three things I want to know:
1. What general part of the country do the have roots,
2. City or country upbringing.
3. Is there a place we are both familiar with.
Assuming the same, I'll say "Grew up in a little Ohio town, but live in Texas now." Which implies not Dallas or Houston.
If I'm not familiar with the metro area someone is from, and they just give me the big city proper instead, I'm fine with that. Telling me you're from Fishers in Indiana, for instance, would mean next to nothing. But telling me you're from Indianapolis would tell me something. And from there, conversation would go on.
I think you are conflating deliberate misconception with laziness here. While I know there are some folks who would deliberately mislead to inflate out of optics, the vast majority are just trying to be efficient. It's actually a very common part of our culture at this point to default to the core city over metro. I do agree with you that it takes a half second longer to say, metro, or region, or area. It's just semantical at that point IMO.
Its region dependent-the reasons to claim or not claim a place vary across the nation. In some parts of the country though, there is an extremely sharp distinction between the city and its suburbs (Chicago comes to mind, as does D.C.).
Seems like a pretty deliberate alteration of a fact in those cases.
Admittedly I laughed at this, but its not getting mad. Its simply recognizing a subtle attempt to mislead others.
No desire to mislead anyone. Just a desire to find common ground.
Imagine this conversation on a cruise or a vacation or somewhere where you're not near home.
"So, where are you from?"
"Baltimore."
(Reaction 1) -- "Baltimore, huh? That's where The Wire is set, right? Pretty cool show. Is that actually what Baltimore is like?" I can then go on to say that yes, the show is fairly accurate in depicting Baltimore's worst parts. But the city also has a number of good features about it. And then we go from there. No intent to deceive.
(Reaction 2) -- "Oh yeah? I'm from Patterson Park. Where do you live?" I then respond that I don't actually live in the city itself, but in Ellicott City (a suburb to the west of Baltimore), which the resident of Patterson Park (a neighborhood in the eastern part of Baltimore) is familiar with, and we go from there. No intent to deceive.
I suppose I could say "near Baltimore" and be more accurate. Maybe I'll give that a try.
No desire to mislead anyone. Just a desire to find common ground.
Imagine this conversation on a cruise or a vacation or somewhere where you're not near home.
"So, where are you from?"
"Baltimore."
(Reaction 1) -- "Baltimore, huh? That's where The Wire is set, right? Pretty cool show. Is that actually what Baltimore is like?" I can then go on to say that yes, the show is fairly accurate in depicting Baltimore's worst parts. But the city also has a number of good features about it. And then we go from there. No intent to deceive.
(Reaction 2) -- "Oh yeah? I'm from Patterson Park. Where do you live?" I then respond that I don't actually live in the city itself, but in Ellicott City (a suburb to the west of Baltimore), which the resident of Patterson Park (a neighborhood in the eastern part of Baltimore) is familiar with, and we go from there. No intent to deceive.
I suppose I could say "near Baltimore" and be more accurate. Maybe I'll give that a try.
-Region dependent, countless permutations of this kind of stuff with varying degrees of sensitivity/people even caring.
-We don't know what the person from Patterson Park was thinking to her/himself on the drive home after this hypothetical conversation.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
