Kansas' self esteem problem (Plains: subdivisions, live, shopping mall)

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by Nikki0417

It wasn't meant to be a negative or a positive thing, actually. It's just a neutral observation I made as a kid. In comparison to the neighborhoods in NYC I visited a lot, Brooklyn and Queens, KC has a larger Caucasian population, which isn't a good or bad thing. Again, this is something I said when I was little. :|

I want to say once again, Nikki, that I enjoy reading your posts and am very glad you joined the forum. Your presence here is a much needed breath of fresh air.

Isn't it amazing, though, how quickly a new poster like yourself becomes a lightning rod by breaking, or at least pushing the outer edges of cardinal PC rules?

You can't use "white people" in a sentence that leaves room for even a perception that you are referring to them in a positive way. White people, bad. All others, good. Failure to heed results in shots across your bow, like in this case, for a first offense.

The other rule that I'm referring to is one that you never heard of until you started posting in this forum. Beyond that it is not commonly known. And that is that you don't say positive things about Johnson County or Johnson County people here. Johnson County, bad. Jackson County/KCMO, good. Follow along and you won't forever see angry mobs with torches on horseback coming up fast behind you when you look over your shoulder.

Personally, I enjoy being a lightning rod. I hope you'll stick to your guns and come to enjoy it as well.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by Nikki0417

It wasn't meant to be a negative or a positive thing, actually. It's just a neutral observation I made as a kid. In comparison to the neighborhoods in NYC I visited a lot, Brooklyn and Queens, KC has a larger Caucasian population, which isn't a good or bad thing. Again, this is something I said when I was little. :|

How human of you! I feel you, but that's a bit too human for a lot of folks on this forum. Why that is, I don't know. But I don't see a lot of talk like that on here that communicates the experiences of being a human being.

[CArizona]

My relatives in Western Kansas have always seemed like very humble and modest people. Their attitude is: "We like it here. We're happy here. But our area (and lifestyle) may not be right for everyone and that's okay."...I like their attitude! It makes me feel comfortable around them.

[Nikki0417]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

I want to say once again, Nikki, that I enjoy reading your posts and am very glad you joined the forum. Your presence here is a much needed breath of fresh air.

Isn't it amazing, though, how quickly a new poster like yourself becomes a lightning rod by breaking, or at least pushing the outer edges of cardinal PC rules?

You can't use "white people" in a sentence that leaves room for even a perception that you are referring to them in a positive way. White people, bad. All others, good. Failure to heed results in shots across your bow, like in this case, for a first offense.

The other rule that I'm referring to is one that you never heard of until you started posting in this forum. Beyond that it is not commonly known. And that is that you don't say positive things about Johnson County or Johnson County people here. Johnson County, bad. Jackson County/KCMO, good. Follow along and you won't forever see angry mobs with torches on horseback coming up fast behind you when you look over your shoulder.

Personally, I enjoy being a lightning rod. I hope you'll stick to your guns and come to enjoy it as well.

Thank you! I didn't think saying an area was primarily White was any better or worse than saying an area is primarily Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. And I learned pretty fast there's an odd level of animosity toward JoCo on here. I can see disliking a wealthy suburban area, but arguing with every person that speaks kindly of it seems a bit much to me. I don't mind the debates, though. I'm fine being a lightning rod.

Originally Posted by MOKAN

How human of you! I feel you, but that's a bit too human for a lot of folks on this forum. Why that is, I don't know. But I don't see a lot of talk like that on here that communicates the experiences of being a human being.

Haha, thanks. XD I guess my childhood comparisons to NYC would be taken the wrong way. But you're right. Maybe I'll refrain from mentioning my childhood in these threads.

Speaking of NYC again, my mother, born and raised there, never saw anyone with a sense of inferiority there. If anything, NY has more of a superiority complex, a "we are the center of the world" kind of mindset. One day she talked about how big a difference it was when we moved to Kansas. Not just because of the different landscape and atmosphere, but the behavior of the people here. She noticed how people are a lot more humble here, and sometimes that humility descends into the inferiority complex we're talking about.

So there's an observation from a New Yorker's point of view. Wait, am I being too human again?

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by Nikki0417

Thank you! I didn't think saying an area was primarily White was any better or worse than saying an area is primarily Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc. And I learned pretty fast there's an odd level of animosity toward JoCo on here. I can see disliking a wealthy suburban area, but arguing with every person that speaks kindly of it seems a bit much to me. I don't mind the debates, though. I'm fine being a lightning rod.



Haha, thanks. XD I guess my childhood comparisons to NYC would be taken the wrong way. But you're right. Maybe I'll refrain from mentioning my childhood in these threads.

Speaking of NYC again, my mother, born and raised there, never saw anyone with a sense of inferiority there. If anything, NY has more of a superiority complex, a "we are the center of the world" kind of mindset. One day she talked about how big a difference it was when we moved to Kansas. Not just because of the different landscape and atmosphere, but the behavior of the people here. She noticed how people are a lot more humble here, and sometimes that humility descends into the inferiority complex we're talking about.

So there's an observation from a New Yorker's point of view. Wait, am I being too human again?

Speaking of human experiences, I'd almost liken the vitriol toward JoCo to the same kids in high school use toward the "popular kids" or in college frat/sorority types.

You shouldn't leave out references to human experience. It's refreshing and IMO welcome.

And while I have no experience with NYC, I'm aware that they have a superiority complex and a lot of pride. I've also noticed certain places are more humble than others, such as Tulsa and OKC being more humble than KC. Humility is a good thing. But I definitely think KC has a self-esteem problem and could use both some confidence and a dose of humility, the latter primarily in the urban core.

[Nikki0417]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Speaking of human experiences, I'd almost liken the vitriol toward JoCo to the same kids in high school use toward the "popular kids" or in college frat/sorority types.

You shouldn't leave out references to human experience. It's refreshing and IMO welcome.

And while I have no experience with NYC, I'm aware that they have a superiority complex and a lot of pride. I've also noticed certain places are more humble than others, such as Tulsa and OKC being more humble than KC. Humility is a good thing. But I definitely think KC has a self-esteem problem and could use both some confidence and a dose of humility, the latter primarily in the urban core.

Good analogy. I think that sums it up pretty well.

I noticed that, too, A lot of towns have varying levels of humility, some being more or less humble than KC. I think the only cities that have the superiority complex are probably the major cities, namely NYC, but I'm sure LA has no problem with inferiority. Maybe Chicago to a certain degree, too.

KC could definitely use a some more confidence, and this is coming from someone who's put down the town in conversations herself. XD We have our good qualities despite the tornado-ridden flatland stereotype people like to project.

[WestCobb]

Originally Posted by Nikki0417

Good analogy. I think that sums it up pretty well.

I noticed that, too, A lot of towns have varying levels of humility, some being more or less humble than KC. I think the only cities that have the superiority complex are probably the major cities, namely NYC, but I'm sure LA has no problem with inferiority. Maybe Chicago to a certain degree, too.

KC could definitely use a some more confidence, and this is coming from someone who's put down the town in conversations herself. XD We have our good qualities despite the tornado-ridden flatland stereotype people like to project.

Cities are funny when it comes to ego. Some burst with confidence and others are more diffident. It's just the culture. Portland, Ore and Seattle are good examples of different attitudes. Seattle is now indisputably bigger and more important than Portland, but the cities were more comparable in the past. For some reason, Portland was always less forth coming about its charms, and Seattle always screamed how great it was from the rooftops.

Personally, I like it when a city or state doesn't run around gushing over how great it is. Let people discover its advantages for themselves.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by WestCobb

Portland was always less forth coming about its charms, and Seattle always screamed how great it was from the rooftops.

Really? I have never been anywhere outside of Texas where people were more prone to incessant, out-of-touch-with-reality, loudmouthed, self-aggrandizement than Portland in particular and Oregon in general.

[SCentralNEGuy]

Originally Posted by s.davis

Really? I have never been anywhere outside of Texas where people were more prone to incessant, out-of-touch-with-reality, loudmouthed, self-aggrandizement than Portland in particular and Oregon in general.

Well at least we can all agree that Kansas and the Plains States don't go bragging about how great they are and that's fine with me!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by SCentralNEGuy

Well at least we can all agree that Kansas and the Plains States don't go bragging about how great they are and that's fine with me!

Desirable places have new job growth and in-migration into the area. Johnson County, KS is the only county in the state that meets this description. The rest of the state has mostly the opposite problems. The lack of desirability has more to do with extreme isolation which does not appeal to a large percentage of the US populace. That, and the social culture and the extreme weather are other negatives. Everyone knows about these factors and the only population growth in the vast majority of the Great Plains region is in the metropolitan places along with a few sprinkling of micropolitan places.