Why do so many people think all of Memphis is bad? (Germantown: appointed, crime)

[eastmemphisguy]

Granted, there are quite a few rough parts of town, but we have no shortage of nice areas either. And I'm not just talking about mediocre areas that are good enough for plain people like me. Just to name a few areas, Harbor Town, Central Gardens, Chickasaw Gardens, River Oaks are all very exceedingly fancy and full of doctor and lawyers and such. And yet there's this common perception that the whole town is run down that one has to live in Germantown or Collierville or else. I don't get it.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by eastmemphisguy

Granted, there are quite a few rough parts of town, but we have no shortage of nice areas either. And I'm not just talking about mediocre areas that are good enough for plain people like me. Just to name a few areas, Harbor Town, Central Gardens, Chickasaw Gardens, River Oaks are all very exceedingly fancy and full of doctor and lawyers and such. And yet there's this common perception that the whole town is run down that one has to live in Germantown or Collierville or else. I don't get it.

This is not only Memphis.

One reason is some don't know any better. Many will preach about issues they know nothing about.

Others are insecure. They think to make where they live look better they have to put someone else's neighborhood down.

I lived in Memphis and hated it. I would never infer that Memphis is all bad. There is always something to enjoy.

[VSRJ]

I think the problem stems from three main causes:

1. Misconceptions based on stereotypes that are perpetuated by the media's reporting of crime and crime rankings (which those experts dealing with crime stats discourage). Memphis reports its crimes more accurately and meticulously than other cities, therefore it is often "ranked" as being more dangerous.

Don't believe me? Read this: Memphis a victim of crime reports » The Commercial Appeal

Personally, I'd rather live in a city where I know honest facts regarding crime, but I guess some prefer otherwise. Despite all of this, some people (inside and out) believe that Memphis is a crime-ridden city. That simply isn't the case.

2. The "grass is greener on the other side" syndrome plagues many. Memphians are our own worst critics. Many of us have lived in the city for years, so we've seen the highs and lows of the city. But we (including myself) fail to realize that every other city, larger and smaller, deal with the same issues. We tend to believe that other cities (Nashville) are flawless and aren't facing problems. No two cities are alike. Other cities may not have the same problems that we do, but they certainly have their own to worry about.

3. Indeed, Memphis has real problems that merit attention. But luckily, for every problem in Memphis, there is likely at least one person, group, etc. that is actively working to solve the problem. But I challenge anyone to show me a city larger than Memphis that is not facing some sort of problem. I'd love to visit.

One of the things that somewhat irritates me is when people refer to Memphis as a "small town." I know they generally mean that the community is close-knit, but Memphis is not a small town. It's the 20th largest city in the United States. It's the largest city in Tennessee. A city the size of Memphis will face crime, poverty, education woes, political corruption, etc. that a "small town" may not encounter as often. When people start thinking of the city as a "small town," they begin to expect "small town" problems. Of course they'll be disappointed. That's my theory, anyway.

Aside from all of this, some people just love being cynical about anything and everything. Those people will be unhappy wherever they go. Perhaps Memphis has more of these folks. I don't know.

I do know that Memphis is a great city.

[BayAreaDave]

The majority of the city is ghetto.

[Tigertate]

Originally Posted by BayAreaDave

The majority of the city is ghetto.

Is that code speak for something else???

[Darkseid]

People think of Memphis as being "bad" for the same reason that people think of all of Chicago or Oakland as being "bad". The news reports do not make a distinction from area to area. It's just "Chicago" or "Memphis" or "Oakland".

[Longtimelistener]

Most of the city is downtrodden and littered with trash.
If you are moving here with a family your best bet is not moving into the city of Memphis unless you are very wealthy and can afford private schools.

[VSRJ]

Originally Posted by Longtimelistener

Most of the city is downtrodden and littered with trash.
If you are moving here with a family your best bet is not moving into the city of Memphis unless you are very wealthy and can afford private schools.

Do you have any statistics or even pictures to back up this claim?

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Darkseid

People think of Memphis as being "bad" for the same reason that people think of all of Chicago or Oakland as being "bad". The news reports do not make a distinction from area to area. It's just "Chicago" or "Memphis" or "Oakland".

I tend to agree.
The fact that the bad areas are so hodgepodge does make it seem like it's the whole city sometimes. You can't just tell potential newcomers to 'avoid this area and you'll be fine'. It's more like 'stay within these boundaries or these, or these'.
Memphis proper has some great areas, but the fact that you have to know where to look to find them probably doesn't help the reputation.

[eastmemphisguy]

Stay within a few miles of Poplar and you're fine. The north and south sides are trouble. It's not complicated at all.