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It’s funny, for all the NJ jokes that New Yorkers make, my area has as many, if not more, NY transplants as NJ natives. Once they actually come here, they realize it is no different than NY.
I lived in Westchester for a couple of years. That is where most of my college friends settled down, and it is indistinguishable from parts of NJ. When they have come to visit me in NJ, I have been told “Once you drive through all the ugly parts around NYC, it suddenly becomes very nice.” Then when I point out to them that it is the same with Westchester. “Once you get through the Bronx and Yonkers, it suddenly becomes very nice.” The response is usually “Oh, yeah. I guess you are right.” Their bias blinds them to that until it is pointed out to them.
The stereotype is negative. But it is a different negative.
The stereotype about Newark is mostly about the “dangerous” inhabitants.
Crack houses, carjackings, muggings and drive-by shootings.
The stereotype about the state is the scenery/environment.
Many of the people who are negative about NJ, have never been here. But of the ones who have been here, they often have only seen the part of NJ on the NJ Turnpike between Newark airport and NYC. So they think if NJ as smokestacks, refineries, industrial areas, shipping containers, and landfills. Basically, ugliness and pollution.
They don't see it as a minuscule portion of the state. They just assume the rest of the state is like that.
I'm talking about the scenery/environment.
I love NJ but for outsiders, it can come off as rugged and a bit gritty.
In terms of grittiness, the same way someone from Edison, NJ sees Newark, NJ, another from Ohio may see Edison, NJ the same way the first person sees Newark.
Also, if you take someone from out of state and you first take them to Newark, then to the surrounding to such as Belleville, Kearny, and Bloomfield, they may not think they actually left Newark.
In fact, you could probably take them to Upper Montclair and they may see it as the "rich part of Newark."
I think New Jerseyans, in terms of scenery, see Newark in such a bad light. When in reality, there are some parts of suburban New Jersey (and this includes Central NJ) that, in terms of aesthetics, are not any more beautiful than the North Ward and parts of Weequahic in Newark.
I would never move to NJ because of the gas pumping laws...
One more person who... somehow... believes that he will be subject to arrest if he pumps his own gas in NJ?
Yikes!
For the record, I have been pumping my own gas in NJ for over 50 years, and aside from the reality that no legal problems have ever befallen me as a result of this practice, most of the gas attendants actually thank me for doing it.
I love NJ but for outsiders, it can come off as rugged and a bit gritty.
In terms of grittiness, the same way someone from Edison, NJ sees Newark, NJ, another from Ohio may see Edison, NJ the same way the first person sees Newark.
Also, if you take someone from out of state and you first take them to Newark, then to the surrounding to such as Belleville, Kearny, and Bloomfield, they may not think they actually left Newark.
In fact, you could probably take them to Upper Montclair and they may see it as the "rich part of Newark."
I think New Jerseyans, in terms of scenery, see Newark in such a bad light. When in reality, there are some parts of suburban New Jersey (and this includes Central NJ) that, in terms of aesthetics, are not any more beautiful than the North Ward and parts of Weequahic in Newark.
This is silly. Upper Montclair looks nothing like Newark, whether you are from NJ or Ohio. It is possible they might see some of the more urban looking towns like they do Newark, but one would have to be blind to confuse the suburbs with large lots, trees, and rolling hills, with Newark. The only way you could think that they are like Newark, is if you have never been there.
This is silly. Upper Montclair looks nothing like Newark, whether you are from NJ or Ohio. It is possible they might see some of the more urban looking towns like they do Newark, but one would have to be blind to confuse the suburbs with large lots, trees, and rolling hills, with Newark. The only way you could think that they are like Newark, is if you have never been there.
Yes. I have been all over Newark. Forest Hills is a transition zone. East Orange has areas like that as well. My mother grew up in a part of Newark that used to be beautiful. So what? You are asking about what people think of when they think of Newark, and I doubt when you say “Newark”, Forest Hills is what people are thinking of. They are thinking of a crime ridden city, while people from other states think of NJ as an industrial wasteland.
Yes. I have been all over Newark. Forest Hills is a transition zone. East Orange has areas like that as well. My mother grew up in a part of Newark that used to be beautiful. So what? You are asking about what people think of when they think of Newark, and I doubt when you say “Newark”, Forest Hills is what people are thinking of. They are thinking of a crime ridden city, while people from other states think of NJ as an industrial wasteland.
I'm talking about how you said Montclair can't be confused with a "rich section of Newark."
Forest Hills doesn't look too different from Montclair, albeit the houses are smaller than in Forest Hills and it just doesn't have the same reputation.
I'm talking about how you said Montclair can't be confused with a "rich section of Newark."
Forest Hills doesn't look too different from Montclair, albeit the houses are smaller than in Forest Hills and it just doesn't have the same reputation.
You clearly haven’t seen all of Montclair then.
But my point is, that you are moving the goalposts. I answered the question in the title of your thread, and my answer is true. This side discussion does not change the fact that my answer is the correct one.
Newark is a slum. NJ is a polluted industrial wasteland.
Those are the stereotypes. Yes, they are both negative. No, they are not the same.
All this talk about nice sections of Newark, or Montclair, or wherever, doesn’t change that.
Half the problem is more than some of the people in the state think these things, "Newark is this Newark is that" "don't move there" and alot worse. You listen and read what jersey people say and you would think Newark is the worse city EVER. All cities have homelessness, panhandlers, traffic and good and bad sections. But listen to some people the normal bad city stuff only happen in Newark.
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