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People from Queens don't have to prove themselves, people from the Bronx don't have to prove themselves, same with people from BK and Manhattan. People from SI have a chip on their shoulder being from the "forgotten borough" and try to hype it up to make people think they are cool. This backfires as a result.
Most people, everywhere, could care less about proving any of the points you make above.
The OP has self-esteem issues, not where-I-come-from issues.
The reason there is so much mocking of everything SI is just because of the trashy people it produces who in turn think trashy is a positive. People from Queens don't have to prove themselves, people from the Bronx don't have to prove themselves, same with people from BK and Manhattan. People from SI have a chip on their shoulder being from the "forgotten borough" and try to hype it up to make people think they are cool. This backfires as a result. Don't get me wrong, I know some good people from SI, but unfortunately a good portion of the people from there are just wannabe John Gotti's I guess there's also a sort of feeling from people in North Jersey, LI, and Westchester that "My ancestors moved out of those crappy city areas like 60 years ago when they immigrated here, so why can't you guys move up in the world?". I mean there's just no benefit to living in SI in my opinion. You are totally isolated, it takes an hour to get to the city which is also the case with many much further suburbs with nice yards and big houses, you have small or almost no yard, you live in a 2 family house, the dump that was there, etc. Really the only thing people in SI try to cling to is "hey, look at me, I'm cool...technically I'm from NYC!", and most people know it's not really true technically. SI tries to be something it's not...part of the biggest city in America. They are suburbs with a label of "NYC". It should really be part of Jersey or just leave it suburban and remove it as a borough. Find another like Nassau or Yonkers.
I just read this second part. Why do people care about this stuff?
I've never understood this whole "rivalry" between ANYPLACE other than tangible factors: business climate, taxation, government controls, etc. What's with the onerous attempt to "explain" that SI isn't a part of NYC? Geographically, physically, governmentally, historically, and most importantly, UNFORTUNATELY, it is. Where do people get this crap from?
Self-esteem problems -- everyone has them, one way or another. SI has a stigma -- Moderator cut: Offensive I find it silly, yet I hear it from other people. Usually it is from people who don't know SI. Shows like JS emphasized the stereotypical Staten Islnders, fake tans, stupidity, and "don't know any better."
So for OP to discuss this stigma, regardless of his self-esteem, that is a legitimate concern.
Last edited by bmwguydc; 03-24-2013 at 09:42 PM..
Reason: Offensive term removed
Self-esteem problems -- everyone has them, one way or another. SI has a stigma -- I find it silly, yet I hear it from other people. Usually it is from people who don't know SI. Shows like JS emphasized the stereotypical Staten Islnders, fake tans, stupidity, and "don't know any better."
So for OP to discuss this stigma, regardless of his self-esteem, that is a legitimate concern.
Are you aware of the fact that all those people you are presently describing came here from Brooklyn?
Last edited by bmwguydc; 03-24-2013 at 09:42 PM..
Reason: Edited quoted text
I realize you don't like SI too much, but I have strong roots with the island.
I for one don't cringe at the thought of Staten Islanders moving in. I cringe at the thought of Staten Island joining NJ.
Either way, I don't hate the borough. It's just the fact that so many people hate it. A lot of the people who hate it have no right to hate it, they're usually just ignorantly jumping on that bandwagon without any actual credibility.
Those people that bash Staten Island, and I live in NJ, but my aunt lives in Staten Island, bash it because they are jealous. Many of them cannot afford to live there. I spend there a lot of my time. Get used to the fact that IT IS A NEW YORK CITY BOROUGH!!!!!!!!!!! AND that the possibility of you living there are minimal, because there are very, very few large buildings where people can rent, unlike NJ, where there is building with apartments for rent everywhere. Most people have to BUY THEIR OWN HOUSE TO LIVE THERE. And that is where the jealousy comes from. Most people that are bashing Staten Island do not have the money to buy a house there.
I didn't come here to sweet talk SI, I came here to explain why you have the reputation as white trash and "the forgotten borough". One thing you can't deny is that you DO have those stigmas. Those don't come out of thin air.
I agree with the original poster. I have been out on Staten Island 20 yrs. I spent 20 in Queens and 20 here. I am doing everything in my power to GET OUT. Yes, the guido influence is abundant. The mall is a cess pool and the prescription drug abuse is terrible here. Getting Dr. Felix Lanting off the street was good, but there are other pill pushing dr's as well. I live on the South Shore where the parents use weed in front of their children and outside, and take Xanax, percocet, oxys etc.....Staten Island has the highest rate of prescription drug abuse in NYC and second in NY State only to Sullivan County (look it up). We have the most city workers living in our borough...think that's great? Nope. That means every cops kid doesn't get a summons, a ticket or arrested and the cycle continues and continues.....Tottenville HS is a known pill school as are the other HS on SI. I'm so sorry I ever moved here. People are rude, competitve, mean spirited.....I walk my dog every day and step over blunt papers and dime bags. Nome Ave near the mall, known drug spot. You can buy anything there....the boogy man here is the white upper middle class pushing pills to your kids....God help us.
Well, let me tell you. My aunt's next-door neighbor moved to Southern NJ, even though her area on Staten Island was great, and guess what, four-years' later, he daughter got hooked on Heroin. Very, very sad.
Mistake was when some idiot in charge decided to make Staten Island NYC's dump....stigma
I believed landfill or two got closed, but ask any NYer and that's what they'll think.
Because many people are not knowledgeable, and do not know that it was closed myriad of years' ago, and the largest park in the State of NY, is going to be placed there. So Staten Island that is so small, has more trees and parks that NJ, and many other parts of NYC.
I didn't come here to sweet talk SI, I came here to explain why you have the reputation as white trash and "the forgotten borough". One thing you can't deny is that you DO have those stigmas. Those don't come out of thin air.
I don't have any stigma. That stuff is for kids or adults who never grew up.
Yup, sounds about right. By the way when I said it takes people 1 hour to get from SI to Manhattan I was talking about the CLOSER parts! If you live on SI on the southwestern side or one of the other further areas, it can easily take you 1 hour 30 min, maybe even 2 hours+. This doesn't include waiting time for the ferry which can also easily add another 15+. I like the way we have it out by us. I live in the Ronkonkoma area where even some LI people think I live "far out there". Even so, from about exit 60 ish on the LIE to the Queens border (exit 32 when the walls on the side turn into red brick) is only 35 minutes with no traffic driving in the left lane. With some traffic, 45. And remember, this is for areas some people even consider "far out there". People in Nassau can be at the Queens border anywhere from 1-20 minutes with no traffic on the LIE. To get from SI to its closest borough (BK) is very short distance wise but can still easily take 30+ minutes to get there with all the construction and traffic. It's still a hike to Manhattan considering its proximity distance wise. This is why SI is perceived as a fake borough...it just doesn't fit anywhere. You see the Brooklyn side of the Verazzano and it's all built up and urban with that NYC feel, then you see the SI side, and it's just all trees and crap. The pace is way slower, there are no subways, no tall buildings, "express" buses take as long as the LIRR from about 50 miles out to get to Manhattan, etc.
The reason there is so much mocking of everything SI is just because of the trashy people it produces who in turn think trashy is a positive. People from Queens don't have to prove themselves, people from the Bronx don't have to prove themselves, same with people from BK and Manhattan. People from SI have a chip on their shoulder being from the "forgotten borough" and try to hype it up to make people think they are cool. This backfires as a result. Don't get me wrong, I know some good people from SI, but unfortunately a good portion of the people from there are just wannabe John Gotti's Moderator cut: Offensive. I guess there's also a sort of feeling from people in North Jersey, LI, and Westchester that "My ancestors moved out of those crappy city areas like 60 years ago when they immigrated here, so why can't you guys move up in the world?". I mean there's just no benefit to living in SI in my opinion. You are totally isolated, it takes an hour to get to the city which is also the case with many much further suburbs with nice yards and big houses, you have small or almost no yard, you live in a 2 family house, the dump that was there, etc. Really the only thing people in SI try to cling to is "hey, look at me, I'm cool...technically I'm from NYC!", and most people know it's not really true technically. SI tries to be something it's not...part of the biggest city in America. They are suburbs with a label of "NYC". It should really be part of Jersey or just leave it suburban and remove it as a borough. Find another like Nassau or Yonkers.
Look, more than 300 years ago a NY guy and a NJ guy raced their ships around Staten Island to see who would get it. NY won. You wanted it, you got it, now keep it. We don't need Staten Island. Most of Staten Island has moved to Middletown, NJ, anyway.
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