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.
I came because I grew up in the surburbs of and thought I would work in some kind of media because that's what my father did. And that's what I did for 13 years on a piddly paycheck, living in Greenpoint and Hoboken for the most part. I loved it and hated it. Eventually I married and lived in Manhattan for six years way downtown. I loved and hated living in Manhattam
Then we moved to the burbs for a couple of years, and now we live in Massachusetts, due to husband's job transfer, which I love and hate, too.
So the theme here is love and hate. Hatred of living in NY came out as asthma and constant rashes on my face. love--well, what's not to love? It's a tough question and one not easily solved. Sometimes life takes you place you never expected (for example I hated Mass. with a passion for years, having gone to school here, yet hear I am, alternately loving and hating it.)
Will I ever return to NY? I don't think so. My era is over, my friends are gone, I don't care to start over that way again.
I feel like alot of people move here with the idea that NY will do something to them, that it will change them. Sometimes it takes them years to realize that NY ain't gonna do nuttin' for you. Its up to you.
It would be so great for the city and the nation if these people would stay in their hometown and flourish progressive ideas in obscure towns across America. Its too bad so many artists and progressive people leave for large metropolitan cities.
That's an interesting view. But as one who lives outside of NY now, I know there are plenty of creative people who would never consider living in NY--too crushingly competitive, expensive, and non-supportive. And plenty of people just plain don't like city living.
I realize it seems like every creative person in the world flocks to NY when you're on-island, but once you're off it's shocking how many intelligent, creative people have never lived in NY and are doing just fine in smaller regional cities, in rural areas, and in small towns.
Depends what you are looking for. The Manhattan experience can be closely replicated by Chicago and San Francisco for a much better price, so you do not need NY. At the end of the day you will be working, going out to restaurants/clubs/sports games/bars/coffee houses/poetry readings/whatever the heck you like at night, maybe museums or a lake/beach on the weekend, while living in a high rise apartment or loft or tenement depending on your lifestyle. All 3 offer the same, except the fact that you pay less in Chi and SF or you get to say you live in NY for more money. This is even available in DC, Boston, and Philly, but to a lesser extent. Manhattan is the king
If you are looking for the middle class cultural residential experience New York is numero uno although this is dying. Hanging out eatin real pizza, bagels, and cheesecake, hearing the older folks speak whatever language they speak, playing handball, going on the subways, etc...the whole package of tradition, heritage, and community is not as available in other cities in recent years. Maybe Boston in the Irish neighborhoods but thats about it. Chicago is gorgeous but extremely sterile, Philadelphia is too focused on the Eagles, SF seems to be solely yuppie/hipster/poor. Usually people who grew up in this environment cant live without it and if they leave town it lives in their hearts big time. It is a big part of who they are and they will let you know this.
But anyway, you can live without New York. Well over 200 million Americans do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheThirdByzantium
I figure the people here will have this answer if there is any answer. Maybe somebody will understand-
How has NYC enhanced your life? And could this ''enhancement" be done elsewhere? I believe it is not worth it to live in NYC, as the life can really be lived, unless you cross an income strata. Many of you have crossed over, and was NYC responsible for that, or was it really you?
Nowdays it seems like many people don't go to NY not because of the noise, traffic, grind, but because lower cost cities like, say Charlotte, can offer a more equal condition to middle and lower middle class.
What would a NYer, someone who has ''made it'' in NY, think about this issue.
This may not be the best articulation, and I know some people might not understand, but I find this very confusing as to my own life and thought maybe someone else would understand.
It would be so great for the city and the nation if these people would stay in their hometown and flourish progressive ideas in obscure towns
Joe- the NYC (and Chicago)intellectuals built much of the house our nation just took down in this election. I say that in no way to render judgment, or pass any politics of right or left as anything other than nonsense labels. Truth is often stranger than fiction though.
But like the very wise cleve said above- life takes you places you don't expect. Learning is that way too.
The Manhattan experience can be closely replicated by Chicago and San Francisco for a much better price, so you do not need NY..
Yeah but there's a certain something about NY. SF can't compare, and indeed the general norcal area struck me as odd and out of date. I do like Chicago, and in many ways it make more sense than NY, other than much colder winter.
If it's SF or Chicago, I may well do MN twin cities or Dallas.
See this is what I can't get my head around- if your going to go cost effective, how do you not do Texas?
And in turn, if your going to go 'city', how do you not do NY?
Of course people do all and everything in between, but from a rational approach, I see this as, almost a binary, in the sense that one offers the best deal, and one the most choices...
Joe- the NYC (and Chicago)intellectuals built much of the house our nation just took down in this election. I say that in no way to render judgment, or pass any politics of right or left as anything other than nonsense labels. Truth is often stranger than fiction though.
But like the very wise cleve said above- life takes you places you don't expect. Learning is that way too.
When I said progressive ideas I didn't mean political necessarily.
I meant having creative and artistic people remaining in their small towns to help spread and nuture the progressive type of mentality.
Some things have a value that cannot be denominated in dollars. I would argue the pure cost analysis with regard to housing gets people into trouble. Millions of people ran to exurban locales in Vegas, the Inland Empire, Phoenix and similar places for the sole reason that they could get a large, cheap house. Unfortunately for them, cheap housing was the only reason to live there. There is little infrastructure, public transportation is non-existent and traffic is a nightmare, the job market has not caught up with development and the unnecessarily large houses are expensive to heat/cool and otherwise maintain. In the end, a cheap house in the middle of nowhere is a cheap house in the middle of nowhere. What was once cheap is now nearly worthless and the home buyers, the country and the world are paying the price.
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.
