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I lived in DC for four years prior to relocating down to Florida. I believe DC's negative reputation is driven by the following factors:
1) City is very transient and filled to the brim with highly educated transplants that are there for the short term, career comes front and center before anything else including genuine friendships. The typical conversation among strangers at a bar in DC is centered around business and networking, conversations consist of "what is your line of business?", "who do you work for?", "who do you work with?", etc. It's the "What's in it for me?" mentality, conversations end quickly if you don't have something of special interest to contribute.
2) COL is EXTREMELY HIGH, as mentioned by previous posters, affordable housing in a good area is virtually non-existent without roommates, the market for apartments is extremely competitive, listings are snatched up within minutes of being posted. In addition to housing costs, food and services are also very expensive. Everything is heavily taxed and the local city government has a reputation for being corrupt and tax-hungry, even grocery bags are taxed, that's right, plastic grocery bags!
3) Metro system is not as reliable as it used to be, during my last year in DC this became very apparent. In recent years the system has aged rapidly and years of bad management has resulted in a less than reliable system that now has to be repaired and reformed. Weekend service is especially unreliable with regular single-tracking, service reductions, and 30+ minute waits for trains to show up at stations.
4) Winter months are cold and lonely, especially in the heart of the city. Half of the city's population leaves during the winter months (snowbirds migrate to the South, politicians leave town, and college students go home) and parts of the city look like a ghost town. Walking to work on lonely snow filled sidewalks with cold wind chills blowing in your face becomes very harsh and uncomfortable.
5) There is a major lack of local pride and association. Locals that reside outside of DC city limits (Maryland and Virginia suburbs) seem to despise DC and go out of their way to avoid the city at all costs, there is no real sense of city pride as there is in other metro areas. There is a negative stigma with the "city" as a place that simply exists as a source of employment and not so much a place to visit for communal events and leisurely activities.
Yet U street, Gallery Place, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, 14th Street, H Street, Navy Yard, Eastern Market and Georgetown all filled with suburbanites at all hours of the night on weekends.
People hate DC because it sells itself as having the amenities of most other major cities, but people soon find out that it is the most centralized city ever. There is nothing beyond its 15 mile radius in the same way that you can get in other major metro areas. In short, DC is constantly changing in order to seem cool and on par with other cities. However, it doesn't realize that it will never be beyond its mission- a political company town (and there is nothing wrong with that- DC just has to own it).
National parks, mountains, museums, and walkable areas are things that DC enthusiasts like to do. For some reason, they keep pushing that stuff, thinking that people are actually interested- they are NOT.
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I am going to break it down deeply and lovely as to why there is so much hate in DC. IN ALL FAIRNESS, everyone is basically right in their own ways. However, it has to be placed into context as IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY...
#1- Most people don't live in places like Manhattan or Downtown LA. However, although manhattan/LA is very accessible, people aren't limited to city center alone as they are in DC. NY has 4 other boroughs, to include a whole other state of NJ, that they can get all their fixings without stepping foot in Manhattan. Same goes for Los Angeles- it has Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Malibu all within 20-60 min. But, most people will make that drive because there is so much in between. From DC to Baltimore, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing but strip malls and "walkable quaint" communities. In DC, you HAVE NO OPTION but to come to DC for most of your nightlife/social fixings. However, most people don't realize this until they get here- WAY AFTER THE FACT. They end up staying for the "jobs". The centralization/polarization gets to you at some point. Furthermore, people don't want to spend their entire weekends on the road driving 4 hours to NY just to get what they SHOULD 20-45 min away.
#2- DC doesn't play well with other cities and is extremely private. As research recently revealed to me, this hatred stems from long days ago in the drug game rivalry with other cities. DC hates NYC/Philly but B-more/philly, and NYC are all close acquaintances.
#3- When you go to NYC, you know what you are getting. When you go to LA, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Meeyamee, you know EXACTLY what you are getting. On top, you get a lot of cross-cultural/social pollination between their surrounding cities. DC seems to be the outsider nerd. DC is one of those cities that just isn't as inviting as others are, which is why it is so socially monocultural. Prime example is with the nightlife/artist scene here. DC has so many guest artists from other places performing here, but DC is NOT cultivating a large of number of acts that go out and represent DC. Most, if not all renowned DC acts leave DC for places like NY/Philly and never turn back to cultivate more DC artists. For the exception of Sandman Burns at ESL, nobody outside of DC genuinely comes in droves to watch a homegrown DC artist perform while representing DC. Whether singer, comedian, DJ, or rapper, there is no identity as there is with other cities reppin' their own cities zip codes. Wale is prolly the most hated rapper outside of DC. (just do a simple google check)
Someone mentioned the fact that DC will soon be importing diverse folks from different areas soon. Again, DC is always going to be doing this, going to be doing that, going to be on par, will be booming soon.. Well, how much and how long can a city keep rearranging its identity? Once these new breeds of elitists show up, what long term social roots will DC provide them beyond politics, walkable areas, parks and museums?
Ridiculous! Taraji reps DC. Kevin Durant, Dave Chappelle, Shy Glizzy just to name a few. There was a report out of the University of Penn stating that 30% of their graduates go to DC after grad school. So it's a fair exchange.
1. Extreme wealth inequality between white and black residents that approaches third world economic numbers.
2. Hyper-competitive environment in the professional offices which fuels anxiety, paranoia, and an overall anti-cooperative spirit.
3. DC is not a meritocracy; you get ahead by knowing the right people, going to the right university, and you happen to be employed in a high-demand, high-growth field.
4. People can't dress for s**t here--(men and women).
5. White professional transplants treat working-class DC black residents like crap.
6. The independent music and arts scene is very weak here.
7. Live to Work--Not Work to Live. A quicker way to an early death if you have this philosophy.
8. Bring your resume or show your Linkedin profile on dates. This matters to single women in this town.
9. I don't care what you do for a living. I don't care how many college degrees and certifications you have earned. I hate the Republican and Democrat Parties. I hate Trump and Hillary. I hate liberals and conservatives.
10. DC will never be pretty as San Francisco. DC will never be fun like New York City. DC will never have as many beautiful women as LA or Miami. DC will never be the great sports town like Chicago. DC will never be the intellectual capital of the US like Boston. DC will never match the quality of living of cities in the Deep South, Upper Midwest or Rocky Mountain states that offer strong employment prospects without going broke buying the real estate.
11. Way too many people in this town are popping anti-anxiety or anti-depression meds. Too many alcoholics. Psychology and psychiatry are booming medical fields here. Gee, wonder why.
1. Extreme wealth inequality between white and black residents that approaches third world economic numbers.
2. Hyper-competitive environment in the professional offices which fuels anxiety, paranoia, and an overall anti-cooperative spirit.
3. DC is not a meritocracy; you get ahead by knowing the right people, going to the right university, and you happen to be employed in a high-demand, high-growth field.
4. People can't dress for s**t here--(men and women).
5. White professional transplants treat working-class DC black residents like crap.
6. The independent music and arts scene is very weak here.
7. Live to Work--Not Work to Live. A quicker way to an early death if you have this philosophy.
8. Bring your resume or show your Linkedin profile on dates. This matters to single women in this town.
9. I don't care what you do for a living. I don't care how many college degrees and certifications you have earned. I hate the Republican and Democrat Parties. I hate Trump and Hillary. I hate liberals and conservatives.
10. DC will never be pretty as San Francisco. DC will never be fun like New York City. DC will never have as many beautiful women as LA or Miami. DC will never be the great sports town like Chicago. DC will never be the intellectual capital of the US like Boston. DC will never match the quality of living of cities in the Deep South, Upper Midwest or Rocky Mountain states that offer strong employment prospects without going broke buying the real estate.
11. Way too many people in this town are popping anti-anxiety or anti-depression meds. Too many alcoholics. Psychology and psychiatry are booming medical fields here. Gee, wonder why.
Idk if this is a real post, but...this must be some alternative reality version of DC you're talking about.
Especially your 1, 5, and 8. I'm black and native and haven't experienced that.
I don't think these critics could get out of the Metro with a farecard. It sounds like some failed or flamed out here and are still feeling bitter about it.
DC is a vibrant, beautiful, diverse, and endlessly interesting place Great amenities, great environment, great opportunities.
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,129 posts, read 7,572,838 times
Reputation: 5786
Quote:
Originally Posted by coldbliss
Why do people hate on DC so much?
10. DC will never be pretty as San Francisco. DC will never be fun like New York City. DC will never have as many beautiful women as LA or Miami. DC will never be the great sports town like Chicago. DC will never be the intellectual capital of the US like Boston. DC will never match the quality of living of cities in the Deep South, Upper Midwest or Rocky Mountain states that offer strong employment prospects without going broke buying the real estate.
I have to discredit your entire post even off #10 alone. Your key word I'm hearing is "as".
DC is a pretty/beautiful city. DC is fun. DC does have pretty women in many parts. DC is still a very good sports town with every available sport option possible. The problem is no one has won here in 25 years. DC is very intellectual. Is it high cost yes, but the vast majority of what you already complained about DC already is/has. Doesn't matter to me if its "more than New York, LA or Miami". For me it's a perfect balance and more than enough. How many of those other cities are just all or none type of places? In many of them it's a huge drop off for residents to either have to live one way or another. DC is a perfect medium with close to a little bit of everything, which IMO makes it one of the most unique cities this country has to offer.
Last edited by the resident09; 06-26-2017 at 08:35 PM..
I don't think these critics could get out of the Metro with a farecard. It sounds like some failed or flamed out here and are still feeling bitter about it.
DC is a vibrant, beautiful, diverse, and endlessly interesting place Great amenities, great environment, great opportunities.
Yep. But haters are gonna hate.
Think of DC haters the same way you think of bitter Ex boyfriends or girlfriends lol.
1. Extreme wealth inequality between white and black residents that approaches third world economic numbers.
2. Hyper-competitive environment in the professional offices which fuels anxiety, paranoia, and an overall anti-cooperative spirit.
3. DC is not a meritocracy; you get ahead by knowing the right people, going to the right university, and you happen to be employed in a high-demand, high-growth field.
4. People can't dress for s**t here--(men and women).
5. White professional transplants treat working-class DC black residents like crap.
6. The independent music and arts scene is very weak here.
7. Live to Work--Not Work to Live. A quicker way to an early death if you have this philosophy.
8. Bring your resume or show your Linkedin profile on dates. This matters to single women in this town.
9. I don't care what you do for a living. I don't care how many college degrees and certifications you have earned. I hate the Republican and Democrat Parties. I hate Trump and Hillary. I hate liberals and conservatives.
10. DC will never be pretty as San Francisco. DC will never be fun like New York City. DC will never have as many beautiful women as LA or Miami. DC will never be the great sports town like Chicago. DC will never be the intellectual capital of the US like Boston. DC will never match the quality of living of cities in the Deep South, Upper Midwest or Rocky Mountain states that offer strong employment prospects without going broke buying the real estate.
11. Way too many people in this town are popping anti-anxiety or anti-depression meds. Too many alcoholics. Psychology and psychiatry are booming medical fields here. Gee, wonder why.
Wow. You had a bad experience here huh?!?!? Are you from DC or where? I am real sensitive about my home town so I like to know where people are from just to get a sense of where they are coming from.
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