Everyone thinks their city is the best city in the world. Ask any Bostonian, any New Yorker. Ask Londoners or Parisians. Home is where your shit is. Where everyone talks like you. To a certain extent, when someone disses your city, they're saying they don't like you. And touting your city above all others is just another way of saying, "Go team!" We're funny little critters, we people, all in all.
Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about the "my city is better than your city" phenomenon lately, because everyone in Boston is alarmed that I'm even thinking of leaving. "New York! How could you?" Well, listen: I love me some Boston. But I'm just not ready to settle down, baby. It's not you; it's me.
Every time this comes up, I think about a conversation I had with a friend of mine. This was at a party some years back. He was tricked out in his best hipster ensemble: spiky hair (this was years ago, remember: no Beatles dos then), jeans, white belt, etc. His requisite ironic t-shirt said, "Fuck New York."
"Hey, there," I said. "Interesting t-shirt."
"Yeah, fuck New York, man!"
"Yeah. It's its own thing, that's for sure."
"Yeah!"
Pause.
"Say, though. Have you ever been to New York?"
"Nah, man. But I hate it anyway, you know?"
"But, OK. Wait. How do you know you hate it?"
"I just hate it! You don't have to go to a place to know you don't like it."
"Ah, but see, my friend. I would argue that you do."
To be totally fair, I've talked to this dude since, and he's revised his opinion somewhat. But I did think it was an interesting example of how chauvinistic we can be.
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People say Pecos sucks, but I'm so gosh darn proud of it, I worked it into my blog.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can tell, my Boston friends hate New York solely cuz that's where the Yankees (and the Yankee fans) are.
ReplyDeleteI love it there. Good luck, monkey!
Love, KaraBara
Come on now, hatred based on a piece of land is what makes the world go round. Where would we be now without the light hearted rivalry on the Gaza Strip?
ReplyDeletethe worst, by far, are those who hail from san francisco. i have never met people more in love with their city, ANYWHERE in the world. its a bit scary.
ReplyDeleteBut even I love San Francisco best, and I'm not even from there. Sorry, Boston, I love you too, Baby. You're my home, my blood. But San Francisco: the architecture, the mild weather, the friendly, laid-back people. Sniff, I'm homesick, and I only lived there for one summer.
ReplyDeletei lived in san fran too, and agree, great city. my point is, the san franciscans are a bit overwhelming when they go on and on and on about how great their city is, especially when their input about the city is unsolicited.
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