Is Chicago getting a bad rap? (live, restaurants, gangs)

[edsg25]

Is Chicago getting a bad rap?

well, duh. that's what internet forums are for. heck, that's what cyberspace is about.

is this so different from the notion that "if it bleeds, it leads"?

Chicago gets a bad rap because every city gets a bad rap; problem is, we read our city's posts far more than we do those in other cities and so that it appears to us that we get bashed more than others.

Try an experiment. Start two threads at the same time:

What makes Chicago such a great city?

What makes Chicago such a hell hole?

and you'll find the first will run a page or maybe two; the second will be in double digit pages the day after you post it.

Why? Bashing is helluva lot more fun than praise and doing battle for most of us is a lot more fun than making nice nice.

that's the world of cyberspace. what's the world of reality?

for me as someone who has come in contact with so many from "out of town", i've honestly never met anyone who didn't like chicago. i've never been in discussion with people when i'm out of town where i didn't hear praise for our city and what an incredible place it is.

more telling, the vast majority of people i know here in the chicago area think we are so fortunate to have the city we have. i live in the suburbs and, believe me, we know that when it comes to being part of a city's metro area, we're in a damned good one.

i've said this before. i say it now. and i will say it again:

Chicago needs no comparison.

You need not look at other cities to see how we match up to get what Chicago is about.

Chicago is a great city. Period.

You just have to be here, to experience, to take a walk through it and you'll know that. It stands on its own. If you think of the attributes that make a city great, we have them.

as to the nitwits who "write off" Chicago, saying it's time is over....guess what? we've been "written off" so many times it isn't even funny and not one write off has proven true.

Chicago is great because it is.....well.....Chicago. or sometimes as I've seen it written: Chicago! And that says it all.

[intelfan11315]

Doesn't the greyhound stop at the train station?

[nidex]

Originally Posted by WolfLover13

I hear Chicago is some bad town. And that exact reason is why the man I love is being held back by his mother from coming to see me because his bus stops there to transfer. What do I do? She says he will get robbed and such in a bus station. Someone help me.

Seriously? It's amusing to hear some of the things small-town people say about cities, to most of which they've never been. That's ridiculous.

[HomeIsWhere...]

Originally Posted by edsg25

for me as someone who has come in contact with so many from "out of town", i've honestly never met anyone who didn't like chicago. i've never been in discussion with people when i'm out of town where i didn't hear praise for our city and what an incredible place it is.

more telling, the vast majority of people i know here in the chicago area think we are so fortunate to have the city we have. i live in the suburbs and, believe me, we know that when it comes to being part of a city's metro area, we're in a damned good one.

i've said this before. i say it now. and i will say it again:

Chicago needs no comparison.

You need not look at other cities to see how we match up to get what Chicago is about.

Chicago is a great city. Period.

You just have to be here, to experience, to take a walk through it and you'll know that. It stands on its own. If you think of the attributes that make a city great, we have them.

Chicago is great because it is.....well.....Chicago. or sometimes as I've seen it written: Chicago! And that says it all.

I concur completely! WORLD CLASS CITY...and deep down, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT IS!

[Bunch]

Having the time to visit quite few cities either large and not so large I think IMO the best city I have lived so far when you take everything into consideration is Denver. Great nightlife, great sports town and not as expensive as the large cities.

Of the large cities I have visit or lived Chicago is the best hands down.

[MassVt]

I agree----Chicago, while not perfect, is just fine, and certainly worth a vist or two, and perhaps even living in, for any length of time. Just don't forget to visit other cities, for no other reason than to make comparisons, or broaden your horizens...

[deliz]

Chicago receives how many tourists a year??? I believe that too many people know and want to visit my city. Please don't get me wrong tourists are great but please quit walking across the street on the red hand !!!! Please some people Live here and need to make a left off mich ave to get home. Don't flip me off or yell at me because I almost ran over your precious wife. She was walking against a stop and if she's blind perhaps you should guide her. Sheeew that felt good to vent. I know this wasn't exactly an answer to your ? I do know New Yorkers and west coasters that enjoy Chicago. Don't take it so personally. I dont want to live in their cities either

[edsg25]

If you really want to put this nonsense of "is chicago getting a bad rap?", why not check out what people think of Chicago on this very board on a thread that did not even mention Chicago in its title and intro and which did try to settle on two cities other than chicago.


https://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...d-sanfran.html

[knitgirl]

Originally Posted by edsg25

If you really want to put this nonsense of "is chicago getting a bad rap?", why not check out what people think of Chicago on this very board on a thread that did not even mention Chicago in its title and intro and which did try to settle on two cities other than chicago.


https://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...d-sanfran.html

Really interesting thread, thanks for linking to it!

[carnelian]

Chicago is sort of the city you can love or really hate. Lovers of the city talk about the skyline, lake, fashionable north side areas, restaurants, sports,theatre, etc. Fine and good, but they totally overlook all the gangs, most of the south side, shootings and other crime, corruption, traffic problems and old decaying buildings. Did I leave out anything? Like most cities, how much you like the city depends on where you live and how much money you have to spend.