Chicago/SF/DC vs LA/NYC big city mindset (state, compared, place)
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LOL this coming from a small towner like you I've been to Chicago and it is only slightly more vibrant than LA, Chicago is not NYC, nor will it ever be being in flyover country, it is a big town in a sea of suburbs, LA is the big time, only city that even comes close to rivaling NYC in the nation in importance, people in Chicago wonder and talk about LA but you never see that from us, we have too much going on out here to even worry about small towns like Chicago, most people don't even know what state it's in LOL, that's the difference we are in our own world being we are in such a large metro of almost 18 million, Chicago is what 8-9? pfffft hasn't even reached mega city status, we are trend setters, and we have no rivals, we don't care who likes us or what people think of us, we are to put in simple terms to darn big and important to care to be honest, something only New Yorkers would understand, am I coming off as arrogant? Sure why not I'm from LA, a city world reknown by 2 initials, known by the educated and non, go to any country and they will know of this city, live here long enough and maybe you will one day be able to have big city arrogance like me and many of my fellow Angelenos, but as of now you are still in a small town mindset, a Chicago mindset, an envious mindset, look around you, it's beautiful, big, exciting, endless activity, be happy you're here, you being a chicano you are among your own kind, you know deep down in your heart you are much more proud to tell people that you now live in Los Angeles, and I guarantee you will never get a blank stare no matter what corner on the earth you're in
Do people in NYC and LA have a right to say these demeaning things to people in Chicago/SF/DC for being from a smaller city? Is the big city mindset that different in LA than Chicago? Does anyone else feel that Chicago is a "big small town" compared to LA? Or is this guy just delusional when he says that?
Sadly, living in NY or LA can give you an insulated mind-set. LA in particular seems to attract a lot of douche bags. The "flyover" mentality was started by wannabe-actors since the entertainment industry is centralized to NY and LA. Artsy types have never been known for their intelligence.
Sadly, living in NY or LA can give you an insulated mind-set. LA in particular seems to attract a lot of douche bags. The "flyover" mentality was started by wannabe-actors since the entertainment industry is centralized to NY and LA. Artsy types have never been known for their intelligence.
When he says "am I coming off arrogant, I live in LA" that was the tipping point, not that he wasn't ridiculous before but after that I can almost see someone living miserably in the big city and living off the status of their city to cover up personal insecurities.
I have also been to Chicago and LA. Chicago feels and looks like a much larger city than LA does. LA feels like a few large suburbs put together with a skyline in the middle. Cambridge, Massachusetts has more pedestrian life in Kendall and Harvard Squares than anywhere in LA that I have ever seen.
Do people in NYC and LA have a right to say these demeaning things to people in Chicago/SF/DC for being from a smaller city? Is the big city mindset that different in LA than Chicago? Does anyone else feel that Chicago is a "big small town" compared to LA? Or is this guy just delusional when he says that?
New York City I can understand. But LA? Hell no. That place is a gigantic suburb. The reason LA is on people's radar is because Hollywood movies are made there. Anyone who doesn't believe this can ask someone who isn't into movies/glamor/pop culture what they think of LA.
New York City I can understand. But LA? Hell no. That place is a gigantic suburb. The reason LA is on people's radar is because Hollywood movies are made there. Anyone who doesn't believe this can ask someone who isn't into movies/glamor what they think of LA.
You have my agreement sir.
Don't get me wrong. LA has given the world lots and has plenty to be proud of but there are smaller cities that have given just as much if not more to the world than LA. Boston and DC immediately come to mind. Personal experience NYC is the only city that feels larger than Chicago and the "spots" in Boston, Philly, San Francisco, and DC all give off a much bigger city feeling than LA. All of them have more pedestrian energy and give off a real city feeling. I prefer big cities by foot not car and LA just aint up there.
As for this flyover country logic, it seems people in the United States are primitive when they think coastal living is special. Some of the worlds greatest cities are inland, see Paris, London, Tokyo, Moscow, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Washington, or Mexico City and I don't think people living in the east or west coasts of France, Mexico, Japan, or the United Kingdom are looking down on London, Paris, Mexico City, or Tokyo for "flyover country".
Its just an American and Chinese thing and its really shallow.
The quote in the OP is definitely not the sentiment of most people in LA. While I don't feel Chicago is quite the mega-city that LA is, it might have even more of a big-city mindset.
But please, don't take one person's bashing comment as an excuse to bash LA. It's not a bunch of suburbs.
Anyone who doesn't believe this can ask someone who isn't into movies/glamor/pop culture what they think of LA.
I'm not into these things, and I love LA. In fact, most of the LA posters on here are not in the entertainment industry and don't seem to be that interested in the "glam" lifestyle - I personally find those people to be annoying and really only located in a tiny subsection of the LA area (and not really even in Hollywood-proper).
The quote in the OP is definitely not the sentiment of most people in LA. While I don't feel Chicago is quite the mega-city that LA is, it might have even more of a big-city mindset.
But please, don't take one person's bashing comment as an excuse to bash LA. It's not a bunch of suburbs.
My apologies sir for the suburbs sentiment. Its good to see others in LA that don't share the same arrogant, delusional, and insecure opinions as the OP. Although I still do believe Cambridge, Massachusetts still has more pedestrian life than anywhere I have seen in LA still. Pedestrian activity is decent in LA, its not dead but it does not come off as a lively walkers city.
As for this flyover country logic, it seems people in the United States are primitive when they think coastal living is special. Some of the worlds greatest cities are inland, see Paris, London, Tokyo, Moscow, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Washington, or Mexico City and I don't think people living in the east or west coasts of France, Mexico, Japan, or the United Kingdom are looking down on London, Paris, Mexico City, or Tokyo for "flyover country".
Its just an American and Chinese thing and its really shallow.
The European countries (and some Latin countries) deliberately built their capital cities in the middle of their countries. Sort of an epicenter, gathering point type of thing, equally distant travel from all corners of the country. The US and China are massively big countries with coastlines, their big cities sprung up around the trade ports.
Does Chicago have more of a big city mindset? Probably, yes.
More of a distinctive sense of place in terms of a "name brand?" No. I hope people don't take this the wrong way, but Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, etc are basically interchangeable as typical old large American cities (New York is basically that on steroids), whereas Southern California has more significance culturally and socially on a global level that the aforementioned cities do not have.
Angelenos are well aware of that significance, and that's what the OP was alluding to here, I think. I don't think he had to bash the city to make his point, of course.
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