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Like the OP I came from a predominantly white english speaking town, in northern california. I remember moving there at the beginning of high school, from southern california, and immediately noticing how racist everyone was! They'd say things that would have gotten the crap beat out of them in SoCal, but no one was around to care in this town! After 10 years of living there I'd pretty much determined that most people - my age at least - actually weren't racist, they were just clueless! And after 10 years of living there, I felt I was much more clueless too unfortunately.
So when I went to NYC for the first time I certainly noticed the huge mix of people, why wouldn't you if you'd come from somewhere that was mostly white, mostly purple, mostly anything? And I felt incredibly awkward and unsure of myself, not because I'm racist, but because I was suddenly hyper-aware of how clueless I was as far as what normal interactions with non-white people looked like. An awkwardly comical carrousel of thought as to what's 'normal' would circle around in my head with even the slightest interaction with someone non-white (which seemed like everyone, statistics be damned!) It's been that way every time I've gone back after having been back 'home' for at least several months, each successive trip to lessening degrees at least. Each time, before long I'd just get frazzed out over-thinking it and probably acting so stiffly and decide to do whatever seemed OK and normal-to-me. And no one's decreed me a racist yet, so I guess I'm OK ((That's not an invitation ;P ...)) Point is, even if one comes from some bfe town of racist whites - as long as *you're* not racist, you acclimate quickly enough to the diversity but it does feel a little weird at first simply because it's something you're unaccustomed to. On a side note, it was the same way for me on that first visit to NYC because so many people were well dressed - it wasn't that way back home and I didn't know how to be around these people, didn't know if I should or should not somehow adjust my behavior. I didn't know if I should talk to them the same or not, didn't know if I should treat them different, didn't know if I should give them more space on the subway so as not to scuff their shoes, didn't know if they'd look down upon me somehow, etc etc. I felt very out of place and odd about it for a while - that's just how unfamiliar experiences are.
Man, my touristy experiences were polar opposite of yours. I guess I'm just a certain type or something, but I was stunned to discover I wasn't too fond of new york women. I remember getting home after my first trip and deciding I definitely wanted to move there someday - but I was literally worried that if I did I'd never find the woman of my dreams lol. Luckily I found her first and got her hooked on the city too, so it's all good.
Depends on the setting. When I was young in my career working at a boiler room pimping the hot stock of the day, we were all young kids of different backgrounds, and although we loved each other to death, the **** we said to each other would have law suits galore in most settings...
Laugh about it, sure, but you're missing a very key point: social economic status is by far a better indicator of commonality. You're paying too much attention to skin color/ethnicity. A college educated white collar six figure earning professional in NYC will have the most in common with other college educated white collar six figure earning professionals. Whether you like to believe it or not, this cuts across racial and ethnic lines. I get along with all of the whites, reds, browns, and yellows that I work with because our socioeconomic backgrounds are identical. In Erie, do you really think a white American that is a high school drop out, works the register at Safeway, and is on public assistance really has ANYTHING in common with the white American who has an JD from Harvard and is partner in a law firm? I can assure you that a black doctor, Asian ibanker, white lawyer, and Hispanic engineer would have a lot in common and swim in similar social circles.
what's wrong with this guy? nobody cares if you
are white. go hang out with some prejudice white
people who feel the way you do. you don't have
to put this nonsense on the internet, old boy.
I have laughed and laughed at all the politically correct talk on this thread. Everyone knows that most people will divide up and interact mostly with people who are most like themselves and because everyone is so different in NYC, the city does not work as well as a homogeneous place like Erie where most people are English as a first language and speak the same language culturally and socially and just feel more comfortable with each other.
the fcat that I sympathize with you because of the hypocritical attacks on you doesnt mean that I agree with you. NYC is a good deal more bouyant than many monolithic communities elsewhere and it is a fact that diverse societies are much more creative and innovative than others.
I mean Erie vs NYC. PLEASE. Dont see folks running to live there, yet NYC has seen a net increase in its population of over 1 million in the last 30 years, despite massive outmigration to the suburbs and elsewhere. And despite how expensive it is, and arguably, how dismal the quality of iife might seem to be to many.
My point was only that at least you are honest and many who pretend to be different from you arent really. Just look at the very racially monolithic composition of most groups of hipsters and yuppies. In terms of who they hang out with, and who they hire, for those who have that ability.
Despite being younger and better educated, so more "liberal", they just happen to mix almost exclusively with other whites, maybe the odd Asian added in, despite how diverse NYC is, especially within their age group. Yet they will attack you. Oh yes they all voted for Obama, liking a carefully selected black from a distance is OK.
Back home in Erie PA, which is 90% white with very few immigrants, I always wondered what it was like to be someone of color or ESL. Basically on the side of the town that I lived in nearly everyone was white. But when I visit friends in Queens New York I am shocked how out of sorts I feel walking down the street in a city where pretty much everyone is from somewhere else.
No, this is not a racist troll post complaining about dark skinned people. Instead, I am curious what other people who are white and came from communities whose population is mostly white and fifth generation American, feel living in New York City where they are the minority. How does it make you feel?
Honest answers now, and please... no political correctness, or racist posts either.
Well, truthfully, even though they call NYC "The Melting Pot", it's really more of a toss salad. By that, I mean that even though Whites are technically the minority in NYC, each ethnic or racial group typicaly lives with their own group: Whites in White neighborhoods, Blacks in Black neighorhoods, etc. Latinos and Asians usually live closer to Whites, sometimes creating a sort of buffer zone or continium between neighbrohood that are all Black, all Latino, all Asian and those that are White or mixed.
So, to answe your question, except maybe working-class Whites, while they might interact with others on the train, bus, or places like Midtown, transportation hubs, or shopping areas, they can afford to stay to themselves.
I am Irish and live in a very mixed area in the Bronx, Bedford Park, and have lived in the South Bronx where I was one of the few ethnic Whites. I am used to it, so it was not as much an issue to me. I guess it crossed my mind at times that I was, but on a minute to minute basis, I just went about my business and still do.
This statement makes an erroneous assumption that white people who have lived in predominantly white communities all their lives are by default intolerant.
I grew up only 30 miles from NYC in an almost all-white town, but I was not raised with intolerance. On the contrary, my parents strongly decried racism and taught us that it was wrong and stupid. We rarely came to the city except on school field trips. My interaction with African-Americans and other races was very limited. Of course, it is very easy to espouse tolerance and anti-racism when you don't actually have to put it in practice. When I started working in the city at the age of 20 is when I finally met some actual real live people from other backgrounds and learned that the way I grew up was not the way everyone else grew up and the way I viewed the world was not the way everyone else viewed the world. I had a lot to learn, but I was able to learn--and expand my world and circle of friends--because I was not brought up to believe I was superior just because I was white.
Like you, I grew up nearby. I have been in schools that were very racially mixed and cshools that were very White. My first best friend growing up was Black, who lived in a Black enclave. I visited there and never felt particularly one way or another. I guess being young you wouldn't have any real feeling unlesss it was fed to you by somebody. Now, I do have friends who are White, but all of my close female friends are Latina or Black. My male friends are a fair mix of White ethnics from NYC, Latinos of various races, and some Blacks.
Eleven pages? Really? Do we really have to hit this topic till we hit twelve? To the OP, I don't know how you survived Erie, PA with so little minorities, but if you have any plans on residing in THIS city, here is some advice. Open your eyes and "callate la boca!"
there are plenty of whites in ues,
but they might be prejudiced
against you even lol.
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((That's not an invitation ;P ...)) Point is, even if one comes from some bfe town of racist whites - as long as *you're* not racist, you acclimate quickly enough to the diversity but it does feel a little weird at first simply because it's something you're unaccustomed to. On a side note, it was the same way for me on that first visit to NYC because so many people were well dressed - it wasn't that way back home and I didn't know how to be around these people, didn't know if I should or should not somehow adjust my behavior. I didn't know if I should talk to them the same or not, didn't know if I should treat them different, didn't know if I should give them more space on the subway so as not to scuff their shoes, didn't know if they'd look down upon me somehow, etc etc. I felt very out of place and odd about it for a while - that's just how unfamiliar experiences are.
