Why all the hate for the suburbs?

[MrCrowesGarden]

It just seems that a lot of the city dwellers here have the notion, whether it's been explicitly stated or not, that people who live in the suburbs are simpletons.

I generally take offense to this because I've lived in the suburbs my whole life, and I'd like to think I'm smart. My tastes are pretty basic, but I don't think that makes me a rube.

I understand that it's not the lifestyle for everyone. I'm really glad it isn't. What I can't understand is how someone who enjoys living that lifestyle is automatically seen as dumb or has not lead an authentic life.

[omaha_red]

It just seems that a lot of the city dwellers here have the notion, whether it's been explicitly stated or not, that people who live in the suburbs are simpletons.

I generally take offense to this because I've lived in the suburbs my whole life, and I'd like to think I'm smart. My tastes are pretty basic, but I don't think that makes me a rube.

I understand that it's not the lifestyle for everyone. I'm really glad it isn't. What I can't understand is how someone who enjoys living that lifestyle is automatically seen as dumb or has not lead an authentic life.

don't take it so personally brother.. all of my friends like in cookie cutter neighborhoods
and i still like them..

[Michael]

I generally take offense to this because I've lived in the suburbs my whole life, and I'd like to think I'm smart. My tastes are pretty basic, but I don't think that makes me a rube.

I thought the stereotype was boring not stupid.

BTW, I grew up in the burbs.

[planet planet]

I'm sure I'm speaking for many here when I say I have plenty of friends who are intelligent, fun, and have a great sense of humor. The only thing we don't usually agree upon is where we live.

[Simbagal23]

I like both city and burb living....we're currently burb dwellers due to proximity to my husband's company office. If not for that, who knows? We might be in Midtown! There is a hilarious music video on youtube, a satirical song about living in the burbs, written by a guy from the Atlanta area. I don't have youtube access from my work computer, if I find it later from my home computer, I'll attach the link.

[JL21]

I generally take offense to this because I've lived in the suburbs my whole life, and I'd like to think I'm smart. My tastes are pretty basic, but I don't think that makes me a rube.

I thought the stereotype was boring not stupid.

Yeah, that's kind of where I'd be coming from.

The only place of residence that makes you stupid is Kansas.

[maddash]

For me, the suburbs are just too far away from the things I enjoy. You'll occasionally find some fine dining in the 'burbs, but they're going to be few and far between compared to the city (or even small towns). Same with good bars, for the most part you're going to find chain bars that just don't have that personal feel. Same goes for things like farmers markets and whatnot.

And then the environment is fake - sure, it's great for kids to have a nice back yard to play in with green grass and trees (we have that in the city too, btw), but I'd much rather have those acres and acres of land devoted to what was there before (prairie, wetlands, forest, etc). I like watching the birds and squirrels in my backyard (again, I do that in the city) but I'd much rather have land close by I can hike around in - because the suburbs have eaten it all up, I have to drive a ways to get to actual wilderness.

And the suburbs lack the vibrancy and diversity you see in the city - or at least the avenues for people living there to express themselves. No (or not as many) art galleries, concert venues, theaters that specialize in movies the big ones don't show... And this goes for all ends of the spectrum, there's no real venue for liberals OR conservatives to express themselves musically, or in art, or whatever in the suburbs - at least not as well as they could in the city (or a small town).

I guess for me it really comes down to the suburbs lack of a central community (both physically and mentally). A lack of a place for a farmers market to even setup, or a lack of that "town spirit". What is there to support or rally behind in a suburb? All you really are is a collection of subdivisions and strip malls. At least for me, I get a stronger sense of ownership in the city or small town, in the suburbs I just kind of own my little house, do my own thing, and I really don't care what happens a street over.

... this all depends on what you define as a suburb though.

[stlouie_lipp]

Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of tickytacky
Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses all went to the university
Where they were put in boxes and they came out all the same,
And there's doctors and there's lawyers, and business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf course and drink their martinis dry,
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp and then to the university
Where they are put in boxes and they come out all the same.

And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
In boxes made of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

[thrill]

Great show.

[stlouie_lipp]

Great show.

If it was on HBO instead of Showtime it would be huge.