yet another great amenity lost at a crumbling metropolis...

[windshieldbug]

Let's just spell it out, folks:

The majority is less racially biased in the city, yet more biased in the country. The minority is less biased in the country, yet more biased in the city.

Did I cover it alright?

Maybe we should add the contrasts between South and North, East Coast and West Coast. Lord knows everyone in the South is a hater. Just ask anyone from the North. Everyone can have their stereotypes as long as they are against Southern rural whites, right??? And don't say anything about those know-it-all-better-than-you pricks from the North - they'll point out all your Southern faults.

Just what a Southern trailer-living poor-white-trash-type would say...

[MartyNeilan]

The majority is less racially biased in the city, yet more biased in the country. The minority is less biased in the country, yet more biased in the city.

Well put

[TMurphy]

I have a great deal of respect for the people who post here on tubenet. This is one of the few places on the web I've seen where the discourse is (nearly) always civil, and when things do get out of hand, there's always someone to post some food photo or make a wisecrack to lighten things up.

The problem, though, is that with this type of discussion, everyone seems to treat their experience with the city they are most familiar with as universal. Memphis, based on what information I get from Joe, seems to be declining. Can't say I blame him for getting out. New York, on the other hand, has transformed into a safer, nicer, friendlier city than it was 20 years ago. I'm sure this is happening all over the country...some cities or improving, others are dying, and with no recognizable geographic pattern. I've not had the opportunity to do much traveling in my life, so I can't confirm this with firsthand experience, but I do believe I am right.

I agree with Doc's final comment on human nature. There are jerks, racists, bigots, and conductors everywhere. Living in the north, the south, the city, the country, etc. won't change that (unless of course, YOU are the jerk, racist, bigot, or conductor....)

[MartyNeilan]

Methinks ye may have a cartoon concept of "small-town", "rural", and (perhaps, though not specifically stated...??) "the south"...about equivalent to old fantasy cowboy movies that Europeans view about "America".

I lived in one of THE most rural counties in Virginia for several years in the early-mid 90's while commuting 1-2 hours to work in Richmond or Fredericksburg.
I also later spent two years in Valdosta, GA (commuting to Cairo, Thomasville, and Bainbridge, GA). You cannot go further south on the east coast without going "north" to all the "Yankees" in Florida (their saying, not mine.)
Don't get me wrong, I would go back to rural Virginia in a second if the right job presented itself within reasonable commuting distance. Unfortunately, I have also seen many of those areas "spoiled" by developers in the 15 years since I first moved there when the entire county only had one traffic light.

All I am saying is that, taking Virginia for an example, I saw many biracial and openly gay couples in Richmond, while 70 miles out in the country such things either did not exist or were kept secret. And there was no shortage of crime in the country whatsoever, including a renowned "drug corner" just a couple of miles from where I lived.

I respect that others will disagree with me and I promise not to post further in this thread, but please don't dismiss my credentials until you look at where I have actually lived post NYC.

[TMurphy]

Interesting stuff on those lists, Rob...I seriously wonder what accounts for that disparity???

I must say, two things about that list shocked me....first, that Wildwood, NJ, was 10th on the list. This surprised me, until I saw the disclaimer about resort communities, which is exactly what Wildwood is during the summer. The other was that Camden, NJ, was 48th on the list. I expected it to be much, much higher, possibly number 1. Camden is a NASTY place.

[TMurphy]

The fact is, Bloke, you have a found a place that makes you happy. You seem to enjoy living there, and THAT is the only thing that truly matters. I hope someday I'll be able to have my ideal living situation--and it will probably be quite different from yours. But that's fine, because as long as I'm happy where I'm at, it doesn't matter what others think of it.