Why do New Yorkers insist on living in such a bad city?

Question

I am from Arlington Texas and I would much rather live here as I have a yard and a Chev. Surburban, and live in a more religious area (hardly any Christians in that city). I don't have to live in some dumb apartment building, my standard of living is much better than that city. I think anyone who would want to live in New York is just a liberalist elite snob. They don't know how much better I have it.

Also, please don't bring up "culture". I don't have the desire to deal with pseudointellectual persuits such as going to art theaters filled with hippies, or deal with modern art. So it's of little value to me and most people who aren't fake.

Answer 1

People who think like this bug the crap out of me. Guess what: for some the idea of living as you do is as appealing as living in the city is for you.

Regarding the Christianity issue: one cannot walk down a street in Manhattan without passing a couple of churches. You also seem unaware that the one of the largest churches in the world and one of the oldest in the nation are both located in Manhattan.

As far as the liberal comment goes, I know just as many republicans as I do liberals. Because it is such a large city people are spared the closed-minded propaganda that one finds in little towns.

And finally, your standard of living. Can you go to the opera one night, a museum the next morning, and a play or musical the day after that? Can you wander down a different street every day and discover something new that you've never seen before? Can you meet people from all over the world and learn all sorts of things from them? Come on!

I've never once seen a "hippy" in an art gallery. I have, however, seen tons of kids learning to appreciate the work that you so cavalierly dismiss. If you were to ever visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art you would learn that the vast majority of the works are NOT modern, these comprise only a tiny portion of the Met’s vast collection. Then again I suppose you think the works of Rembrandt, Bernini and Cezanne are “hippy” garbage, right? How sad for you.

Answer 2

"dumb apartment building"
~ no need for "dumb"
~ not all houses in nyc are apartment buildings.

"hardly any Christrians in that city"
~are you kidding me? Do you know how many churches there are?

There are yards in NYC, and you can have a "Chev. Surburban" NYC.

"anyone who would want to live in NY is a liberalist elite snob"
~That is so untrue, and is generalizing. It is as if somebody said that everyone from Texas was a redneck hick who ate roadkill. That's not true. and neither is what you said.

No. I really don't know how much better you have it. With your yard, chev surburan and a church. (b/c you can only find those in Arlington Texas)

That is such a bad "question" (where is the question by the way) and is obviously asked by someone who is so ignorant that it doesnt even deserve an answer.

Answer 3

What is your experience with New York City? Have you ever lived here?

I've lived in Miami,FL, Albuquerque, NM and New York, NY. I've had the yard and I've had 2 cars. I was also bored out of my skull.
In New York I have the Broadway Theater, I can see any film in release, I can eat some of the best food in the world in some of the greatest restaurants in the world. I have the Museum of Natural History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (ancient, medieval, renaissance, 18th & 19th century art). I have Central Park, the Bronx Zoo, Bronx & Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. I have beaches. I have the Aquarium. I can go to the opera or go bowling. I can go to the ballet or go to an arcade. I can shop at thousands of stores and buy anything that is made in this world. I have some of the greatest colleges in the world. All this barely scratches the surface. I can tell you one thing, it sure beats mowing the lawn.

Answer 4

Ah yes nothings better than owning a gas guzzler and having a yard you need to take care of. Well thats your opinion.

Not everyone wants to live like you. I love urban areas and how something is going on all day. Yes most apartments in NYC are **** but thats what Hoboken is for. And there are plenty of christians in NYC, but because of the high populations and the fact that there are other religions is what makes you think there are few. Its a beautiful city that I would be proud to live in. (I live outside the city in a suberb right now)

Answer 5

Are you nuts, I live 1 minutes away from the city and let me tell you. Mostly everybody in the city is christian. There are more christians in NYC then in Arlington. NYC is great and many others think so. We are a very diverse city. There arn't many Jews in NYC except in some parts of Brooklyn. Just because there are many blacks and Middle Eastern people in NYC does not mean that you can't be christian, and BTW mostly everybody in the city is Christian. Some places like Queens and Bronx have a bad rep, but you have to be there to know what it's like.

Just curious, don't you have any cross burnings or rodeo you are missing.

Answer 6

you aren't asking a question - you are ranting against New York. Nothing wrong with ranting - but you can answer a rant - only questions, and I am sure what you are looking for is a bunch of people to climb on you rant bandwagon.

In reply to teh rant:
Everyone has things they like - you like where you live, they like where they live. Some people like the color blue and hate green, others hate blue and love green.
Whatever - each to the own. If everyone loved Arlington as much as you do, it would be teh size of New York and you wouldn't then like it anymore, so be glad others don't like the same thing as you.

Answer 7

I can't believe it, Rush Limbaugh is even asking questions in the travel section.

Rush should know all about NYC as he lived there for many years while he was polluting the air waves. I thought you moved to Florida not Texas.

Is your Chev. Suburban up on blocks, underneth your Rebel flag?

Answer 8

I grew up in Ohio and only recently moved to New York City (as in, about 3 days ago), and I can tell you, anyone who would want to live in Texas is a backward hick. They don't know how much better I have it.

Answer 9

i think New York City is a great place to live at. You have everything you need around you and you dont have to drive for miles to find things.

Answer 10

Is that your measure of prosperity and happiness? Having a Chevy suburban and a yard? You didn't mention whether your home was bricks and mortar or a trailer. Arlington, Texas may be nice (never been there; Dallas and Austin are nice) but what is there to do? What are your past-times, or do you have any? What do you do for a job, and how much do you earn? Do you get a sense of personal fulfillment from your work?

There are way too many variables here to compare your living standards with those of New Yorkers. I have been to New York and my friends who live there all have lovely apartments in nice parts of Manhattan, love their jobs and make lots of money, and some have cars (Lexus, Mercedes, whatever), but they only drive them on the weekend to go out of town.

What religion has to do with the standard of living is anybody's guess - not mine.

Oh - I remember Arlington now! It's a suburb of Dallas and home to the first Six Flags. I pulled up some statistics:

Arlington: As of the census of 2000, there were 332,969 people, 124,686 households, and 85,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,341.7/km² (3,475.0/mi²). There were 130,628 housing units at an average density of 526.4/km² (1,363.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.69% White, 13.73% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 6.01% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 8.94% from other races, and 2.94% from two or more races. 18.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 124,686 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

Males had a median income of $38,612 versus $29,339 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,445.
Arlington is the largest city in the United States that is not served by a public transportation system.

Arlington is home to three institutes of higher education: the University of Texas at Arlington, the Southeast Campus of Tarrant County College, and Arlington Baptist College.

Manhattan: According to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, there are 1,593,200 people (up from 1.4 million in 1990) 738,644 households, and 302,105 families residing in Manhattan. Counted on its own, Manhattan would be the fifth largest city in the United States, after the rest of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.


In 2000 56.4% of people living in Manhattan were White, 27.18% were Hispanic of any race, 17.39% were Black, 14.14% were from other races, 9.4% were Asian, 0.5% were Native American, and 0.07% were Pacific Islander. 4.14% were from two or more races.

There were 738,644 households. 25.2% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.1% were non-families. 17.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 48% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2 and the average family size was 2.99.

Manhattan's population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 38.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

Manhattan is one of the highest-income places in the United States with a population greater than 1 million. The Manhattan zip code 10021, on the Upper East Side, is home to more than 100,000 people and has a per capita income of over $90,000. It is one of the largest concentrations of extreme wealth in the United States. Males had a median income of $51,856 versus $45,712 for females. The per capita income for the county was $42,922. In 2006 the average weekly wage in Manhattan was $1,453, the highest among the 325 largest counties in the United States. The national average was $784. Wages in Manhattan were also the fastest growing among the nation's 10 largest counties.

Manhattan is a religiously diverse community. The largest religious affiliation is the Roman Catholic Church, whose adherents constitute 564,505 persons (more than 36% of the population) and maintain 110 congregations. Jews comprise the second largest religious group, with 314,500 persons (20.5%) and have 102 congregations. The next largest religious groups are Protestants, with 139,732 adherents (9.1%) and Muslims, with 37,078 (2.4%).

Manhattan is unique in the United States for its intense use of public transportation and lack of private car ownership. While nearly 90% of Americans drive to their jobs, public transit is the overwhelmingly dominant form of travel for residents of Manhattan.

Manhattan has various colleges and universities (see List of colleges and universities in New York City). The list includes Columbia University as well as New York University (NYU) and Fordham University. Other schools include New York Institute of Technology, Pace University, Cooper Union and The New School.

The world-renowned City University of New York (CUNY) is the municipal college system of New York City. The City University is the largest urban university system in the United States as well as the third largest system in terms of enrollment. A third of college graduates in New York City graduate from CUNY, with the institution enrolling about half of all college students in New York City. CUNY senior colleges located in Manhattan include: Baruch College, City College of New York, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and the CUNY Graduate Center (graduate studies and doctoral granting institution). The only CUNY community college located in Manhattan is the Borough of Manhattan Community College.