Why do people from Memphis, TN think they are better than people from Jackson, MS?

[vetteking]

I have had this question for years as I have encountered people who held their nose up high in disgust as I tell them I'm from Jackson, MS. I know Mississippi has its history but that doesn't give someone the right to think they are better than someone. There was racial tensions all over the south not just in Mississippi. Also, Memphis, TN has its struggles just like Jackson. It has crime, poverty, food deserts and other challenges. So this leads me to wonder why do people from Memphis think they are so much better than folks from Jackson, MS? What in the past has lead them to believe they are. Elvis was proud to say he was born in Mississippi but raised in Memphis. This level of disrespect people from Memphis show to Jackson is not warranted as people from Jackson has no ill-will towards Memphis. Has Tennessee and Mississippi always had a friendly competition dated back decades? Please someone help me understand this because they way this person looked at me stuck with me and I have always wondered if other Mississippians dealt with this too.

[Centropolis]

I've never heard of this, myself. My mom lived in Memphis for some time, and I still have family there and in north Mississippi. I doubt you will get many responses for this - not too many people familiar with the mid-south outside of Nashville.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

I've never heard of this, myself. My mom lived in Memphis for some time, and I still have family there and in north Mississippi. I doubt you will get many responses for this - not too many people familiar with the mid-south outside of Nashville.

Oh ok I guess it was just one odd instance then. and I had no idea I went off how many thread views Memphis development thread had and thought people were familiar with this topic.

[DCReid]

Well, if people from Memphis are sticking their nose up to Jackson, they are focused on the wrong issue. The issue is that TN is growing, and its most of its metros are gaining an influx of businesses and population, with the notable exception of Memphis. In particular, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanoga are growing. According to Wiki, Memphis was the only TN metro not to grow from since 2020. As recently as 1990, Nashville and Memphis were the same size in metro population, and now Nashville has 50% more people. Knoxville may very well surpass Memphis within 20-30 years, dropping Memphis to third in TN. And I believe that Memphis has been one of the slower growing metros in TN and the south for the last few decades. Memphis should hope that it does not start to lose its big HQ company -- Fedex -- to Nashville, Dallas or Atlanta -- or its basketball team to Nashville.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrop...atistical_area

[Steely Dan]

I have a feeling that condescension from some people, who live in bigger cities, towards those living in smaller cities in their region, is somewhat common. I've certainly witnessed it from some Chicagoans towards cities like Milwaukee, St. Louis, Indy, etc.

Often times these attitudes are additionally fueled by sports rivalries, but I have no idea if that's a factor in the Memphis/Jackson dynamic.

Just keep in mind that while some in Memphis might look down on Jackson, I'm sure there are plenty of others who have a fairly neutral opinion about it, or even have a positive view of it, but those voices are usually quieter than the Negative Nellies.

[Cashville]

For whatever reason that’s just how life works, people who live in larger cities tend to think they are better than people in smaller ones and can be dismissive, and how dare someone live in a rural area? Larger cities in general are obviously able to attract more top talent and are regional hubs for jobs and whatnot, but they also attract a lot of really shitty people. as well.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by DCReid

Well, if people from Memphis are sticking their nose up to Jackson, they are focused on the wrong issue. The issue is that TN is growing, and its most of its metros are gaining an influx of businesses and population, with the notable exception of Memphis. In particular, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanoga are growing. According to Wiki, Memphis was the only TN metro not to grow from since 2020. As recently as 1990, Nashville and Memphis were the same size in metro population, and now Nashville has 50% more people. Knoxville may very well surpass Memphis within 20-30 years, dropping Memphis to third in TN. And I believe that Memphis has been one of the slower growing metros in TN and the south for the last few decades. Memphis should hope that it does not start to lose its big HQ company -- Fedex -- to Nashville, Dallas or Atlanta -- or its basketball team to Nashville.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrop...atistical_area

Wow I had no idea. But I kinda figured this because of how much Southaven, Olive Branch and Horn Lake are growing so. But omg at Knoxville I guess UT graduates are staying in town after graduation because of influx of companies opening shop there. I don't see it likely that Fedex would every move but I do think Memphis will lose their NBA team to San Jose, CA (as the owner lives there) or to Nashville or Seattle. But thank you for this information as I had no idea Memphis wasn't growing as other Southern metros.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I have a feeling that condescension from some people, who live in bigger cities, towards those living in smaller cities in their region, is somewhat common. I've certainly witnessed it from some Chicagoans towards cities like Milwaukee, St. Louis, Indy, etc.

Often times these attitudes are additionally fueled by sports rivalries, but I have no idea if that's a factor in the Memphis/Jackson dynamic.

Just keep in mind that while some in Memphis might look down on Jackson, I'm sure there are plenty of others who have a fairly neutral opinion about it, or even have a positive view of it, but those voices are usually quieter than the Negative Nellies.

Really well thats sad everyone should treat people as family because we all want same things in life, no matter where we come from. But yeah I sure more people are positive and don't care negative energy in their heart because of where someone was born.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by Cashville

For whatever reason that’s just how life works, people who live in larger cities tend to think they are better than people in smaller ones and can be dismissive, and how dare someone live in a rural area? Larger cities in general are obviously able to attract more top talent and are regional hubs for jobs and whatnot, but they also attract a lot of really shitty people. as well.

This is great way to look at and I had no idea like Steely Dan mentioned bigger cities have rivarly and I guess with Ole Miss/or Miss State vs UT Knoxville/or Memphis Tigers there would be animousity towards one another. But I also would say the smaller cities have talent too just not talked about because people don't get to see or hear about their talent.

[iheartthed]

This reminds me of when Lebron left Cleveland for Miami and went scorched earth:

It's not far, but it is far. And Clevelanders, because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us.... So we didn't actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There's a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day.

https://cleveland.sbnation.com/2010/...ates-cleveland

[kool maudit]

Wow this is a really old school type of post. We used to do this all day.

[BnaBreaker]

I'm sure there are plenty of people in Jackson who look down on places like Hattiesburg. Unfortunately that's just how some people are. But certainly not everyone im Memphis thinks that. The family members I have in the Memphis area speak highly of Mississippi, even occasionally calling Memphis 'the largest city in Mississippi.'

Also, I don't think there is any danger in the Grizz leaving Memphis anytime soon for a variety of reasons.

[ColDayMan]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

Wow this is a really old school type of post. We used to do this all day.

I'm glad those days are gone.

To answer the question, I think it's a combination of larger/smaller metro difference and a slight state rivalry within the Memphis Metropolitan Area. I stay in Southaven, MS occasionally for work and I've noticed people in that part of MS generally talk down on TN, but not really Memphis. Then when I work in Midtown Memphis, the TN folks talk down on the MS folks. Neither mention Arkansas, ya know, across the river from their downtown.

And to be fair, a lady I know who's from Jackson, MS talked down to a fellow co-worker from Meridian, MS as if she was trailer trash. As a northerner, I found it fascinating.

[MolsonExport]

This seems like a version of the "Vs." city threads that used to predominate on SSP, and which did little to advance any debates besides attracting the attention of mud-slingers and homers.

I wouldn't be surprised if this thread gets closed soon, consequentially.

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by vetteking

Wow I had no idea. But I kinda figured this because of how much Southaven, Olive Branch and Horn Lake are growing so. But omg at Knoxville I guess UT graduates are staying in town after graduation because of influx of companies opening shop there. I don't see it likely that Fedex would every move but I do think Memphis will lose their NBA team to San Jose, CA (as the owner lives there) or to Nashville or Seattle. But thank you for this information as I had no idea Memphis wasn't growing as other Southern metros.

I think Knoxville and Chattanooga might be growing more because TN is attracting more and more retirees as well. I've read that Nashville is a fairly expensive metro even though it is also growing, so the other metros are probably attractive because of their lower costs. You can say never concerning Fedex, but it's not all that uncommon to move its most senior execs to the more prominent and more easily accessible metros, while keeping the bulk of the other employees in the departing city. It seems like Memphis was at one time in a great position to be a southern business magnet as it is between DFW and Atlanta, but it just did not happen, except perhaps for transportation. And now Nashville has taken the role.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by vetteking

I have had this question for years as I have encountered people who held their nose up high in disgust as I tell them I'm from Jackson, MS. I know Mississippi has its history but that doesn't give someone the right to think they are better than someone.

As off putting as it is, I wouldn't take stuff like that too seriously. Some places do have benefits and advantages but what matters is that you like where you're from and chose to live there. Then there are people who put down other people or places to make them feel better about themselves. It says more about them, really.

[SIGSEGV]

Big pyramid energy, I guess.


More seriously, I suspect it's a bit of projection for being TN"s laggard.

[JManc]

Jackson just needs to step up their game and build an icosahedron Bass Pro Shop.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by vetteking

I don't see it likely that Fedex would every move but I do think Memphis will lose their NBA team to San Jose, CA (as the owner lives there) or to Nashville or Seattle. But thank you for this information as I had no idea Memphis wasn't growing as other Southern metros.

Not San Jose. The entire Bay Area worships the Warriors with the vigor of a thousand suns.

[vetteking]

Originally Posted by JManc

Jackson just needs to step up their game and build an icosahedron Bass Pro Shop.

I agree with you this would bring in the tourist