Quote:
Originally Posted by the urban politician
They aren't telling you anything we don't know. This might sound like sour grapes or Chicagoans just bragging, but the plain truth is that a lot of those cities are just plain overrated when you take into perspective what Chicago has to offer at a much cheaper price. I have witnessed nothing in my personal visits that has managed to unseat this impression, with the exception of NYC, which really is quite a jaw-dropping super-city that operates on another plane.
But alas, this issue grows old. I don't know if it's intentional or something, as if powers that be are trying to keep Chicago out of the limelight (Mike Madigan? Mob? Other entrenched interests?), but getting some serious international PR about Chicago really isn't that difficult, in fact it would be quite easy. Local leadership has pulled off much more difficult and costly endeavors
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Hm, well I wouldn't say the comparisons to Shanghai by them are something we a know.
As far as NYC goes - I'm there literally every week. It's different when you're there alllll the time. They always say that living somewhere and visiting are two different things. I have a unique situation in which I get to be in both Chicago and NYC nearly every week, and work like anybody else in Manhattan. I get asked for directions all the time from tourists. The magic of the place, just like anywhere else, wears off. For over 2 years now, almost every single week, I've been in Manhattan - in the beginning I was excited, but the magic wore off long ago for the most part. I work with many people in the same situation from all over the place - LA, Portland, San Francisco bay area, Atlanta, Ann Arbor, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, etc. Everybody in the beginning was super excited, but for every single person that wore off (except for in regards to maybe Broadway and various museums) within 6 months of being there every single week. My client offered employment to a handful of us and to move to NYC - for everyone who entertained the idea/accepted - it had nothing to do with being in NYC. It had everything to do with the money being offered. Every single person said if they didn't negotiate to enough $$, they'd never consider even moving to NYC. A friend of mine once described NYC as "a half stupid and sometimes nice, sometimes not so nice girl who happens to be hot." You meet her and you are super excited to go on a date with her. The first few times are awesome, and you continue to be excited - then you spend more time with her and realize the other parts. Eventually, your infatuation with her looks wear off and you get beyond that and stop being so shallow. When you're there every week like I am, this is a great description. It is one of the greatest cities in the world, no doubt about it - but this idea that everything there is amazing is such media BS it's not even funny.
Anyway, I'm not sure about the international PR part. The problem is the crime (which is a real issue) permeates to international news now. I have met at least 30 people from Europe and Asia on their travels in Chicago, who all previously thought Chicago would be some crappy looking, run down place with rampant crime everywhere throughout the entire city because of what they see on the news in their countries. Every single one of them was shocked at how nice the city was, and how what they heard on the news was nothing like what they were experiencing first hand. Even my girlfriend would tell me how her parents would mention to her that they saw news of shootings in Chicago on the Chinese news channel and were afraid for me.
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I figured as much but wanted to make sure just in case I was missing out on yet another gem.
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