<p>Wow. KameronSmith but it is comments like yours with a velil of smug superiority only the Northeast can produce (my guess is you are from the NE), that makes me dislike CC at times. I have seen it many times in the form of either a thin veneer or outright display of believed intellectual superiority or pretentiuosness. Usually it comes from those on the coasts, and more often than not it is from someone in the NorthEast. (no offense to the many wonderful northeasterners), the “nothing truly worthwhile or better exists east of the Hudson River” attitude I saw much of while in New York. BTW, I have lived in NYC, Chicago, 2 large Ohio cities, Nashville, Florida and Coastal SC (have relatives in CT and coastal CA) and after all those years, even though I currently live on the southeast coast, found that the Midwesterners have the best combination of intellect, character and good-naturedness. More often than not, they also have the good taste NOT to act superior even if they are highly educated, wealthy or successful. This was one of the main differences I saw between the midwest and south compared to the NE. </p>
<p>You may be right about the actual concentration of wealth on the coasts, though I don’t know, but your sports vs intellect statement doesn’t hold up. If sports and intellect or success are related, why do so many law-firms, investment firms in New York and Coastal LA etc consider buying and giving tickets to Knicks, Lakers, Giants etc games such a great perk? BTW, I had a number of professors who loved sports- whether tennis, football, soccer, baseball etc. Perhaps you live in a state without many well known or interesting professional or university sports teams? </p>
<p>In the end, I certainly hope you expand yourself culturally (I mean US cultures within other geographic regions outside your own) to gain a different perspective and lose the NE’er attitude. You are still young, so there is hope :)</p>
<p>For the record, I don’t hate the Midwest. In fact, one of my top choices is UChicago.</p>
<p>But I am frustrated when people try to pretend the Midwest is somehow better than the Northeast. Just because people aren’t snobby or intellectual doesn’t mean you’re better. Such comments wreak of Palinesque “real America” categories.</p>
<p>Midwest isn’t necessarily better, just seems more well rounded with more pleasant personalities-that was my experience. You cannot deny, as the Westchester County poster alluded to, that the Northeast really does think they are “all that”. It comes across in so many ways. Sorry if I came across as Palinesque-God Forbid, but seriuosly examine the northeastern attitude. I see it in my niece and nephew and began to develop it myself. Hard to notice when you live among it, but when you leave it, it is quite obvious and to others, well I will quote my five-year-old, “it’s icky”.</p>
Yea that’s completely pretentious actually. Both my uncles are MD/Ph.D’s (read: WAY better educated than you) and would rather go golfing and watch the Twins (yea midwest!) then go to the theater for sure. You’re one of those kids that thinks they have the whole world already figured out.</p>
<p>Haha. Well, comparing metropolitan centers in either region is apples to oranges. That’s a separate debate. I respect your trusting of yourself.</p>
<p>FYI to ShanghaiABC: The reason that only half the Northwestern dorms have air-conditioning is because from Sept to June, when Northwestern is in session, air conditioning is rarely needed. The summer is different, and my guess is that the reason Northwestern offers air conditioning in half its dorms is so that it can offer air-conditioned dorm rooms to its summer students/conference attendees.</p>
<p>A much more important question to ask would be: How well does the dorm’s heating work in the winter?</p>
<p>All that said, Northwestern is right on Lake Michigan, and has a nice breeze, but overall, it’s actually a little warmer there in winter compared to other parts of Chicago, and a little cooler in summer. (I don’t go to NU, but live a few miles away.)</p>
<p>“The standard for human beings is just higher.”</p>
<p>LULZ! What an intelligent, ‘educated’ statement. I originally thought that this was complete ********, and that it in no way could be a legitimate reason for why the Northeast is better than the Midwest (a question I really have no solid opinion on), but then the guy ended with the reassurance of “trust me”, therefore it must be true.</p>
<p>I’m old enough to know: A higher GPA or attending an Ivy League school does not guarantee happiness in your life, your job, your marriage, etc.</p>
<p>I’ve read no statistics that people in the Northeast are happier, or have a lower divorce rate, or are more content in their jobs, than people in any other part of the country.</p>
<p>A job that you hate, despite a great salary, makes for an unhappy life.</p>
<p>I meet people in their 50’s and 60’s who are still bragging about where they prepped or went to college, and I feel very sad for them because they are stuck in the past. People like this, in my experience, are stuck in the past, because their lives now aren’t so great. </p>
<p>When you’re young, you should definitely try to go for it all, but often life has other ideas, no matter what part of the country you live in or what school you attended.</p>
<p>Indiana is the “arm pit” of the Midwest (aside from Indianapolis, Bloomington and a few other places).</p>
<p>It would be fairer to compare Indiana w/ LI or the Jersey shore.</p>
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<p>The only person who is really putting forth the argument that one region is better than another is you.</p>
<p>As for Chicago, it is a great city (if it were on either coast, it would be regarded as the best large city in the US).</p>
<p>No bias since I love NYC (spent my formative years there), but Chicago is cleaner (and less smelly), more manageable, has that lakefront (and beaches) which stretch the entire length of the city (NYC is attempting to do something similar), and has better summer festivals/block parties.</p>
<p>Also love SF, but I don’t really count it as a large city.</p>
I’m not criticizing you for finding sports “archaic” <em>rolls eyes</em>, I’m criticizing you because you think there is some higher society out there that populates the northeast and only does a certain type of recreational activity, only behaves in a certain way, etc. You think you have it all figure out, but you’re in for a rude awakening once you’re on your own, my friend.</p>