Charlie Hatton has put together a handy guide for all those outatownas:
Boston Misconception #3: Bostonians are jealous of New Yorkers.
This just simply isn't true. It appears to be a nasty rumor perpetrated by Manhattanites -- probably hatched and texted around while they're stuck in gridlock rush hour traffic.
In reality, the two towns are distinct enough to foster strong preferences for one or the other -- but hardly jealousy of what the other has going on. If you want an academic atmosphere, distributed green space and roads that take thirty-seven years to build and never have their potholes patched, you come to Boston. If you're more interested in metropolitan boom, one big-assed park and getting felt up, propositioned or drooled on in a subway car, then NYC is the place for you. I don't see the controversy, frankly.
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Comments
Correction: Only people who
By anon
Sat, 04/16/2011 - 11:52am
Correction: Only people who move to Boston from out of state care what anyone thinks of Boston's opinion of New York. If you're really from Boston, the matter doesn't occur to you to discuss. Now go back to your Times crossword puzzle.
Myths
By anon
Sat, 04/16/2011 - 4:07pm
Somehow, I don't see a New Yorker feeling the need to write about a supposed rivalry between New York and Boston.
I'd just like to write some similar myth-dispelling here...
* MYTH: There's a mutually acknowledged rivalry between anon and the general group of Nobel prize winners and sex-symbol movie stars.
FACT: Ha, ha. I wouldn't call it a rivalry per se. They have their fans and I have my fans. Oftentimes, their fans migrate to me.
* MYTH: The wearing of brown loafers is of immense importance to anon.
FACT: While I recognize that countless other people throughout the world give much thought to my shoe fashion preferences, I'd like people to know that brown loafers specifically are not that important to me and that people everywhere may resume purchasing all styles of shoes.
* MYTH: Anyone outside of anon's small circle gives a flying fudge about anon, enough to hold conceptions about him that need dispelling.
FACT: Well, I'm sure this one is true, hence this myth-dispelling. I really am the center of the universe, despite all evidence to the contrary. Hey, look at my brother, with all the academic accomplishments, and my sister, with the medical and pharma establishments. I guess you could say that an atmosphere of academics and industry surrounds me. Now excuse me while I go scratch my jock, play with a ball, and drive like a psychopath. I can do these things because I am the center of the universe and everyone else cares.
I could do this line by line
By anon
Sat, 04/16/2011 - 4:12pm
People do not think that. Look at the movies. People think Bostonians are illiterate thugs who talk funny and care too much about baseball.
This everyone else is local to Boston. Most people elsewhere do not drive as badly.
If you're more interested in
By escapedfromeastie
Sun, 04/17/2011 - 3:09pm
Boston has a metropolitan boom, but it cannot be compared to NYC both for its size and style. The same can be said for the "academic atmosphere".
NYC has more than one park; Central Park just gets all the attention because of its aforementioned big-assedness. Not unlike Boston's Public Garden & Boston Common. Big cities need a big central park. Chicago has Lincoln Park, Buffalo has Delaware Park, Providence has Roger Williams Park. Are there other parks distributed throughout the cities? Sure, but one has to take the spotlight.
Finally, getting felt up, propositioned and drooled on is kind of a standard public transportation experience in any city worth its salt. Boston included. And by "propositioned" I assume he means having some dude expose his junk.
I have lived in both cities an equal amount of time now. It's completely fact that some people in the Boston metro area have a chip on their shoulder about NYC. The local news especially exacerbates this, including a certain Boston-area news blog. This straight up does not happen in NYC. For me, it's what makes Boston, Boston.
Some myths about Manhattan in there...
By X
Sun, 04/17/2011 - 7:38pm
"Manhattanites -- probably hatched and texted around while they're stuck in gridlock rush hour traffic"
Huh? Nobody drives in Manhattan. We have a little thing called the Subway you may have heard of. Those idiots in the gridlock are from upstate and Jersey.