Why is Philly so often overlooked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

I bet neither of you are actually from Philadelphia and have a limited pool that you’re referring to.

Well, you’d be wrong about at least one of the above. Born there as were several generations behind me. My parents saw the writing on the wall and encouraged me to go to a college that was out of the mainstream for most Philadelphians and go into a career that enabled me to work in many different places. They saw that Philly was going downhill and that the opportunities that used to be there just were not anymore.

I see many of my high school classmates who are stuck there now and, frankly, many of them don’t see how stuck they are because they never lived anywhere else. Except Penn State. Oh, and a few years in New York City where all they had to do was hop on the train and come home to Philly whenever they felt like it. It’s pretty sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

I bet neither of you are actually from Philadelphia and have a limited pool that you’re referring to.

DP, born and raised in Philly with 5 siblings. All of us are out except one who still lives and work in downtown.

[Anonymous]

Philly and its burbs are dominated by people who value family, recreation, faith, hobbies, and/or hanging out down the shore over maximizing success in income and career. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

Funny enough, this describes where I grew up, with everyone with potential moving to the “big city” (Philly).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

I bet neither of you are actually from Philadelphia and have a limited pool that you’re referring to.

Well, you’d be wrong about at least one of the above. Born there as were several generations behind me. My parents saw the writing on the wall and encouraged me to go to a college that was out of the mainstream for most Philadelphians and go into a career that enabled me to work in many different places. They saw that Philly was going downhill and that the opportunities that used to be there just were not anymore.

I see many of my high school classmates who are stuck there now and, frankly, many of them don’t see how stuck they are because they never lived anywhere else. Except Penn State. Oh, and a few years in New York City where all they had to do was hop on the train and come home to Philly whenever they felt like it. [/b]It’s pretty sad.[b]

Why? You’re so judgmental. Some people value being close to friends and family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s crappy. It’s like a low class Pittsburgh. I group both together with Baltimore. And I’m a Pittsburgher.

Eww Pittsburgh is in the Midwest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

I bet neither of you are actually from Philadelphia and have a limited pool that you’re referring to.

Well, you’d be wrong about at least one of the above. Born there as were several generations behind me. My parents saw the writing on the wall and encouraged me to go to a college that was out of the mainstream for most Philadelphians and go into a career that enabled me to work in many different places. They saw that Philly was going downhill and that the opportunities that used to be there just were not anymore.

I see many of my high school classmates who are stuck there now and, frankly, many of them don’t see how stuck they are because they never lived anywhere else. Except Penn State. Oh, and a few years in New York City where all they had to do was hop on the train and come home to Philly whenever they felt like it. It’s pretty sad.

It’s pretty sad living in the DC area too. So glad to be out of that decade long prison. Why do you people think that living in the DMV is so much better than living in a real city like Philly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philly has been dying since the 70s. Everyone I know who is UMC to rich left for college and never looked back — braindrain did a number on Philly and Mainline burbs.

Even the middle class and working class kids I knew who were smart and did well academically did the same thing- went to a good college and left for good. The kids who went to Penn State or the other state universities basically never got out. They returned and spent their adult lives hangout with the same group of people they went to high school with.

Anyone with any potential figured out early on the Philly is a dead end and they made better lives elsewhere.

I bet neither of you are actually from Philadelphia and have a limited pool that you’re referring to.

Well, you’d be wrong about at least one of the above. Born there as were several generations behind me. My parents saw the writing on the wall and encouraged me to go to a college that was out of the mainstream for most Philadelphians and go into a career that enabled me to work in many different places. They saw that Philly was going downhill and that the opportunities that used to be there just were not anymore.

I see many of my high school classmates who are stuck there now and, frankly, many of them don’t see how stuck they are because they never lived anywhere else. Except Penn State. Oh, and a few years in New York City where all they had to do was hop on the train and come home to Philly whenever they felt like it. It’s pretty sad.

Or maybe they’re happy there. My cousins who moved away and then back certainly are. They lived in NYC, Austin, Boulder, and abroad, and all chose to eventually settle back in Philly in their early 30s. And they’re happy. I’d have done the same if my job allowed. I’ve lived in many cities including DC, Boston, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Lyon. I’d be happiest in Philly with Boston a close second, except I don’t have family there so not an option for me.

[Anonymous]

What are the acceptable American towns & cities to DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son’s first choice is Drexel but I like St. Joe’s better. I think I like the area around St. Joe’s better.

I love St. Joe's! I think it's a great choice. Kids are savvy and can get to Center City very easily if they want to. And if they don't want to ... they have a much more "traditional" campus experience than the Temple/Drexel/Penn kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the acceptable American towns & cities to DCUM?

Basically just DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s filthy and disgusting?

- but vibrant too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do the nicest neighborhoods in DC and Philly compare?

There is not a single acceptable zoned public high school within Philly itself.

This is not true. My sister and I went to Girls' high and my brother went to Central

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Threads like these are stark reminders that this website is full of old white lady fuddy dudies. The grit! The crime! The schools! It's always the same old thing. Your world is every bit as insular as you claim the life of the average Philadelphian is.

Hey you are sexist and ageist. I am white and female and I love Philly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do the nicest neighborhoods in DC and Philly compare?

There is not a single acceptable zoned public high school within Philly itself.

This is not true. My sister and I went to Girls' high and my brother went to Central

I don’t think either of those schools are what they once were. Did you go before Central was coed?

Philly has terrible public schools, but there are some decent schools systems in the suburbs. And many of the schools in the suburbs are run by the townships, rather than the gigantic county systems we have here. The problem is, even if you’re in the suburbs with good schools to send your kids to, you are still close to the city and it’s many problems. The city’s problems will affect your quality of life, even if you are outside the city lines.