If you lie about your hometown, why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is for people who, when asked where they're from, will say the current city they live in, rather than where they grew up.

Aka someone who grew up in Utah, but is living in NYC, and when they meet someone new and asked, the say "New York".

Why do you do it? Is it shame about your hometown? Wishing you could have grown up in someplace more sophisticated?

OP, I know people from (very) affluent areas who are down to earth, and I know total a-holes from the back woods. I think people from DCUM land have it all wrong.

Some people are embarrassed about who they are - but if you are not a a-hole, and you know how to act, how to treat others, it is a reflection of how you feel about yourself - so what does it matter, really?

If you think you are better than other people, or at least act that way - that stems from serious insecurities. Deal with your sh&t.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:
When visiting the MIL in Chevy Chase, one of the busy bodies in the neighborhood stopped me to ask "Where are you from?" This was the second question after ascertaining I was the son in law. It was very odd. But, I think all of Chevy Chase residents are pretty odd.

Why in the world did this bother you? Is it because you feel where you're from is inferior to Chevy Chase?

The busybodies in Chevy Chase? Hardly. Does your second question about my entire existence have to be my hometown?

And that is a standard "getting to know you" question so I'm curious why you're so offended by it? I sense you're not being honest about the inferiority issue. Cause this is really bizarre.

When asked in Chevy Chase, by a random busybody yenta no less, it's a passive-aggressive attempt to tease out if he comes from money or not.

And you know this how? because you're a psychic? How do you know the person is a "yenta", either? The very bizarre projection says it all.

Besides, if someone did come from money, they wouldn't mind the question. Or if they didnt come from money but were fine with it. It's only someone who wants to hide something that gets angry about being questioned. Notice that poster refused to say where he was from... exactly. Shame.

^Wrong if someone truly comes from money they rarely talk about it.

They wouldn't mind answering a very vague and standard question about where they're from, that's for sure[/quote]

+1

[Anonymous]

What I don't understand is the people from podunk who don't even attempt to be gracious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hometown (entire home state, really) is a national embarrassment full of backwards rednecks, and I got tired of the stereotypes. Much easier to say I've lived in DC longer than anywhere else than to grit-smile through ignorant comments about not having an accent or seeming well-educated.

Floridian, huh?

Just because you're ignorant about what it's like to actually live in Florida and not just visit when you're escaping the cold doesn't mean everyone is.

[Anonymous]

I lived in 4 different cities from birth to 18y. I have lived in my current city for 28y (came for college and never left.) So this is where I am from. If someone asked where I grew up, I would say "Oh, we moved around a lot...I lived in..."

[Anonymous]

Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

Clearly most people are less black and white thinkers than you and understand that “where are you from” depends on the context. If I’m traveling in Europe and meet a fellow American who asks me where I’m from I’m going to say the “DC area”, which is where I currently live and have resided for the last 20 years. In this context it would feel far more of a misrepresentation (and awkward if further questioned) to name the California town that I grew up in but haven’t lived in since age 14 or visited in over 15 years and no longer have family ties to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

No, what everyone knows is that there are different contexts in which "where are your from" means different things.

If you're talking to a friend or coworker at your NYC job or at an NYC dinner party and it's obvious that you both live somewhere in the general vicinity, it means "where did you grow up."

If you're at a work conference where everyone's from somewhere else, it means "where do you live."

If it's an ambiguous context there's nothing wrong with saying where you live unless they specifically asked where you grew up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

Clearly most people are less black and white thinkers than you and understand that “where are you from” depends on the context. If I’m traveling in Europe and meet a fellow American who asks me where I’m from I’m going to say the “DC area”, which is where I currently live and have resided for the last 20 years. In this context it would feel far more of a misrepresentation (and awkward if further questioned) to name the California town that I grew up in but haven’t lived in since age 14 or visited in over 15 years and no longer have family ties to.

When traveling it's different. But, as stated in the OP, we're talking about people who answer that question WHILE in DC. EVERYONE knows what's being asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

It’s not always that simple.

I’ve lived in the following places:

Buffalo, NY — up to age 8
Westchester County, NY — age 8-14
NYC — 14-18 (parents still live there)
DC (in the District) — 18-25
Chicago — 25-27
DC (in NoVA, the District, and now MoCo) — 27-34 (present)

So where do I say I’m from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

So if you are traveling with your nuclear family and a fellow tourist making conversation asks where you are from you list each family member’s original place of birth???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

It’s not always that simple.

I’ve lived in the following places:

Buffalo, NY — up to age 8
Westchester County, NY — age 8-14
NYC — 14-18 (parents still live there)
DC (in the District) — 18-25
Chicago — 25-27
DC (in NoVA, the District, and now MoCo) — 27-34 (present)

So where do I say I’m from?

It is simple.
You're from New York.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

It’s not always that simple.

I’ve lived in the following places:

Buffalo, NY — up to age 8
Westchester County, NY — age 8-14
NYC — 14-18 (parents still live there)
DC (in the District) — 18-25
Chicago — 25-27
DC (in NoVA, the District, and now MoCo) — 27-34 (present)

So where do I say I’m from?

You're from New York and you currently live in the DC area. This is easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone knows what "where are you FROM?" means.

You are FROM New York if you grew up there, period. You LIVE there if you live there at the moment.

Stop playing dumb, people.

It’s not always that simple.

I’ve lived in the following places:

Buffalo, NY — up to age 8
Westchester County, NY — age 8-14
NYC — 14-18 (parents still live there)
DC (in the District) — 18-25
Chicago — 25-27
DC (in NoVA, the District, and now MoCo) — 27-34 (present)

So where do I say I’m from?

It is simple.
You're from New York.

+1
These faux displays of confusion are so taxing

[Anonymous]

Maybe the people don’t like you and don’t want to bother getting into a deeper conversation with you about anything. Maybe your breath stinks. Who can really say?