An outsider's view of Filthadelphia from the inside
These are my rants about Philadelphia, the city I'm stuck in. This is not merely a collection of senseless ravings. Everything I write here is opinion coming directly from my own experiences.
Not everyone in Philly is angry or nasty or rude or insane. There are good things and people in this city. When I think of some I post them.
Why do I live here if I hate it so much? I can't afford to move. Yet.
Until that glorious day comes when I can finally leave this wretched place, this is my sounding board. That's all.
“Were you born and raised in Philadelphia?”
This sounds like an innocent question, yes?
Yet when I occasionally ask this of people I meet here, they have no clue that I’ve just insulted them.
It’s a little inside joke with myself that makes me giggle inside every single time.
You’re pathetic. You think everyone who lives here are scum? You’re so pompous, as if no one from New York could do any wrong. There are assholes in every major city, and to think otherwise would be ridiculous. You can look at your own hometown with rose-colored glasses and not see every jerk out there, but they’re there. Xenophobia only breeds hate and discrimination. You’re as disgusting as how you view the city you live in.
You’re the first person to comment in disagreement with me. Thank you for your input!
Unfortunately you seem to have either a case of selective memory or poor reading comprehension.
Not only is the phrase “Not everyone I’ve encountered in Philly behaves like those I describe here. There are good things about this city” clearly stated on every page of this site, but my logs also indicate that you visited my Good Things category. Obviously you have seen that I do not think everyone who lives here is scum. New Yorkers can do no wrong? It would be ridiculous to think that way or make such a statement. I have never indicated anything of the sort.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines xenophobia as “fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign”. How does this apply to the opinions I express here? I have greatly enjoyed my extensive travels, both in this country and abroad.
I have norespectaphobia. This is defined (by me) as aggravation at those who can not live their lives in a way that does not inconvenience others.
The guy who responded like that proves the point you make in your posts!
To answer the above question…. yes!
I have to admit that is sooo true!
Sometimes I’ll have people ask me if I’m from Jersey and I get so mad! Even though my boyfriend of 5 years is from Jersey and only 8 minutes from my house!
I honestly have know idea why we (myself included) take such offense to that! But it was funny being called out for it on here!
PS “ken” chill out! ha ha
I’ve met people who were born and raised here who don’t act like loser assholes. Mostly though my experience has been the same as yours.
This city is home to so many pathetic people. They’re so pathetic they don’t even know it!!!!!!
I am so tired of meeting people from Philadelphia who act friendly and cool, and just turn out to be rotten pricks when they face any kind of challenge. They are so quick to judge others and not accept their own ignorance. Yes, I’m sorry but you are an ass when you act like a know it all and really dont know crap. Philly people stink.
Your a bitch and all you posters are assholes. Get a life.
Ahhh….None so blind as those who will not see.
For Ken and The Native:
This idiom is used when people refuse to accept facts presented to them. (‘None so deaf as those who will not hear’ is an alternative.)
The Philly Phony giving the Philly Brushoff
“Hi. New in town? That’s great! I should show you around Philly! Here is my e-mail and cell.”
“Oh sorry, have to work. I work 60 hours this week and have no time.” (But there is time to swing by a steven starr restaurant to be seen).
“Oh sorry, I am going to a charity event.”
Then, no reply to txt msg’s, calls or e-mails.
Someone from Philly told me that it’s three and out. If you don’t hear from someone after three attempts at communication, it means they didn’t want to talk to you.
Then why did you give out your info, or fake niceties. The Philly Phony…no class.
Hey Ken (comment #1). There are assholes in every city, you are absolutely right. Many leave their cities though and you guessed it…moved to Philly. I have never been surrounded by such loud-mouthed, uneducated, self-entitled, harsh, racist, fake, phony workaholics, classless and undeservedly pretentious people in all my life. I have NO friends from Philly in 11 years (they are all European, Canadian or Mexican, or from out of state (except for my friend from Harrisburg who grew up in DC). I will not drink the Philly Kool-Aid and before you say it, I will be gone soon.
City of Brotherly Love my ass. Nothing could be further form the truth. Stop living in the past Philly. And stop calling yourself the next great city. You have been trying to do this for a few years now and you look so awkward when you think you are cool. No public relations or marketing campaign by the PCVB or GPTMC can unravel the damage done from the negative atmosphere the world knows about this former (I stress former) capital of the US.
@Mel…I almost agree with you 100%. I’ve been here almost 20 years now. Personally I would have NEVER moved here…but I happened across a wonderful man who had a good job here and hence, got stuck in this hell hole upon marriage. (He took on the behaviors of someone not from this area as he did live somewhere else part of the time in his life, and our biggest arguments happen only when I see the “Philly” come out in him!) I also have no friends here but people who came from somewhere else…other transplants that got stuck in the same rut. The only thing I have a hard time agreeing with is: where did you find workaholics?? I have found these people to be among some of the laziest I’ve ever seen. They will walk past their trashcans on the sidewalk for days instead of dragging it back in after collection, or walk past trash in front of their doors a million times instead of bending over to pick it up and dispose of it…hence the trash filled streets. Oh, and lets not forget…the world is their ashtray! It’s a city with no pride. I can count on one hand the folks I’ve met here, who are natives that do not fit these descriptions. God bless those few.
Hey Marie (comment #11)
Please allow me to elaborate on the workaholics comment. You are correct in saying Philadelphians are lazy. May I add to that and say they are also inefficient? Many locals I know “stick around” the office until late because they want their bosses to think that they are “working hard.” Then, on their way home, they swing by a trendy bar (I don’t want to advertise for these bars so I won’t mention their names) in order to be seen by their friends, and to “complain” about their long working hours. Who wears the 60 or 70 hour work week as a badge of honor? Only idiots I say.
In France or Germany, if you are seen in your office after 5 PM, the boss thinks you were inefficient and tells HR they hired the wrong person who requires 60 hours to do a 40 hour job. In Philly, it is seen as “initiative” or “paying your dues.” Total phucking bullshit.
It’s usually easy for me to pick out Filthy natives. They’re the ones wearing pajamas in the supermarket, they’re the ones who do 50 in the left lane, they’re the ones who stop their cars in the middle of the street to have a conversation with a person outside the car and don’t give a shit that they’re blocking the street, the list goes on and on.
I think there’s a look to their faces. The women look hard and worn. The men look stupid.
Philly people are ugly inside and out.
IN MY OPINION, I THINK THAT PHILLY HAS ONE OF THE WORST POPULATIONS IN THE USA. A LOT OF BLACK PHILADELPHIANS HAVE COPIED THE RAPPER FREEWAY”S SUNNI BEARD SO ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS POPULATION TURNS INTO A CLIQUISH-MUSLIM POPULATION. PHILADELPHIA IS A BLUE-COLLAR CITY SO YOU HAVE TO ADEPT TO THE SURROUNDINGS HERE TO BE A POPULAR-SOCIALITE. PHILLY IS NOT A PLACE FOR SQUARES, NERDS, AND PROGRESSIVE-FORWARD THINKING PEOPLE AS WELL AS ANY BLUE-COLLAR CITY IN AMERICA.
UPTOWN SHIZZ-SOXX – dude, they have all either converted to Islam or are in the process of converting. Philadelphia reminds me of certain areas of India that are Muslim-dominated – many long beards and burqas. I have seen one too many beards/burqas in this town and they all speak jive so they are not immigrants from Africa – they are blacks from around here. I know as an Indian I probably should stay out of “your business” but as a follower of Hindu faith it makes me uncomfortable – I came here to get away from all that shit but I find the same shit out here (in filtha-delphia)!!!!
@VIJAY- YEAH I CAN IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA POPULATION. IN THE EARLY 90s, THIS POPULATION USED TO HAVE A MORE CORPORATE IMAGE THAN IT DOES NOW SIMILIAR TO WILL SMITH AND BOYZ 2 MEN. RIGHT NOW IN PHILADELPHIA THE SUNNI-ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS. YOUR BEST BET IS TO KEEP TO YOURSELF IF YOUR AN PROGRESSIVE-THINKER. I FIND MY WAY SOCIALLY TO FIT IN EVEN IF THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE. MY SUGGEST TO YOU IS TO DO YOUR BEST WHEREVER YOUR AT IN YOUR LIFE AND EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT FOR YOU.
This is one pathetic city. I got stuck here too. The city is like the night of the living dead, boring as all hell, the transportation system sucks (what transportation system!) and the people who live here are backward as all hell. The city is depressing and has no civic pride at all.