What Do People In Chicago Really Think About Detroit?

**Dbest** · July-01-15, 09:36 AM

The video is a little hokey but entertaining none the less...

**313WX** · July-01-15, 09:41 AM

What reason would folks in Chicago have to think about Detroit?

Detroit hasn't been relevant as a viable city [[as a place to visit or do business) nor a functional comparison to Chicago since the 1970s.

Now, "Michigan" [[as in the tourist areas up north and the suburbs) is a different story...

**TTime** · July-01-15, 10:59 AM

They don't unless it's in regard to pro sports or renting their apartment to another Ex Metro Detroiter. That's not me attempting to be a smart ass either. This town just isn't on their radar and why would it be? The more I think about it this video is really strange. Imagine if someone from Gary, Indiana or Flint was walking around downtown asking questions to determine what Detroiters really felt about their town.

**dtowncitylover** · July-01-15, 01:16 PM

Why the hell do we care what people with an inferiority complex towards New York think about us?

**Mackinaw** · July-01-15, 09:23 PM

Actually a pretty great, not unfair video.

But like Dtown says: who cares?!?

**Honky Tonk** · July-01-15, 10:29 PM

Sorry, but I thought the video was a bit lame. Asking a bunch of people who had never been here what they thought of it? I hope they do a sequel and ask a bunch of who had never been to Zermatt what they thought of that.

**Chicago48** · July-02-15, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Sorry, but I thought the video was a bit lame. Asking a bunch of people who had never been here what they thought of it? I hope they do a sequel and ask a bunch of who had never been to Zermatt what they thought of that.

This feels like a college assignment for a student in a media program. It's useless, but he probably got a good grade for doing it.

**Honky Tonk** · July-02-15, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

This feels like a college assignment for a student in a media program. It's useless, but he probably got a good grade for doing it.

Good assessment, you're probably right.

**gumby** · July-02-15, 06:41 AM

Who gives a fuck?

**Honky Tonk** · July-02-15, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by gumby

Who gives a fuck?

So eloquently put......

**Dan Wesson** · July-02-15, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by gumby

Who gives a fuck?

ahh, Chicago, odoriferous Chicago

During the mid 1700s, the Chicago area was inhabited primarily by Potawatomis, who took the place of the Miami and Sauk and Fox who had controlled the area previously. The name Chicago originates from "Checagou" [[Chick-Ah-Goo-Ah) or "Checaguar" which in the Potawatomi language means 'wild onions' or 'skunk'. The area was so named because of the smell of rotting marshland wild leeks [[ramps) that used to cover it."

**noise** · July-02-15, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Why the hell do we care what people with an inferiority complex towards New York think about us?

Well, given our own inferiority complex towards Chicago, it makes perfect sense.

**313WX** · July-02-15, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by noise

Well, given our own inferiority complex towards Chicago, it makes perfect sense.

Yeah, I thought I was the only one who saw the irony in that post...

**iheartthed** · July-02-15, 09:08 AM

Yeah, who cares? Many people outside of Chicago and Detroit confuse the two with each other pretty regularly, anyway. They're interchangeable in the minds of a lot of people in the same way you might confuse Dallas and Houston or St. Louis and Kansas City.

**313WX** · July-02-15, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Many people outside of Chicago and Detroit confuse the two with each other pretty regularly, anyway.

In recent decades, I've never heard "Chicago" and "Detroit" spoken in the same sentence comparatively, let along have I heard people confuse the two...

**iheartthed** · July-02-15, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

In recent decades, I've never heard "Chicago" and "Detroit" spoken in the same sentence comparatively, let along have I heard people confuse the two...

Because you live there and I don't. Most of the people I discuss Detroit with have no ties to either Detroit or Chicago.

**313WX** · July-02-15, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Because you live there and I don't.

That has nothing to do with it.

I know Chicago and Detroit were both spoken in the same breath all of the time during the 1940 to 1970s because they were almost strikingly similar in terms of size, development, infrastructure and functionality. But no one speaks of them in the same breath any more because all of the aforementioned is no longer the case.

Chicago has a vibrant downtown and Detroit doesn't. Chicago has nearly 3 million people and Detroit only has just over 500,000 people. Majority of Chicago's neighborhoods aren't bombed out while majority of DEtroit's neighborhoods are. Chicago has one of the best rapid transit systems in the US while Detroit has virtually no reliable mass transporation. Chicago is home to a variety of major industries while DEtroit is still only home to the Auto Industry. Chicago is a top 5 media market while DEtroit isn't even a top 10 media market.

Perhaps the folks you hang around with just live in a bubble...

**iheartthed** · July-02-15, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

That has nothing to do with it.

I know Chicago and Detroit were both spoken in the same breath all of the time during the 1940 to 1970s because they were almost strikingly similar in terms of size, development, infrastructure and functionality. But no one speaks of them in the same breath any more because all of the aforementioned is no longer the case.

Chicago has a vibrant downtown and Detroit doesn't. Chicago has nearly 3 million people and Detroit only has just over 500,000 people. Majority of Chicago's neighborhoods aren't bombed out while majority of DEtroit's neighborhoods are. Chicago has one of the best rapid transit systems in the US while Detroit has virtually no reliable mass transporation. Chicago is home to a variety of major industries while DEtroit is still only home to the Auto Industry. Chicago is a top 5 media market while DEtroit isn't even a top 10 media market.

Perhaps the folks you hang around with just live in a bubble...

Cool story, bro.

**TTime** · July-02-15, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, who cares? Many people outside of Chicago and Detroit confuse the two with each other pretty regularly, anyway. They're interchangeable in the minds of a lot of people in the same way you might confuse Dallas and Houston or St. Louis and Kansas City.

I'm pretty sure no one with half of a brain has confused Chicago for Detroit or vice versa since The Grateful Dead or Jackson Brown way back in the day.

**iheartthed** · July-02-15, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by TTime

I'm pretty sure no one with half of a brain has confused Chicago for Detroit or vice versa since The Grateful Dead or Jackson Brown way back in the day.

You would be surprised at how many people don't really care enough about Detroit or Chicago to differentiate much between the two.

**TTime** · July-02-15, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

You would be surprised at how many people don't really care enough about Detroit or Chicago to differentiate much between the two.

Ha actually no I wouldn't. There are plenty of dumb people out there and also plenty of somewhat intelligent people who simply haven't traveled much. Having said that no one who's been to both cities is going to confuse them.

**313WX** · July-02-15, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Cool story, bro.

Thanks for the insightful response.

**313WX** · July-02-15, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by TTime

Ha actually no I wouldn't. There are plenty of dumb people out there and also plenty of somewhat intelligent people who simply haven't traveled much. Having said that no one who's been to both cities is going to confuse them.

Heck, anyone who has family/friends in both cities [[and you'll be hard pressed to find any individual who doesn't have a relative that lives in Michigan) or regular access to the media would know there's no way to confuse both cities, unless they're just dumb or living under a rock...

**Bham1982** · July-02-15, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Heck, anyone who has family/friends in both cities [[and you'll be hard pressed to find any individual who doesn't have a relative that lives in Michigan) or regular access to the media would know there's no way to confuse both cities, unless they're just dumb or living under a rock...

He probably means people outside the Midwest. Yeah, locally, everyone knows the differences, but not in other parts of the country.

If you ask someone in California or New York, it's all the same thing. Cows and factories and urban decline, everywhere from Ohio west to the Great Plains.

**dtowncitylover** · July-02-15, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Well, given our own inferiority complex towards Chicago, it makes perfect sense.

I really don't think we do have an inferiority complex. Most Detroiters like Chicago for what it is, a quasi-urban oasis that's fun for the weekend, but I think most self-aware people around here enjoy Detroit just as much and prefer it over Chicago. We don't try to think we're the best place around. I love Detroit, but even I can realize New York City is one of the greatest cities on earth. Chicago likes to self-aggrandize itself, we're a lot more humble because of what we've been through.