When I moved to Charlotte at the end of 2003, this was one of my first observations: People here love their cars and especially big ones – Hummers and SUVs of all kind, but particularly luxury makes by Lexus, Cadillac and Mercedes.
Was I jealous, driving around in a Chevy Malibu, even if it was new? No. I’m not really a car person, which is why noticing other people’s wheels was notable. (Of course, I had also just moved from New York, where every other car was a taxicab.)
But this is a city that runs on envy, says Forbes. For what it’s worth, the magazine has named Charlotte the second most jealous city in the U.S. Memphis, Tenn. tops the list of 10 most envious cities.
Forbes says it based the rankings on the country’s 50 most populated cities, with the highest per capita incidences of personal property crimes, as measured last year by the FBI. For every 100,000 people in Charlotte, there are 6,989 property crimes committed – about 19 percent fewer than in Memphis. Auto theft accounted for 7,150 of those crimes.
Numbers aside, what do you think? Is Charlotte a breeding ground for jealousy?
Forbes identified top cities for the other six deadly sins – lust, greed, gluttony, sloth, pride and wrath. But Charlotte didn’t make any of those lists. Should it have? You tell me.
Click here to read the full Forbes report on sinful cities.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hey Jealousy
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Having been here almost exactly 16 years now, I don't think Charlotte runs on jealousy. But Charlotte is definitely a very image-conscious city; there seems to be an institutional desire for Charlotte to look good and to project an air of success at all times. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does sometimes distract from real problems we have as a city. We tend to spend a lot of effort (and money) on high-profile things while ignoring, as long as we can, some of the more basic, less "sexy" needs.
As far as the people of Charlotte go, I think we have probably a touch more of the old "Keeping up with Jones" syndrome than other cities... there's a lot of affluence generated around here by the banks and other businesses, and it's a simple fact that people who earn a lot of money are going to spend it on stuff like expensive cars and oversized houses.
But even so, I think the people of Charlotte are on the whole as nice as you could find anywhere.
Sounds like every other American city...people worried about their image, what they drive, etc. Charlotte is no different. But, this blog entry will bring out the folks who just love to harp on what's "wrong" w/ Charlotte and its citizens.
People in glass houses....
To take it to another meaning - Charlotte is jealous of Atlanta
Take a look at this study by the FBI and I bet you will find the related property crimes or theft of automobiles occurs in certain zip codes or town. I will name town south of Myers Park and North of Hunterville. These areas seem to be the only envious places around Charlotte. It is a matter of those that have it versus those that want it. $$$ will cause you to flaunt just a bit. These zip codes or areas if you looked at real estate values probably match my statment above. Nothing wrong with flaunting it just remember you will always trapped in your KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES' WORLD. Way to go Charlotte how did we come in second!
So Forbes thinks that ranking a city based on it's criminals is a thoughtful way to judge a place? BRILLIANT!
Thank goodness Forbes has finally explained to me that people steal because they are "envious."
I am now officially enlightened.
Is Charlotte a "breeding ground for jealousy?"
No. It's a breeding ground for crime.
The headline here needs to be that Charlotte has the 2nd highest property crime rate IN THE COUNTRY. By reading the Observer, you'd never know that. The most recent article on crime proclaimed how the crime rate had been reduced compared to the previous year. Great, but it's still higher than the 48 other largest metropolitan areas in the country.
C'mon the Observer does not want to say that otherwise the newcomers would stop moving here. Remember Charlotte is called the "Queen City" or better yet a world class city. Noting crime is our local paper would only hurt this image.
Calling itself a world-class city (when it's obviously not ...who cares, no big deal) is a clear example of envy.
I do not agree with Forbes that Charlotte is envious. I think people in Charlotte are dependent on cars for obvious reasons and want a comfortable, dependable, and safe ride because they will be spending so much time in it sitting in traffic and going to places they can't get to with public transportation. I didn't spend the money I did for a luxury car so I could best anyone else. I simply wanted something that would do the above and not be worn out when I paid the last payment.
Charlotte tries to keep up with the Jones' like every other city. We're no different. To comment on another poster's obvservation... Charlotte isn't jealous of Atlanta. Personally, if I was, I'd move there... Then again, I'd be stuck in a cluster-f of a city that thinks it's something special when it's not.
We pay NASCAR $50,000 to have their All Star race here. We are paying 140 million plus for the NASCAR Hall of fame to be here. We give an afirmative action billionare a new building for his failing NBA franchise.
I am jealous of Seattle, a city that had the good sense to tell the NBA to please go away.
And now we learn that Jim Black, Stan Cambell et al feleted Randy Parton to get him to bring his theatre to NC. I hope Jim Black has spent some good quality time with his new roomate in prison.
Squeal like a pig Mr. Speaker...
I don't think Charlotte runs on jealousy, but it does run on some racist sentiments, as Anonymous at 5:02 PM clearly shows. The Bobcats can hardly be called failing at this stage of their lives, but I honestly believe that if Robert Johnson were a white man, a lot more people would turn out to the games.
There are still a lot of folks in this town who have hard feelings because he, and not the group led by Larry Bird, got that franchise AND got the city to do something the Hornets tried in vain to do--get an arena downtown. You'd think that a city that has had its share of hard knock when it comes to race relations would learn. Obviously, it hasn't.
Charlotte doesn't run on jealousy. Heck, it's doing good to run at all, with its crumbling streets, lousy road maintenance and inept government. Charlotte has achieved its goal of being a big city. Now it's reaping the reward of big-city problems, and yet even in the 21st Century, it still has to deal with racism.
To quote Kevin Blackistone--"Unbelievable."
Cit yof Jesus Freaks descibes it to a big 'ol T
Oh, please. Charlotte is sweetness and humility compared to New York and San Francisco, both places I have lived. Forbes, once again, uses statistics to paint a meaningless picture. You'll never hear Forbes say anything nice about Charlotte.
People don't steal because they're envious-they steal to convert to cash.
With all the pick-up driving rednecks I can't see how Charlotte can be a jealous place? I mean, who would be jealous of a pick up driving redneck?
What was racist about the comment posted at 5:02 yesterday? Bobcat is an affirmative action billionare, if you knew how BET was started you would not make such an ingnorant comment.
And the Bobcats are failing Felix S. tried to give away his share of the team after growing tired of repeated cash calls.
Let me tell you what I have observed in Charlotte. I travel to Washington D.C. off and on and have lived in San Jose', California but lived and grew up in Columbus, Ohio ; I have never seen as many new cars anywhere like I have in Charlotte. Charlotte has a 'Champagne appetite and a beer Pocket book' Charlotte has the most Car lots per capita than anywhere in the U.S. 'connect the dots'. Charlotte has a new economy that wasnt here 25 years ago. Most People in Charlotte drove smoker jelopies. The Banks are here grinding off money and throwing credit around, VIOLA' the recipe for corruption with so much paper in town.
I lived in Columbus , Ohio a plain vanilla cone but POLICE officers make $65,000 dollars a year and retire in twenty years ; In CHARLOTTE Police have to work 30 long years and dnt break $50,000 a year. State workers , Teachers an County/City workers all make UNION wages. In CHARLOTTE %95 percent of the cars next to you are leased with low , low payments. Thats why you see more new cars in CHARLOTTE than D.C.
Most citizens of Charlotte work three jobs trying to keep up with the rich and loose everything when the economy sours , like now. Charlotte has 8000 homeless and Washington D.C. has only 12,000 homeless for 7 milliom People . People in Charlotte have an ENTITLEMENT type of lifestyle. Also, in Ohio there are no INSPECTIONS on cars resulting in driving a car way past the payments. VIOLA' thats why all the new cars.
Look I am well traveled and I havent seen this many AUTO REPAIR shops with Mr. HANEY waiting for you or USED car LOTS with cars from KATRINE fresh from the swamps of LOIUSIANA and Mr. HANEY waiting on you. The really need to slow down the cars lots here . The Churches here and food places that open one week and closed the next; I like Charlotte but it needs regulation with People doing things really have a certificate or degree or experience. No Mre Guess work on credentials.
Charlotte is becoming a "City of VANITY" The Powers to be want everybody who comes through here to think People are doing 'very well' It fooled me when I first arrived. Next thing I started seeing REPO TRUCKS driving off with Peoples cars at their work place; WOW! I said to myself What in the hell is going on and now after five years I figured it out .
Lets face it Charlotte wants People to wear ROSY colored glasses; Nothing wrong with that ! A cities image is important for the future but we must punish crime and finish the OUTERBELT before it finishes us. Look I feel like some PUPPET MASTER wants to slide his arm underneath my shirt and like a ventriliquist make me talk and my eyes move.
So the preceding 6 'anonymous' comments are all from the same person, yeah?
Some people need to have their computers taken away from them.
Viola? I think you mean "voila."
And being "well-traveled" doesn't necessarily make you an authority on other cities. Nor does living in Charlotte make you an authority on other citizen's pocketbooks.
Most destination cities are on the water. To the extent that Charlotte creates water venues, it becomes more and more a destination city.
What are our current options?
Lakes Norman and Wylie, Mountain Island Lake, Catawba River, 5,000 miles of creeks, 673 1/2 ponds, 2 million puddles, and so on.
Pictures of Charlotte need to show water. It makes University Place a destination. We need more pools and sprinklers. It's getting hotter.
In the early days of the web, Steve Snow and Charlotte's Web did wonders to shoehorn Charlotte unto the cutting edge. We need to be at the bleeding edge in transportation, and not be so enslaved to the automobile, especially the overblown SUVs, or what is now called, "derision magnets".
Same with houses.
Bucky Fuller used to ask:
"How much does your house weigh?"
We need to learn from the Asians and the Native Americans. Once we want less, we can be more generous, and our communities will prosper, and crime will go down.
Sort of.
Look what I did learn from charlotte was noise picking 101; Look Forbes had People living here undercover taking notes, thats what I was told. I heard they got caught in traffic jams and one of the undercover reporters PEED her pants and was angry about it. Forbes heard that this was an up and cumming city ,and of course, we were Toasted. I mean look at all the gangs and beatnicks with hair down to their ass coming here. Most I see are People who took out Hom equity loans for tattoos.
Look Amy you look better in this PICTURE than the one on the RED board; That old Picture makes you look A DUH like you dont have a clue or you should have been BLONDE. Theold picture looks like you gradutated from OSU Like I did. After OSU your ready to retire your so worn out.
Forbes reporters may still be renting an apartment here or they may be gone by now; They are under assumed names but if I ever find out Im sending one of our GANGS to their door for some discussion
I've never lived in Charlotte, only visited there. But when I lived in Atlanta, it always seemed that people in Charlotte were jealous of Atlanta. Me? I'm just jealous that Amy is working for this newspaper now instead of mine, where she used to work. Good luck in your new beat, Amy!
Tom
look Amy is exciting and cute and she really is a cheerleader of the downtroden thats me; Oh Im at the Public libary when I do my thing on this board downtown branch.
The only thing I want to add is- native Charlotteans have not been, are not, and will NEVER be jealous of Atlanta if they've ever lived there themselves. Most people I met in Atlanta when I lived there said to me, "If you're from Charlotte, why are you here???!!!"
I am jealous of all the people who can actually spell and have grammatical skills!
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