Community Members

Low-Down on Rochester

Published on 05/21/09 - 0 Comments

Admit it. People who've lived in the Rochester area for their entire lives complain constantly. Rochester isn't a big city, Rochester isn't what it could be, and people in Rochester are always back-stabbing hypocrites. That's what they say. There are a few lifelong optimists who stay positive, but those people surround themselves with a small number of friends who share their view of the world. Why are people so cynical about a city that's considered to be one of the best places to live in the entire country? I question people about this every day. Here are some of the answers I've heard.

"Rochester is trying to be something it's not. If people accepted the fact that this is a family area and not a NYC wanna-be, they would actually appreciate the excellent health care, economy, education and community organizations we have that all promote quality of life and help families thrive."

"The weather here drives people insane. You've got long periods of winter when people stay indoors and develop odd hobbies to fill up the dark hours in their lives. What other city has so many experts on the harmonica, Irish dancing, ham radio, quilting, wood carving, and geocaching? Outdoor people stay sane by enjoying the seasons, whatever they are, but still find themselves locked into the conservative identities that our community enforces. Individualism is not welcome except in the privacy of your own home."

"We're very friendly people, as visitors often comment. We welcome strangers because we want to know what the rest of the world is doing, and why someone would come to Rochester instead of going to Las Vegas or Florida. This friendliness is superficial and quickly goes bad. We assume others want to take advantage of us, and they do. Gossip is everywhere and you are hard pressed to find social groups that don't complain about the petty things their neighbor does or colleagues do. Many people live double-lives because they want to maintain the marriage they have or the reputation they have in one aspect of their life. It's very difficult to find people who are willing to open up and share who they are because it's been used against them so many times."

"People who are born in Rochester stay in this general area. Of course, some students who go away to distant colleges don't come back. Even students who go to our own wonderful colleges often get their degree and then leave as soon as possible. The rest of the population stays put no matter what. They have a family at an early age and other ties to the community that prevent them from leaving. They complain about everything because they regret not having those early years to travel and seek freedom. These individuals feel cheated, and usually become very selfish and cynical, and this behavior is re-enforced by many other people who do the same thing."

Please feel free to comment on the notes I've taken from people living in Rochester. I would love to hear your opinion.