There are those of us that measure our self worth in terms of what we achieve and there are others that measure theirs in terms of how bad others fail. On a recent trip to Boston, I witnessed 70,000 Bostonians ("chowder heads" as the locals refer to them) that measure their worth solely in terms of how bad New Yorkers fail. At a Tom Petty Concert, chants of "Yankees suck" filled the air as the mass of people exited the stadium. When tailgating before and after, the air was periodically pieced with a cry about the Yankees. This is quite contrary to the way people live in the Bronx. New Yorkers rarely compare themselves with Bostonians. This may be because in New York, they win. It may be because in New York, the prevailing attitude is "we live in the best city in the world." Whatever the reason, there is definitely 2 distinct cultures. The culture of winning, and the culture of "we may not win, but that's ok as long as you lose too." The extreme nature of being a fan in Boston is something to be admired though. More times than not, people in Boston are willing to tell you exactly what they think, not only of their team, but yours as well. This is something that can not be faked, but lies deep within the psyche of the very city itself. Boston sports fans, and average citizens alike are a proud people. That experience is a real eye opener for someone who is used to being in "the best city in the world." |
