Crying Over Spilt Milk: The Suburbs Happened, Get Over It!

A reflexive tension exists between St. Louis City and St. Louis County that often feels like an intense sports rivalry. Going strictly by the numbers and resources, St. Louis City is the perpetual underdog in this competition, and that creates a defensive state of mind amongst its residents.

An unusually large number of St. Louis Urbanists are defectors from the County, so trash talking the former team happens instinctively and often. I should know, because I'm one of them, and I agree with the laundry list of complaints about why the County team is lame: sprawl, fixed zoning and car dependency makes the County feel soulless. Much of the architecture is bewildering and all those highway exchanges are maddening... why would anyone chose to live there?