There's an attitude displayed by big-city people that must have a name in pop psychology. I'm talking about the world view that puts one's big city of residence at the center of the world. When I lived near Detroit, MI, everyplace not in Detroit or the suburbs was called "the outstate area" on the local news. So places in MI were in two categories: Detroit, and Not Detroit. Friends who live in or near New York City just call it "The City" as in "Hey, why don't you come in to The City and we'll have brunch." I just read an article on the New York Times website that called all states in between California and New York "flyover states" as in the states you fly over when you're traveling between the states that matter.
The way this attitude manifests here in DC is calling our city simply "The District." Like all the other districts are not The District, we are. This is made even funnier when you talk to people who work at the World Bank, housed here in DC. (Notice me skipping the whole discussion of the pretentiousness of the name "World Bank.") These people call their workplace "The Bank." All the other banks are not "The Bank," the World Bank is.
So you see in the wild these earnest 20-somethings dressed all in black sucking down $15 martinis tossing about phrases like "oh yah, I live in The District and work at The Bank."
It appears you are now back stateside, so you might not get my other post on your Ethiopia blog. Sorry to be so random, but I am a Master's student in Public Health and I will hopefully be living in Mekele in the Tigray region this summer working on a project. Wondering if you would mind giving me some suggestions on where to live/stay there...you seemed to enjoy Mekele. Thanks so much...it's hard to find info so far away!
Posted by: Alice | February 24, 2008 at 01:45 AM
My friends often suggest to meet up at the "Circle". I always assume they mean Dupont and I am always right. So far. What if they don't live in the District and they mean some circle out in Maryland? Hmmm.
Posted by: James in Washington & Maine | February 26, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Great post! An interesting point of view. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the dcblogs.com listing.
Posted by: lacochran | February 27, 2008 at 02:25 AM
Great post! An interesting point of view. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the dcblogs.com listing.
Posted by: lacochran | February 27, 2008 at 02:26 AM
Call me crazy, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that the word "district" is in the actual name of the city ...
Posted by: Lonnie Bruner | February 27, 2008 at 05:17 AM
Not trying to be pretentious but people in VA & MD (those other politically defined areas with voting representation in Congress) will sometimes say they live in DC or Washington to speed up the conversation so they don't have to explain to someone where Rockville is. So saying "the District" is just a way to clarify that I don't live in VA or MD.
Posted by: Mari | February 27, 2008 at 07:53 AM
You make a great point. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley but, despite the prevalence of many other "Valleys" in the LA area, we were the only one known as "The Valley".
Posted by: Arjewtino | February 27, 2008 at 11:18 AM
I might be a bit ignorant on US geography, but isn't there only one US district, the "District of Columbia". We are not a state or territory. Unless you are considering voting-districts or school-districts, we are a unique entity...
BTW, is that a picture of you when you were a member of Steely Dan?
Posted by: Ken | February 27, 2008 at 12:47 PM
i fell as though that is not true. it is just the fact that people in this area do that. there not saying there the only district or city there just saying that its in there area
Posted by: najee | February 27, 2008 at 01:14 PM
It could be worse. People who work at the World Bank could simply refer to it as "The World" if they really wanted. Just sayin'...
Posted by: Marissa | February 27, 2008 at 05:52 PM
Ahh, "The District."
I remember the first few times I said this, always with such pride, when I moved here more than four years ago. It sounded so important, so tough, so elite, so...official.
And let's face it, that's what the majority of politicians, lobbyists, and Republicans here want to think of themselves, right?
Great post.
Posted by: Hannah | February 27, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I usually just say DC, rather than The District, or heaven forbid "Washington, DC."
Posted by: Mr. T in DC | February 28, 2008 at 09:32 AM
What's the point?
Posted by: anon | February 28, 2008 at 10:43 AM
I say "DC," and if I'm asked what part, I say, "The District," "the city itself," or "The Colony."
Posted by: Shannon | February 28, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Um, dood, "District" is part of DC's actual name.
Posted by: Alex | February 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM