Looking at a handful of examples throughout the country, it seems like the poor have better outcomes growing up in suburban, mostly-white counties (e.g., rich suburbs) versus urban, racially diverse counties (e.g., counties encompassing the major city center of a metro area)
Because the "inner city" culture demonizes people who live and work hard in the suburbs.
I noticed this in high school, when it started becoming popular for inner city families to ship their kids out to the suburban schools to get them away from "bad influences". Many of those kids had already been programmed by their peers to think that working hard and doing well was uncool.
I think the American way is achieving/working hard, but not advertising it. There's a sense of rebellion in most Americans; and I'm glad it's there. We don't like conformity. Yes, it can backfire. As to cool, or edgy--I don't know. It seems like the nerd look is in? (I don't like the thick black glasses. Especially, if you don't need glasses.)
The American desire to succeed brings a lot of pressure. I sometimes think we want too much--too quick. I think about our suicide rate and cringe.
Ooo... yes you do. As an Australian travelling across the US in 2009, I felt a little stifled at social expectations. Americans like to point at crazy people and other outliers as examples of their freedom, but there's a lot of social conservatism. Simple examples include political speeches that love to mention god (don't even think of being an atheist), and whatever you do, don't criticise the troops. And there's definitely more conformity against casual swearing than back home.
One archaic but interesting example was when I stayed with a couple of ex-pat retirees. I brought them a small present as thanks for letting me stay with them, apologising that it wasn't much as I was on a shoestring. They mentioned that amongst their age group, there was this weird phenomenon where if you visited with someone, it didn't matter how many thank-you presents you bought during the visit, or how much you spent entertaining your hosts - if you didn't send a 'thank you' note when you got home, it was a minor scandal. They did care to mention that it didn't really happen with younger people anymore, but it was common with their age group.
I forget if there is a name for this phenomena, probably, but people are strongly biased towards thinking that they are open minded, that they don't like conformity etc. Everyone likes to think that they are accepting of new ideas, that they are adventurous, that they are forging their own path and so on.
Conversely no one likes to them of themselves as being prone to conformity, sensitive to peer pressure, fearful of ideas that challenge their own assumptions or fearful of being exposed to criticism or ridicule.
As a result people are very fond of saying that they are open minded and that they don't like conformity even though its not necessarily borne out by their actions.
Its also worth keeping in mind that this kind of belief is closely tied to a person's identity (as they see it) so challenging it can result in them getting extremely defensive and angry. By challenging it you are pointing out the gap between how they actually are and how they imagine themselves to be.
Allen County has better opportunities, higher per family income, and a substantially higher minority population. The map shows a $5.5K advantage for the poor white suburb, so it seems that race matters more than the rich part.
