second city syndrome 

When a smaller city talks down on a larger city due to insecurity of its own size and/or having less culture, music, art, employment. Usually this happens between two cities that are relatively close to one another.

Some great West Coast examples are Portland and Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Ironically, the smaller city will always talk shit on the larger city, but the larger city will speak glowingly of the smaller one, often referring it to as "charming" or "cute". Often, larger city residents will visit the smaller city on weekend trips and mini-breaks while the smaller city will often have to come out of necessity- i.e. jobs or to see their favorite band play.

San Franciscan: God! I hate those superficial brainless L.A. types! The sun must absorb most of their brain cells because you can't have a single decent conversation down there! Oh, by the way, I have a few job interviews down there because I'm sick of living on unemployment in SF...No I don't have second city syndrome, that place just sucks

Angeleno: Oh my god! I totally went to Frisco and it was like awesome! It's so foggy and cute! And theres all these hills! Oh my god let's go again next weekend and have brunch! At that one place with those guys with all the tattoos! Soooo much fun!

Portlander: Seattle totally sucks! Its full of these corporate liberal hypocrites that are rude and fake...man. Whatever- no, I don't have 2nd city Syndrome. I keep it real in the streets...P-town for life, blood. (stupid handshake/and or tattoo revealing a "portland" icon)...Hey... we need to get tix to see Skrillex play next weekend...yeah, he's only playing in Seattle...

Seattelite: So Jenny and I went down to Portland the other weekend and had brunch at that great new place! What a nice city...we stayed at the co-op bed & breakfast too with the organic rose bushes...beautiful! Let's go down there again soon.

second city syndrome by W.Coastie Girl July 10, 2012