Just because I’m from Miami doesn’t mean I’m a douchebag

When someone hears the word “douchebag,” a multitude of images can present themselves. Maybe you’re one of the rare ones who thinks of the feminine hygiene product the word literally represents. Usually, though, a certain breed of humans comes to mind. Members of this sub-sect of humanity include people such as the cast of The Jersey Shore and the Kardashian family.

Miami is brimming with douchebags characterized by both greater and lesser levels of douchebaggery as the aforementioned.

Let me be very clear. I was born and raised in Miami, but during my time there I took it for granted. For a while, the only concern I had about Miami was leaving it. Now, whenever I go home, I am reminded my city is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States, if not the sole.

Is this not convincing enough?

You go out to eat on Calle Ocho and indulge in a cafecito that will make your heart pump faster than the amount of Adderall. You’ll drive down the Julia Tuttle bridge with the skyline in your rearview mirror. You’ll lose your focus for a second as you smile at the lights dancing off the surface of the ocean embracing the coast. You feel a sense of home in the suburbs which are cozily nestled between these two areas.

I could sit here and give a Tolkein-esque description bragging about my hometown, but unfortunately, many people who are or know a Miami-an tend to excuse unpleasant behavior by explaining that the perpetrator is from Miami.

Though there is a menagerie of douchebags in Miami, there is so much more to the city than rude, obnoxious people.

Miami has some of the most beautiful beaches.

but who’s looking at the beach?

The beaches in Miami are iconic. In fact, one of the main reasons people end up traveling to the wonderful sub-tropical metropolis is to visit the cool, blue waters encircling the coast.

We are neighbors with the Everglades, treasured national park.

Coastal Prairie Trail

According to the National Park Service, the Everglades are the “largest designated wilderness in the southeast.” Miami is a short distance away from this natural wonderland.

Art of all kinds thrives in this city. 

The Perez Art Museum Miami, commonly referred to as PAMM, hosts a multitude of exhibits from prominent artists such as Ai Wei Wei, a Chinese artist who was jailed for his thought-provoking, anti-government work. The building itself is a marvel that overlooks the water and the Downtown Miami area.

There is a diverse nightlife scene.

Lagniappe, Midtown Miami

Whether it’s a quaint sort of hole in the wall like Lagniappe pictured below or the enormous brand name nightclubs like LIV and Story, there is something that suits everyone’s taste. If you want a more college-y scene, the bars in the Grove has what you are looking for.

Miami is home to a multitude of tastes, styles, and music. 

Being a huge city comes with its advantages. There is a niche for almost every preference. One weekend I saw Beethoven’s 9th Symphony performed by the Cleveland Orchestra on Friday, AWOLNATION on Saturday, and made it to the last day of Ultra Music Festival 2013 on Sunday.

Porter Robinson Worlds Tour 2014

Ultimately, I guess we are left asking, “Well, if everyone from Miami isn’t a douchebag, why does it feel like that’s what the city is known for?” 

There undoubtedly is a population of pure, unadulterated douchebags tarnishing the good name of my and many others’ home. The innocent Miami-ans are left susceptible to their douchebaggery in such a way that it triggers everyone within a given radius to participate in their nonsense as a means to survive, leaving the situation to only exacerbate itself. 

When all is said and done, it is easy to compartmentalize the world and judge people based on the stereotypes we have concocted ourselves and been taught by others. It is how humans maneuver the world around them, we are all guilty.

Be sure to give the next Miami-an you see un beso hello, they’ll reciprocate!