I Went To The Theater And A Baseball Game Broke Out!

I was brought up to believe that you were nice and respectful to people. Especially your elders.  Decency and kindness were inbred in me.  I'm from the Midwest.  It's a trait that I fought against most of my youth.  I wanted to be different, unique. Not rude, but I never wanted to follow the status quo. I wanted to be "different".  I decided to be an actor.  To come to New York, where the action is.  Where people speak their mind and get what they want and "don't take no crap from nobody!"  That's what I wanted, too.  I thought.  Now, I'm not so sure.
I watched the Yankees battle the Angels tonight in the ALCS (you would think there wasn't a show!) and I came to a realization:  In Detroit - the place of my youth, the home of my heart, the anchor of my soul - in Detroit, we hope to win.  We hope to succeed.  We hope that with enough hard work and resilience and dedication (and maybe a little bit of luck) that we'll succeed and win that Pennant or that Stanley Cup or that we'll survive this economic downturn and come out the better for it.  We hope, with decency and humility as our backbone, that these things will come to pass.
In New York, they EXPECT it.  With no humility, no decency, little forgiveness and simply no class.  It's crass and ugly and comes at you like a truck driver on NoDoz.
"When we win (not if, but when), it's because we deserve it!  Not that we've worked hard or dedicated ourselves to the task or overcome obstacles (many of which may be true), but simply because we're New Yorkers and we're entitled to it. Period.  And everyone else can go f --- themselves.  And if by chance we should lose, anyone else's victory is inconsequential because it's not a New York victory."  To quote Billy Joel, this is the "New York state of mind."
I'm glad I've made the realization.  It allows me the clarity to do my job unfettered from the vagaries of petty regionalisms (Go Tigers!) and focus on the task at hand.  The job and task I love to do so much. Act.