Melbourne vs Sydney

Melbourne. You know I love you. Some would say it's unhealthy how much I rave about you, like I've joined some kind of cult. And don't get me started about Sydney, because although it's undeniably a beautiful, spectacular city, it's just not 'me'. Melbourne is, and others have come up with much better analogies as to why. I don't need to say any more than that.

But I'm come to realise that whilst Melburnians operate with one eye on Sydney, constantly trying to assert themselves via various differential points (sport, culture, food, coffee etc), I really don't think Sydneysiders give a toss the other way. It's the classic Little Brother Syndrome, even though in pure population terms, there isn't much difference. Melbourne likes to look at Sydney as being a shallow, flashy, attention seeker, and yet can't resist the urge to try and score points in a similar vein. In a way, it derides Sydney for being how it is, and then sometimes acts like an attention-seeking brat, throwing a tantrum that visitors get seduced by the Harbour City.

Case in point, an article in todays Age, reporting a study commissioned by the Victorian Government (therefore hardly likely to be the most objective), of which the summary is "look at all these things people think Melbourne is better than Sydney for". To me, this just seems like petty points scoring on the part of politicians, and The Age has come along for the ride. Flicking through today's paper, I saw at least two or three other occasions where the writer could not pass up on the opportunity to have another sly dig at their 'competitor' over the border in New South Wales.

I like to paint Sydney as the pantomime villain, as do most others down here. Hell, when in Sydney, I even have a habit of keeping score out loud as to why I prefer Melbourne. It's fun. But maybe Melbourne needs to be more comfortable in its own skin and stop looking over the border at Sydney.