The New York joke is well-known: A harried tourist is trying to get to his concert and is hopelessly lost. He stops and asks a native how to get to Carnegie Hall. And the famous response is 'Practice, practice, practice.'
It's funny because it isn't the answer one expects. But the subtext implies that anyone can become a world-class musician if they just put in the effort. Overall, a very positive outcome. And, I believe, a pretty good reflection of the New York attitude. That is, .You might not be from around here, but you have as good a shot as anyone.'
The Boston joke might be less well-known and it goes like this: An ingenue moves into Boston from the hinterlands. She is anxious to make her way and fit into the big city. She attends a social event and notes how her own attire is not at all what the other women are wearing. So she approaches one of the best dressed ladies at the party. The girl graciously says 'You are all so lovely. Tell me, where do you get your hats?' To which the Bostonian woman replies: 'My dear; we HAVE our hats.'
Now this joke says something entirely different. The punch line is unexpected, but the woman's scorn is clear. Her answer indicates that, even though she knows exactly what the young girl is asking, she doesn't intend to help. The answer is stingy and condescending. The matron clearly indicating that the girl does not belong and will never fit in.
Those two jokes, in my mind, sum up the two cities. You can probably tell which I prefer.
