I live in New York City, and alot of New Yorkers would laugh at this characterization of it. New York City is really quite like Paris, London, Tokyo, and many other big cities around the world. We all have our crime and we all have our economic and social differences. New York is not full of "backstabbing" and urban blight. Sure there are dangerous neighborhoods, but it's an extremely diverse city and your characterization of it is very small-minded.
This is such stereotypical view of New York. I'm surprised that you actually lived there for a year and have this view.