Do people in Atlanta wish they were from Los Angeles, CA? (Savannah: school, college)

[912]

Originally Posted by branh0913

Atlanta is often compared to LA. A lot of people from LA call Atlanta a smaller LA basically. But Atlanta doesn't have much in common besides being really spread out, a terrible transportation system, and bad traffic. Culturally the Atlanta and LA cultures are very different. The Atlanta culture is more influenced by the Northeast like NYC or Boston, than it is by the West Coast. The reason why is because Atlanta brings in tons of people from all over the East Coast, so it's overall culture is influenced by East Coast. Which is why, when people ask me about Atlanta, I simply say East Coast. It's pretty culturally different than other southern cities. It's almost got to the point you rarely hear southern accents in the streets anymore.

This doesn't make sense. Atlanta culture is not influenced by NYC or BAHS-ton!

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by 912

This doesn't make sense. Atlanta culture is not influenced by NYC or BAHS-ton!

Are you serious? If not influenced by those cities, then what is it influenced by? It's certainly not like any other southern city culturally, and sure as hell not like Southern Cali! There are TONS of North Eastern transplants in Atlanta, and it has been that way for literally decades.

[FlyiMetro]

I was just about to go back to my desk & I see THIS thread.....lol yep

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by Onthemove2014

It was just probably the people you were hanging with. Find a smarter or better travled crowd.

Why are you always telling people to find better friends? Are you for or against the ATL Lifestyle?

[Sound of Reason]

Originally Posted by branh0913

Are you serious? If not influenced by those cities, then what is it influenced by? It's certainly not like any other southern city culturally, and sure as hell not like Southern Cali! There are TONS of North Eastern transplants in Atlanta, and it has been that way for literally decades.

Atlanta is a southern city. Thus, it is more like the South than anything else. Because Atlanta has had such a high number of transplants from the northeast, midwest, other parts of the South, and even the west, the southern culture and accent is diluted, though a southern identity is most prominent.

[gt6974a]

Why in the Hell would someone who was born/lived in one place, stay in that place, yet wish they were from another?

Born and raised in Atlanta, but I'd prefer that I was born in Honolulu. Oh wait, maybe this applies to the president

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by Sound of Reason

Atlanta is a southern city. Thus, it is more like the South than anything else. Because Atlanta has had such a high number of transplants from the northeast, midwest, other parts of the South, and even the west, the southern culture and accent is diluted, though a southern identity is most prominent.

I'm trying to figure out what is so southern about Atlanta. Not to say southern influence doesn't exist, but it's certainly not strong in ATL.

[Tarzanman]

Most of the people I have heard espousing similar admiration of Los Angeles are folks who are interested in living a faster paced lifestyle.

The perception is that Los Angeles is a more cosmopolitan, cultured, and socially/financially/technologically progressive city than Atlanta.

While I think that there are valid arguments to support that perception, most people who have not spent much time in Los Angeles (or do not know people who have lived there) are unaware of the drawbacks of life in a Californian big city.

I have spent a grand total of 7 days on the west coast, so everything else. I know of life there comes via expatriate acquaintances, television and listening to KCRW.... I suppose the notion is that LA is like Atlanta only you can go to the beach, or the mountains, bicycle places and hunt real movies stars (rather than the lower tier media stars that live in atlanta)

[johnathanc]

Originally Posted by 912

This doesn't make sense. Atlanta culture is not influenced by NYC or BAHS-ton!

As someone who currently lives in downtown Boston and who has come down to ATL (Midtown/Buckhead primarily + Alpharetta) many times, I can tell you that these two cities are completely opposites. They are designed differently and people’s attitudes are completely different as well. But let’s stick with attitudes since this is what I believe the poster is referring to. Bostonians are more humble in my opinion. You’d never know how successful someone from Boston is by the clothes they wear or the car they drive. Or when they dress well, it much more conservative. The culture up here is one of understatement. Boston is an older, wealthier city than Atlanta but I’ve seen so many more blinged out cars and Gucci stores in Atlanta. Many people who drive these cars or dress up really can’t afford it but I recognize many can as well as Atlanta is great business center that continues to grow. But the point is that more Bostonians can bling with cloths and cars but they don’t. Bostonians are more likely to judge people by their education, job, books they’ve read and their family background – very old school mentality up here. Of course education and jobs matter but I never felt like I was being judged in Atlanta the way I am in Boston when I spoke to people. Atlanta does have a new money vibe to it compared to Boston, which is old money central. People here also seem to work later into the evenings whereas Atlanta seems to value the work vs. play balance better. In addition, I find Atlantans to be more friendly and open than Bostonians. Boston feels a lot more localized than Atlanta. Everyone from Boston seems to look, eat, act, and dress the same but Atlanta “feels” more cosmopolitan which different people and attitudes all meshing into one. The nightlife in Boston is restricted mainly to bars and shows, not many places to dance, whereas ATL has a lot of club-type nightlife. Cities seem very different to me.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by branh0913

I'm trying to figure out what is so southern about Atlanta.

Fried chicken and sweet tea. The huge magnolias on the lawns of Buckhead. Accents (yes, southern accents far outnumber others). Politics. Religious viewpoints. High school and college football on Friday nights. Stone Mountain. Mary Macs. The weather. The confederate flag bumper sticker I saw on a car on my way in to work this morning.