How "Cosmopolitan" Is Atlanta? (White, Berlin: gangs, campus, assessment)

[ABM]

I've lived here (from Seattle) for more than 10 years now....and, if I didn't know what city I was in, I'd never guess that I was in Atlanta.

I mean, I swear, most of my friends, colleagues, and aquaintances are from "somewhere else."

Do you find the same to be true?

[agradstudent77]

I suppose so but then again, I'm on campus at Emory most of the time and on college campuses, everybody is from somewhere else.

[atlantagreg30127]

Atlanta is a large city but I'd not call it "Cosmopolitan", myself.

The word Cosmopolitan means different things to different people, so no doubt some will disagree with me, but I consider a city to be cosmopolitan when you can FEEL the various cultures that live there. You really don't get that here. Atlanta is still even after all its growth, a "black and white" city. Black intown, White in the burbs. Events are either suburban (White) generic cookie-cutter events, or "celebrate the heritage" with the heritage always being African-American.

While we do have a lot of people from other countries living here, you do not FEEL it here. We have no Chinatown or Japantown worth speaking of. No little Havana. No South American festivals. Heck, even a Canadian maple syrup festival would be welcome! Until all of the other cultures who live here are embraced and highlighted, and there are distinct and organized areas where those cultures thrive and highlight themselves, then Atlanta will never really be anything other than a much more financially stable version of Detroit or Baltimore.

Examples of true cosmopolitan cities: New York, London, Toronto, Barcelona, and on a lesser scale but noticeable, San Francisco and parts at least, of L.A.

Maybe one day after complete overhauls in city leadership and if good planners and visionaries are put in the right spots, Atlanta will be a cosmopolitan city - but right now I just put it on my list of "big cities" and leave it at that.

[goozer]

Going by the dictionary definition of "cosmopolitan" I would say that Atlanta qualifies as a cosmopolitan city. You will meet residents in the Atlanta metro that hail from all over the United States and the rest of the world. The fact that in Atlanta metro there is no touristy "Japantown" or "Chinatown" with a "gate" on the neighborhood's main street is of no consequence. There are large and vibrant communities of Mexicans, Koreans, Indians, Vietnamese, and many other ethnic groups in metro Atlanta that maintain a strong connection and sense of community. As for Americans living in Atlanta metro, it does seem that hardly anyone is from Georgia originally.

Bottom line: Atlanta is certainly no NYC, but it certainly feels more like NYC than any other U.S. city in the Deep South.

[mg83]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Atlanta is a large city but I'd not call it "Cosmopolitan", myself.

The word Cosmopolitan means different things to different people, so no doubt some will disagree with me, but I consider a city to be cosmopolitan when you can FEEL the various cultures that live there. You really don't get that here. Atlanta is still even after all its growth, a "black and white" city. Black intown, White in the burbs. Events are either suburban (White) generic cookie-cutter events, or "celebrate the heritage" with the heritage always being African-American.

While we do have a lot of people from other countries living here, you do not FEEL it here. We have no Chinatown or Japantown worth speaking of. No little Havana. No South American festivals. Heck, even a Canadian maple syrup festival would be welcome! Until all of the other cultures who live here are embraced and highlighted, and there are distinct and organized areas where those cultures thrive and highlight themselves, then Atlanta will never really be anything other than a much more financially stable version of Detroit or Baltimore.

Examples of true cosmopolitan cities: New York, London, Toronto, Barcelona, and on a lesser scale but noticeable, San Francisco and parts at least, of L.A.

Maybe one day after complete overhauls in city leadership and if good planners and visionaries are put in the right spots, Atlanta will be a cosmopolitan city - but right now I just put it on my list of "big cities" and leave it at that.

Agreed to an extent. Those true cosmo/international cities have water though

[plessthanpointohfive]

*sigh*

We've been over this before - water is not a requirement for a city to be international or cosmopolitan...such as Las Vegas....

[mg83]

I doubt many would put VEGAS on the same level as major international/cosmo cities like NYC, London, Sydney, etc... I mean... really.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Yes, really. I know, Atlanta is southern so it will never be posh and glitterati like NYC or London or Paris. But, as a native to New Orleans, Atlanta certainly IS an international city.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by mg83

I doubt many would put VEGAS on the same level as major international/cosmo cities like NYC, London, Sydney, etc... I mean... really.

Um...water is NOT a requirement for a city to be international/cosmopolitan...

think internationally...

Madrid, Berlin, Munich, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Santiago, Mexico City, Beijing, Johannesberg, Warsaw, etc.

Atlanta should not compare itself to other U.S. cities, but rather other international cities. That's our problem.

Atlanta is international. Atlanta is cosmopolitan. Atlanta is the capital of the American South. Atlanta is the only major world/international/cosmopolitan city with trees and a urban forest like ours. Atlanta is the center of hip-hop and R&B. Atlanta has a unique history. Atlanta has ethnic neighborhoods/peoples beside black and white. And...Atlanta is landlocked.

Atlanta just needs to be Atlanta and embrace itself. The fact that Atlanta is a black/white Southern cultural city should be embraced and promoted...it's what makes us unique. All other international cities still have their "foundation" culture/uniqueness...and it is embraced.

Sigh...and yes, "plessyfive"...we have gone over this before!

[mg83]

And I, again, would respectfully disagree with you. Or maybe what we define a "worldly" or cosmopolitan city as is just... different.

Most of the South American capitals/cities are located way closer to a coastline than Atlanta is... like by a few hundred miles... or, kilometers. Though, I'd consider the Brazilian cities to be international and cosmopolitan... on the level of the ones mentioned by a previous poster...

The other "landlocked" cities you've mentioned just are not on par to cities like NYC, London, Tokyo, Sydney, or even a "smaller" international city like San Francisco... sorry. There's no way I'd equate Mexico City or Warsaw to those other places. Again, that's my own opinion.

I'm not even talking about white sands/beaches like Miami or Barcelona. I'm talking about water in general. It makes geographical sense that the cities situated along coasts, large rivers/ bodies of water have lengthier histories and greater cultural diversity.

Sorry, I couldn't disagree more with your assessment that Atlanta is some huge cosmopolitan and international world hub. The fact that it hosted the Olympics has really blindsided people... Sure, there are plenty of international flights that are routed THROUGH the Atlanta airport, but that doesn't mean the people are actually getting off the planes and visiting for the deep historical culture of the American south.

If you want to compare Atlanta to INTERNATIONAL cities, then I wouldn't use facts like "it's the center for hip-hop and R&B". First, hip-hop originated in the boroughs of NYC... I mean maybe you can claim Atlanta is the center of "gangsta" and bling-bling rap... (save, OutKast).

What else would you use to compare Atlanta to these other so-called International cities, if you don't think comparing it to other American cities is fair?