Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Miami is more than trashy glitz. REAL authentic culture, and cultural relevance can be found in Miami. While Miami isn't an innovation capitol like SF, nor is it a game-changer like SF, Miami has it's place, and there's more cultural importance in the city than people give it credit for. Having said that, if the criteria weren't Miami-biased, and followed the basic criteria in which cities SHOULD be judged by, I'm sure SF would destroy Miami pretty easily.
Public Transit: SF quite easily
Natural Beauty: SF
Industry: SF
Economy: SF
Cultural amenities: SF
Sports: SF
Schools K-12: I guess SF???
Collegiate Education: SF
Diversity: SF
Weather: I guess year round it would go to SF
Aside from natural beauty and possibly the fame of an elite level university, none of those things (criteria's) could raise a city's professional profile as both a namesake or leisure destination.
I think of this comparison like Moscow versus Dubai, honestly, it's exactly like it. On the surface, Dubai is a VERY well known fashion, glamour, shopping, nightlife, film, television, media mecca. People there drive exotic cars like it's a normal day, when a Ferrari breaks down they leave it on the side of the freeway and go on with their lives, like the car is expendable. The artificial islands, so on. Dubai in this scenario plays the role of Miami.
San Francisco in this regard is much more like Moscow. Often known for it's political idealism, billionaire and corporate elites (oligarchs in Silicon Valley's case), life of striving to be the best, to be number one, to be referred to as a power hitter and finishing the job to get there. San Francisco's strengths (like Moscow's strengths) is in politics, cultural reformation, "lifestyle innovations", power, money, and quite frankly all around luxury.
You're right, Miami is a cultural monster. Where else in the world can nearly every Latin nation send it's people and they'll fit right in comfortably like it's home?
Honestly, I've taken a lot of flak from people (a lot of whom that either don't want to credit San Francisco or just want to take shots at it) for making this thread. I didn't make it to bash anywhere because I honestly believe their international profiles can be compared (albeit they are different).
Honestly, this really is the miniature New York versus miniature Los Angeles debate, Miami fills in for Los Angeles and San Francisco for New York in this scenario. These are both (or really all four) some of the most known cities in the world. Cities where you say the name, people wont look at you like "uh, what?".
Also I notice a lot of respondents are hung up on what I mean by "Superstar cities", it's code for which city you think has a higher global profile.
Last edited by Trafalgar Law; 10-08-2013 at 08:53 PM..
Also I notice a lot of respondents are hung up on what I mean by "Superstar cities", it's code for which city you think has a higher global profile.
If you narrow it down to this I don't see how SF doesn't absolutely run away from Miami. Sure, Miami is noted for it's glamorization of the luxury lifestyle (some might say faux-luxury), but in terms of pure wealth, the bay area is far out of Miami's league. Not to mention economically, where the bay area is a global powerhouse that Miami doesn't really compete with in any way. Miami is VERY well connected with Latin America and enjoys tremendous name recognition in the region. However, SF exhibits the same type of connection with Asia, a much larger and more influential region. Miami may be the celebrity hotspot, but when it comes to the movers and shakers, Miami really isn't even on the map in comparison.
Even though the criteria was Miami-biased, SF is only 2 votes below Miami. Miami's barely holding on.
People vote against Miami out of spite. It is the clear winner regarding criteria but yet still get voted down. This is the reason why I see C-D as one big joke.
People vote against Miami out of spite. It is the clear winner regarding criteria but yet still get voted down. This is the reason why I see C-D as one big joke.
SF destroys Miami as a city to be honest. Not even close. The only thing Miami excels at is it's beach and party culture.
...and this poll is pretty much about party culture. I agree with the others, the fact that the poll is close speaks volumes about the validity of the polls here on C-D.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
