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that's a bit silly, although the example for DC is embarrassing, but it's the same concept of famous fashion designers not being from NYC or having started there but are based there now and is a part of NYC's brand/culture.. same for entertainers in LA/NYC. People say drain the swamp but draining the swamp would be sending the government folks back to their home states.
Nope, not the same at all because MAGA hats aren't at all part of DC's brand/culture. It has nothing to do with DC as a city and everything to do with Trump himself.
I have to disagree. Federal politics is a Washington animal, and social impacts are certainly a nationwide thing. Policy decision on areas such as housing and the enviornment made in Washington affect the entire county; so did the decision to shut down the government that affected 800,000 directly and millions indirectly. Makes no difference if the guy is from NY or not.
And none of this is an example of DC initiating social trends, which is my point. Social trends and social *impacts* are not the same thing. It's a stretch to argue otherwise.
Meaning they have a big impact on American culture as a whole. Seems like NYC is the most obvious answer but apparently Seattle has a big impact too since it is the home of Starbucks and things considered stereotypically "white".
As for California, I think Silicon Valley/Bay Area are key as tech is the fastest growing market and they are the home of tech companies.
DC obviously has a lot of influence because of politics.
Want to know what key cities I might have missed because I have missed quite a few! I know it!
I can see NYC, Silicon Valley, DC. I'd also add LA to the list.
I'm not so convinced on Seattle - although Starbucks is a good point. I'd also add Microsoft and Amazon.
In the end, I see Seattle as an extension of Silicon Valley because of all the influences it has had on tech and shopping, but not necessarily it's own thing. I'm sure that people will disagree. That's okay. I just don't go "Seattle - wow!" I go "Seattle/tech, like Silicon Valley."
The thing is that a lot of cities are regional powerhouses, but few really reach the standard of having cultural influence. And Seattle just doesn't have the same dominance as NYC or LA or San Francisco/Silicon Valley. And I'd put DC in there because of politics.
Chicago's the biggest player in the Midwest and a lot of movies/cultural stuff has come out of there as well, but I think it's just a tier below these ones. I tend to feel this way about Boston as well. A lot of history, an educational powerhouse for sure, but......it's like a step down from the top 4 in my list (in no particular order)
But when I hear Atlanta or Miami, I kind of go....meh? They may be regional players for sure, but are they really national players? Not convinced on those entries either. Outside of city-data, I never hear conversations about these places on the same level as I do the others. It's generic, I'm going "south" or I'm going to Florida." "or I'm going to the beach". There's not the same "wow factor" as someone saying "I'm going to NYC or LA or DC"
My kid is obsessed with NYC - but we live in the Detroit area.
And when it comes to cars and building cars, nobody can match Detroit.....but then again......is that really true? In terms of GM, Ford and Fiat/Chrysler products, we are #1. This is their home turf. But doesn't that matter so much nationally these days, given that there are so many other car manufacturers with facilities all over the country. I'm not convinced that it does. Outside of that, Detroit really can't be put on the radar in terms of this discussion. (I'm just fleshing out this thought for my own benefit.)
I think there are cities that are perennially trend setters and there are cities that are for a period of time. I think the difference is something around the order of a decade. NYC, LA, DC and I think we're pretty much at the point of adding Silicon Valley to that (we're past at least 2 decades at this point?). In the other bucket, an example is Seattle in the '90s with grunge/music (the Starbucks example does give me pause, though, whether it still is).
Another breakdown is where the impact is (i.e. what "trend" is being set): pop culture, music, fashion, economy, politics, etc. Silicon Valley is largely the economy. NYC and LA are consistently trend setters across most or all of the areas, and I think DC makes the cut because big decisions that impact everyone across the country, and in some cases the world, happen in DC. The images of MLK's speech on the Lincoln Memorial are seared in our collective memory; debates across the country are galvanized in arguments at the Supreme Court (e.g. gay marriage, Roe v Wade), protests on the Mall, inaugural speeches at the Capitol, etc.
Would numbers of tourists be some kind of indirect measure of what we're trying to get at? The one argument I can think of against that would be LA, where the impact from Hollywood doesn't really require people to physically be present, and yet LA has a huge tourist draw. So maybe that is a decent indication of "impact" or "trend setting".
I can see NYC, Silicon Valley, DC. I'd also add LA to the list.
I'm not so convinced on Seattle - although Starbucks is a good point. I'd also add Microsoft and Amazon.
In the end, I see Seattle as an extension of Silicon Valley because of all the influences it has had on tech and shopping, but not necessarily it's own thing. I'm sure that people will disagree. That's okay. I just don't go "Seattle - wow!" I go "Seattle/tech, like Silicon Valley."
The thing is that a lot of cities are regional powerhouses, but few really reach the standard of having cultural influence. And Seattle just doesn't have the same dominance as NYC or LA or San Francisco/Silicon Valley. And I'd put DC in there because of politics.
Chicago's the biggest player in the Midwest and a lot of movies/cultural stuff has come out of there as well, but I think it's just a tier below these ones. I tend to feel this way about Boston as well. A lot of history, an educational powerhouse for sure, but......it's like a step down from the top 4 in my list (in no particular order)
But when I hear Atlanta or Miami, I kind of go....meh? They may be regional players for sure, but are they really national players? Not convinced on those entries either. Outside of city-data, I never hear conversations about these places on the same level as I do the others. It's generic, I'm going "south" or I'm going to Florida." "or I'm going to the beach". There's not the same "wow factor" as someone saying "I'm going to NYC or LA or DC"
My kid is obsessed with NYC - but we live in the Detroit area.
And when it comes to cars and building cars, nobody can match Detroit.....but then again......is that really true? In terms of GM, Ford and Fiat/Chrysler products, we are #1. This is their home turf. But doesn't that matter so much nationally these days, given that there are so many other car manufacturers with facilities all over the country. I'm not convinced that it does. Outside of that, Detroit really can't be put on the radar in terms of this discussion. (I'm just fleshing out this thought for my own benefit.)
Interesting to think about these things for sure.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I can personally say that Atlanta has that "wow" factor, at least to melinated people.
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