New York: Center of the World? (best, state, better, largest)

[destinedtodave]

NYC is not the center of the world although it comes closest out of any city on Earth. London follows closely and then Tokyo. In a similar discussion we discussed what city is the capital of the world which I believe is slightly different in that it more emphasizes how connected a city is with the world-for that one I pick London. NYC wins this though, I don't know how the conversation got turned to how many tourists California gets but the state of California is in no way a contender for being the center of the world, even if it did get more tourists than NYC.

I will say that when you walk around certain parts of Shanghai you feel as if you are in the center of the world but obviously it isn't. Not this side of 2040 at least...

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by decafdave

NYC is not the center of the world although it comes closest out of any city on Earth. London follows closely and then Tokyo. In a similar discussion we discussed what city is the capital of the world which I believe is slightly different in that it more emphasizes how connected a city is with the world-for that one I pick London. NYC wins this though, I don't know how the conversation got turned to how many tourists California gets but the state of California is in no way a contender for being the center of the world, even if it did get more tourists than NYC.

I will say that when you walk around certain parts of Shanghai you feel as if you are in the center of the world but obviously it isn't. Not this side of 2040 at least...

Probably not ever, actually (save for the financial center).

Anyhow, the point is NYC is not the center because there is no center. Everything else is wonderfully tangential.

[BPerone201]

It's definitely not the center of the world... The center of the world is the USA

[OyCrumbler]

Not anymore, it ain't.

I think the best bets for when NYC (and consequently the US) had a believable hold on being the center of the world status were:

- shortly after the first world war and before the great depression (roaring 20s)
- during the second world war until the late 40s/early 50s when the Cold War came into full swing, and the Soviet Union came on the scene as a great power that was capable of swaying former colonies around the world away from integrating into the Western world
- the 90s shortly after the second-world (the USSR and the Eastern Bloc) more or less collapsed, Wall Street was going strong, China and India's economic reforms were still in the early stages, Japan had plateaued, and the EU was small and loose

Sound about right?

[dem3456]

That sounds right to me, OyCrumbler.

[jman650]

Originally Posted by K.O.N.Y

Thats like saying people can stay in hollywood the whole time. Saying people can venture to the other boroughs is an understatement. Millions venture to the other boroughs

Its not the same thing. I get where you're going with this, but the fact of the matter is Manhattan contains more than enough for a visitor to be content with than Hollywood does. If you're on a short trip, like I was the first time I went to NYC, Manhattan may contain all you're interested in seeing. Visiting LA, a person is more likely to venture further out than Hollywood. I've never known anyone to just go to Hollywood and nothing else in an LA trip. But of course what you said is true too; the outer boroughs are frequented by visitors all the time too. Just not nearly as much as Manhattan is. Hollywood is a little more on par with other parts of LA than Manhattan is with the other boroughs, so the comparisons aren't equal.

[jman650]

Originally Posted by BigCityGuy

Actually whats stupid is to compare the out side areas. LA city proper is 100 sq mi larger than NYC city proper. If you go any further we would have to start adding stuff. This is like the other thread where someone wanted to put LA county against NYC and call it fair when LA county is what the name implies and has over 1000 sq mi of land and NYC has 304 sq mi. When you see a list of the largest cities or cities with the best this or that they only include city propers.

Actually what's stupid is to try and make a comparison between the two while cutting off LA from what we all know are most of its main attractions which lie just outside of its political boundaries. If there is a limit on the square mileage allowance for a comparison, then don't bother comparing ANY other cities to NYC that have more or less than 300 square miles within their city limits. Otherwise, be realistic about this and quit trying to give yourselves such a handicap. NYC is still going to win at most things by comparing what lies within its city limits to what is realistically the LA that people visit. Enough with the BS.

Can you insecure NY fanboys/fangirls cut the crap FOR ONCE and just look at this as what most visitors to each respective city are coming to see?? I mean that is what you guys are bickering about in the first place right? So about the dumbest, most-childish thing you could be arguing right here is that, "LA's been given too much landspace to work with already, so we need to cut it off before we lose this one! Forget its attractions, we care about winning this!" That's just straight retarded.

Originally Posted by BigCityGuy

Hold on there. New York city gets everything in one place. Its the media, culture, art, fashion, business, financial, education, political, transportation, shopping, sport, and architecture center overall. Everything stated NYC either is number 1 or 2-5.

Okay if that was true then why don't YOU explain what draws people to LA then?? I mean you're not willing to let it have any decent standing in anything, and we all know that Hollywood alone is not enough to attract so many visitors, so if LA cannot rank high in these areas then let's hear your theory as to why it ends up being so relevant and draws so many tourists??

Originally Posted by BigCityGuy

What we have alot of amusement parks outside our city too and alot of studios as well.

Wow, you guys really just have the best of everything. Why would anyone in the world travel anywhere else ever?

Why don't you just cut to the chase and phrase it this way. You're more homer than Mr. Simpson.

Originally Posted by PDX_LAX

Both NYC and L.A. offer a lot. That's why people go there. L.A. is also top 5 for all of those things listed as well.

Exactly. This shouldn't be hard to admit or even be a debate in the first place. If you compare LA to an insecure NYer, its suddenly condensed to nothing more than Hollywood and mediocre beaches. Nothing is more fragile than the pride of an insecure Nyer. Thank God most are not actually like this (I believe).

[jman650]

Originally Posted by EU20

Yes, that's within distance of New York City.

Within distance? What does that even mean? Antarctica is within distance too, by ship.

[jman650]

Originally Posted by BigCityGuy

It may not be the center of the worl but to say its just another famous city with a lot of stuff is an understatement. When NYC is home to some of the most important things in the world and ranked top against every city in the world.

Well you would know all about understating things as that's all you have been doing here in regards to anything not in NYC.

Originally Posted by BigCityGuy

Ummm I think you are misunderstanding. First its called the NYSE(New York Stock Exchange). It is apart of NY right. It doesnt have to be about NYC to make NYC important. It was created in NYC. Its run by NYC. Other cities have stock exchanges to. If the headquarters of business is in a city its apart of that city. Second the UN is where again. NYC.(My grandmother works at the UN.) Its not anywhere else, its in NYC. The same things said previously are applied. What important things? Ok there is so many, i cant name them. Just read this

New York City - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

PS, LOL Wall Street is a Street in NYC.

First off, I don't know why you guys keep trying to rub the fact that the UN is headquartered in NYC. Its only logical that it would be located in the US based on the time it was created, and NYC is the biggest city in the US, so by default it goes there. Big whoop. The UN has proven to be a "paper tiger" and has been useless in enforcing any kind of international law when we've needed it. NATO has been more useful. So seriously, get off your own jock. And its not like you personally have had anything to do with it, so your little cheerleading here is no better than a sports team's fans bragging about the team's accomplishments that they did nothing more than observe. That's pathetic.

Second, why is it necessary to remind us where Wall Street is?? Your team here has mentioned that like 599 times already, and we all already know!!! Hey guess what, Hollywood is in LA, the Space Needle is in Seattle, Big Ben is in London......WHO CARES?!

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

I, on the other hand, don't see how that sentence makes sense. Long day?

LMAO.

Originally Posted by dem3456

Yes, I follow completely. But I disagree. Just because an institution is in a city doesn't make it all about the city. This is especially true with Wall Street. The NYSE is NOT about New York City. It is about the wealth of this country as a whole and companies who have their headquarters throughout the nation. Just because their stock happens to be traded in New York doesn't mean that New York is dictating our lives. Yes, it is very important. But once again, I will state that this does not mean that New York deserves to be called the center of the world.

Perfectly state.

[le roi]

Originally Posted by Kingsley

I read a lot of people on these boards when describing NYC, they call it the "center of the world". Is this an American-centric perspective or is it really true? People on the other side of the world don't necessarily think so! London. Paris. Tokyo. Hong Kong. Many think these have more to offer culturally and have more infulence on the world than NYC. Your thoughts?

It is a perspective of the urban northeastern U.S. only.

The rest of the country generally thinks of NYC as the center of finance and hubris.