Most "Narnian" Cities (living in, shops, suburbs)

[RonnieJonez]

Here is the official definition from UrbanDictionary. I coined the modern usage of this term.

Someone with an unrealistic view of their city, bordering such ridiculousness it rivals the fantasy world C.S. Lewis invented in his Narnia book. Usually common among mid-sized cities, especially in the midwest and rust-belt regions. Very popular mentality among so-called "civic boosters", consists of constantly drawing absurd comparisons to New York City or Los Angeles, using off-the-rocker data such as having a X number of coffee shops on one block to justify major-city status.

The new Burger King in Indianapolis sold more whoppers than the one in New York City today! Dude, stop being Narnian.

I'm gonna go ahead and say...there are very few non-Narnian cities in the US. NYC and LA don't need to be Narnian. Same with SF and Seattle, although they are smaller than some of the heavily Narnian Texas cities.

Any place that is just known as a "cool" destination, somewhere people want to brag about that they visited - cannot be Narnian. Using that rationale, Miami and Vegas cannot be Narnian, even if they don't offer as much as bigger cities.

Midwest cities can get very carried away. Some of the stuff you read here, the lengths these posters goto prove "density" makes CS Lewis' Narnia look normal.

Your thoughts?

[stan4]

I think LA and NYC are absolutely narnian.

And what's so great about Seattle?

[RonnieJonez]

Nothing Narnian about LA and NYC. Internationally known destinations. They don't need to prove anything.

Seattle has the traits that midwestern/southern spend ALL their time trying to prove.

Seattle has liberals, alternative lifestyle, density, tall buildings. Coastal positioning. There you go. Things that other cities constantly want to prove, even if bigger.

[stan4]

This is the definition you posted:

"Someone with an unrealistic view of their city, bordering such ridiculousness it rivals the fantasy world."

According to multiple posts and posters on this forum, as well as people I have heard speaking in real life, tv, etc, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD is just dying to live in New York and LA. And that everyone who is forced by unfortunate circumstance to live elsewhere is green with envy and desperate with longing.

I think that's pretty damn narnian.

[RonnieJonez]

They are right, most people who aren't nerds would love to spend time in those cities.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

They are right, most people who aren't nerds would love to spend time in those cities.

See?

Thanks for proving my point.

[Thomas R.]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

They are right, most people who aren't nerds would love to spend time in those cities.

Lots of people just aren't that interested in NYC or LA. I'm not a good example, I am a nerd, but the non-nerdy people I've known aren't much different.

Many non-nerdy people like mountains or deserts, which rules out NYC. Some of those may still want a change of season, which mostly rules out LA. Also some non-nerdy people still smoke cigarettes, which pretty much rules out NYC and likely LA too.

I find the use of the term "Narnian" to be weird though. I was thinking it would be like cities most like Narnia and I was wondering how that would be determined. C. S. Lewis liked the cold and he was highly Christian. Many of our religious cities are in the South, but there are some highly religious places in the North. North Dakota tends to come out fairly religious. Maybe Bismarck is Christian and cold so "Narnian." Lewis was also a traditional/Medievalist Anglican. There are cities in Michigan that look to have notable "Continuing Anglican" churches and Michigan can get cold.

Still that's not the usage you mean. Possibly Boulder, Colorado is "Narnian" in the sense that it gets mentioned in a fair amount of places, but isn't all that big.

[Frank_Carbonni]

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

Nothing Narnian about LA and NYC. Internationally known destinations. They don't need to prove anything.

Seattle has the traits that midwestern/southern spend ALL their time trying to prove.

Seattle has liberals, alternative lifestyle, density, tall buildings. Coastal positioning. There you go. Things that other cities constantly want to prove, even if bigger.

So, Midwestern cities want to prove they are coastal?

Seattle isn't that dense. In fact, it's only slightly denser than Minneapolis, somewhat more dense than Milwaukee, and less dense than some of Chicago's suburbs.

Originally Posted by RonnieJonez

They are right, most people who aren't nerds would love to spend time in those cities.

*snicker*

You come around using a term like "Narnian" have the gall to use the word nerd as an insult.

Folks, looks like we got a hipster on our hands. The smug attitude towards the Midwest, the belief that living in a certain area makes you a better person, the fixation on NYC, LA, SF, Boston, and Seattle, the belief he is cool, and the use of an obscure term.

All he needs is to post a picture of him with one of his ironic t-shirts. Or are those oh-so-last-year?

[cacto]

NYC an LA have unrealistic views that they are actually nice places to live.

[Natural510]

Originally Posted by cacto

NYC an LA have unrealistic views that they are actually nice places to live.

Funny, I think the exact thing about Phoenix. Seriously.

As far as people here on City Data, I think the boosterism of Cleveland is ridiculous, or maybe it's just because I read the Ohio forums often. It's not as bad of a town as people think, but they seem hell-bent on making any open discussion about any city in the US revolve around Cleveland, and it's a bit sad.