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View Poll Results: Is Philly a cosmopolitan city?
Yes 37 75.51%
No 12 24.49%
Voters: 49. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 06-16-2013, 05:53 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,737 posts, read 74,692,347 times
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I still go with "meh". Sure, there are plenty of cultures represented in the area, but ask the typical Philadelphian about St. Louis or Memphis or Milwaukee -- or anywhere west of the Susquehanna except maybe Pittsburgh or Chicago -- and you get a blank stare. Said typical Philadelphian has been to the Jersey shore, to DC, to New York, and the Poconos, and sees no need to explore or learn about anywhere else within one's own nation.

That is the kind of provincialism I encounter.
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Old 06-16-2013, 06:04 PM
 
Location: Center City
7,528 posts, read 10,192,212 times
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I see this as the lead definition of "cosmopolitan" in Dictionary.com: free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.

This does not describe my experience of living in Philly.
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Old 06-16-2013, 06:37 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,247 posts, read 10,495,621 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
I still go with "meh". Sure, there are plenty of cultures represented in the area, but ask the typical Philadelphian about St. Louis or Memphis or Milwaukee -- or anywhere west of the Susquehanna except maybe Pittsburgh or Chicago -- and you get a blank stare. Said typical Philadelphian has been to the Jersey shore, to DC, to New York, and the Poconos, and sees no need to explore or learn about anywhere else within one's own nation.

That is the kind of provincialism I encounter.
I don't think that's necessarily unique to Philadelphia, though. From my experience, travel -- especially international travel -- is very much a function of wealth. If you socialize in the more well-off/white-collar parts of the region, you'd much more likely find well-traveled people, due to either leisure or business travel. Clearly the housekeeper living in Upper Darby, Norristown or Chester doesn't exactly have the disposable income to book a trip to Paris.

It's also a function of age, too, as younger people today have many more opportunities and interest in traveling.

Of course, the Philly area definitely has its fair share of "lifers" who think a week in Wildwood is an exotic vacation, but that really just comes with the territory of being in a region that is not as transient as other major cities.

Overall, I think it's good to live in an area with blend of cosmopolitan atmosphere but still a strong local identity. I think Boston is a great example of this ideal balance.

Last edited by Duderino; 06-16-2013 at 07:09 PM..
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Old 06-16-2013, 07:08 PM
 
Location: New York City
9,340 posts, read 9,204,589 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
I still go with "meh". Sure, there are plenty of cultures represented in the area, but ask the typical Philadelphian about St. Louis or Memphis or Milwaukee -- or anywhere west of the Susquehanna except maybe Pittsburgh or Chicago -- and you get a blank stare. Said typical Philadelphian has been to the Jersey shore, to DC, to New York, and the Poconos, and sees no need to explore or learn about anywhere else within one's own nation.

That is the kind of provincialism I encounter.
That may be true for a a chunk of the city, but not overwhelming, and def not the suburbs. And a majority of our country is under educated and not well off, therefore any local attractions are going to be the center of the world, and there is not much of an understanding of other parts of the country. That can be said for Boston and New York, just to a lesser extent.
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Old 06-16-2013, 10:39 PM
 
85 posts, read 176,712 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jm02 View Post
I see this as the lead definition of "cosmopolitan" in Dictionary.com: free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.

This does not describe my experience of living in Philly.
I'm from the Midwest, and this has not been my experience anywhere in the Northeast US.
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Old 06-17-2013, 07:21 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,220 posts, read 16,729,984 times
Reputation: 2971
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
I still go with "meh". Sure, there are plenty of cultures represented in the area, but ask the typical Philadelphian about St. Louis or Memphis or Milwaukee -- or anywhere west of the Susquehanna except maybe Pittsburgh or Chicago -- and you get a blank stare. Said typical Philadelphian has been to the Jersey shore, to DC, to New York, and the Poconos, and sees no need to explore or learn about anywhere else within one's own nation.

That is the kind of provincialism I encounter.
that same gripe applies to nyc and I'd imagine no one would be arguing about whether it was cosmopolitan

http://www.refinery29.com/static/bin...9297/image.jpg
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Old 06-17-2013, 08:04 PM
 
14,612 posts, read 17,308,247 times
Reputation: 7781
Loughboro University ranks cities by objective measurements

Alpha++
New York City
Alpha+
Chicago
Alpha
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Washington, D.C.
Alpha−
Miami
Boston
Dallas
Atlanta
Philadelphia

Beta+
Houston
Beta
Seattle
Beta−
Birmingham
Detroit
Denver
St. Louis
San Diego
Cleveland

So by this measure, all 10 alpha cities are considered "more cosmopolitan".
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Old 06-17-2013, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia,New Jersey, NYC!
6,963 posts, read 20,465,680 times
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i think it is

or at least fits in the A- bracket.

its a very historic/cultural city that exists within striking distance of nyc. what other city would survive that?
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Old 06-18-2013, 08:11 AM
 
882 posts, read 1,661,175 times
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I agree with those that have said there's a Cosmopolitan identity but it can be a bit hard to find. Walking around near City Hall on a weekday I see primarily white professionals and working class blacks. I rarely ever see the city's substantial Hispanic population. Yet, a trip over to West Philly or the Italian Market area reveals a city that is quite diverse racially, ethnically, and economically. I think Philly's strength is that it has a bit of everything.

Regionally, Greater Philadelphia is faily cosmopolitan, depending on to where you're comparing it. I'm not sure areas like King of Prussia are as diverse as say North Jersey (though I think it's trending that way), but it's certainly more diverse and 'cosmopolitan,' than South Jersey.
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Old 06-18-2013, 09:00 AM
 
2,933 posts, read 4,087,820 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJhighlands87 View Post
I'm not sure areas like King of Prussia are as diverse as say North Jersey (though I think it's trending that way), but it's certainly more diverse and 'cosmopolitan,' than South Jersey.
umm . . . dude. Have you been to Cherry Hill? Or the rest of Camden County for that matter? It's at least as diverse as the city.
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