Why don't N. American cities & towns try to emulate W. European cities & towns more? (shops, gardens)

[pwduvall]

American Exceptionalism. If things are done in a certain way by people in other counties, Americans need to do them differently. This the only way to protect our unique American way of life.

[Chris Meyers]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

American Exceptionalism. If things are done in a certain way by people in other counties, Americans need to do them differently. This the only way to protect our unique American way of life.

That makes like no sense.

[iNviNciBL3]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

American Exceptionalism. If things are done in a certain way by people in other counties, Americans need to do them differently. This the only way to protect our unique American way of life.

Yup that is totally it so let us live our unique American way of life and everyone else can live their perfect lives elsewhere

[drro]

Originally Posted by Tim Randal Walker

In Seattle we have both options: 1. Urban amenities 2. Access to nature

I disagree, as far as urban amenities are concerned, European cities have much more to offer in terms of history, culture, nightlife, shopping streets, walkability, etc. I don't know Seattle but in the American cities I lived and visited I found nearby nature to be very inaccesible, unlike over here forests are closed to the public, there are no-trespassing signs everywhere, no lanes for walking or cycling, distances are too large in general, etc. Overall, Western Europe provides a higher quality of life in this sense.

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by pwduvall
American Exceptionalism. If things are done in a certain way by people in other counties, Americans need to do them differently. This is the only way to protect our unique American way of life.

Chris Meyers That makes like no sense.

I know. I was kidding. Still, a lot of people aren't kidding when they say that kind of thing.

[cattledog69]

Originally Posted by drro

I disagree, as far as urban amenities are concerned, European cities have much more to offer in terms of history, culture, nightlife, shopping streets, walkability, etc. I don't know Seattle but in the American cities I lived and visited I found nearby nature to be very inaccesible, unlike over here forests are closed to the public, there are no-trespassing signs everywhere, no lanes for walking or cycling, distances are too large in general, etc. Overall, Western Europe provides a higher quality of life in this sense.

Hahahaha that is called nature you d*mb ass! but you don't even know what that is anymore do you?
Seriously, do you even hear yourself? You need lanes for cycling and walking to be able to access nature?
Pathetic!

[blktoptrvl]

Cities grow to meet the needs of it's inhabitants, not the other way around.

We don't design a city as if we were playing "Sim City" saying... I think I will put a mall here and a park there and some industrial over there and the people will flock to my city.

IRL, a corporation says there are some mildly educated people over here who are making a low wage. The town also has a navigable river, railhead, or small airport I can use. I think I can dupe a city council into giving me a lot of this land so I can build a unptysquat factory. And they do. Ten years later Apple builds a more popular umptysquat and the factory goes bust, the town is ruined and falls into disarray.

A few years later a new company comes along, but they cannot use that unptysquat factory. Instead, they want the land where that park and fountain is - the convince city hall and there goes the park. Later someone says "we need a park" What about where the old umptysquat factory is, we can make a water park.

European towns go through the same flexing - the difference is that they didn't grow up in time's of corporations and heavy rail, and industrialization. Most of those beautiful walking cities" grew when walking or riding a horse was the ONLY way to get around - and so their needs at the time were different. They have much older cultural and culturally significant places that most of the inhabitants NOW are not willing to sacrifice in order to get an umptysquat factory that will exist for 10 years and blot out the beautiful countryside. Here in America we are more open to that kind of building and destroying because we don't value as many places.

While you would never hear someone say, "let's demolish Independence Hall and put up a roller skating rink," we might be willing to get rid of the 50 year old warehouse that was sitting across the street from it.

[Natnasci]

Originally Posted by drro

I disagree, as far as urban amenities are concerned, European cities have much more to offer in terms of history, culture, nightlife, shopping streets, walkability, etc. I don't know Seattle but in the American cities I lived and visited I found nearby nature to be very inaccesible, unlike over here forests are closed to the public, there are no-trespassing signs everywhere, no lanes for walking or cycling, distances are too large in general, etc. Overall, Western Europe provides a higher quality of life in this sense.

Then why comment?

I do know Seattle and the area. Nature that doesn't even exist in most of Europe is very close by. Real untouched nature does not have bike lanes.

[Tim Randal Walker]

As a city Seattle is a mixed bag.

However, comparing apple with apples…. On two different occasions this year a friend called to say that he had tickets for the ballet. We went to Seattle Center to see the dress rehearsals of Don Quixote and Swan Lake.

[Tim Randal Walker]

As for nature, Seattle is located where in a region where the mountains meet the sea.