Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Dude, this is where you go off base in your thinking.
Imagine a black kid who grew up in a rougher part of South Atlanta making a trip to Seattle. He would have the exact same experience in Seattle that you do on the late train in Atlanta. Feeling like an outsider, like this isn't your space, and like the people around him are judging him for the way he looks and talks. And it's not just the train; it's almost every experience he'd have in that city.
I mean, you seem to get this. But then you pretty much go, "well, whatever, Seattle's just so nice and integrated and that's just awesome" which is sorta getting into not-cool territory imo. You've gotta realize that in liberal parts of Seattle this is regarded as a huge problem. The city is utterly fixed on issue of race, privilege, and exclusion, and your comments wouldn't play well in many circles.
Have you actually rode mass transit in Seattle proper? The urban core is really diverse even if the black population isn't as large as that in Atlanta. I think that the fact that the urban neighborhoods and the people on mass transit is diverse and not overwhelmingly one group makes it so people don't feel excluded.
Have you actually rode mass transit in Seattle proper? The urban core is really diverse even if the black population isn't as large as that in Atlanta. I think that the fact that the urban neighborhoods and the people on mass transit is diverse and not overwhelmingly one group makes it so people don't feel excluded.
Of course I have. I go to Seattle multiple times every year.
My post wasn't about mass transit. It was about the overall experience of existing in Seattle. It's a very white place, culturally. The fact that white people report feeling very comfortable and in their element there is hardly surprising.
Of course I have. I go to Seattle multiple times every year.
My post wasn't about mass transit. It was about the overall experience of existing in Seattle. It's a very white place, culturally. The fact that white people report feeling very comfortable and in their element there is hardly surprising.
Maybe. I have friends in and from Seattle that includes every race the census wants to divvy things up and none have grumbled about feeling out of place due to race though there are other things to grumble about. The mass transit part is specifically interesting because of how it's used by all in contrast to MARTA which continually runs into underfunding and lack of resources that sometimes seem specifically tied to race.
1. Cuisine - Atlanta has a much broader and innovative restaurant scene.
Having spent a decent amount of time in Atlanta, I would disagree with this. Seattle's restaurant scene has been on fire the last few years. Atlanta is great but I would give the nod to Seattle. Atlanta has a stronger American/Southern scene while Seattle is excelling in fusion, Asian, and obviously seafood.
Visiting a place an old friend lives in is not the same as living there. If you was to get a job and move to Seattle, I bet it wouldn't be too very long until it quit feeling like vacation and you'll start to get tired of the seemingly never ending gray skies, day in and day out, and then you start thinking to yourself the rent is so much more reasonable in Atlanta, and the food is better, the people are friendlier, you soon realize you prefer to drive to and from work in the privacy of your own vehicle rather than take a train or subway or a bus, and you like The Braves, Hawks and Falcons so much more than you do The Mariners, Seahawks, and Super Sonics. The grass always looks greener. No place is perfect. If I was you, i believe I'd think long and hard before making that major move. You really need to consider those grey skies. That would be like culture shock to your system. I can see how grey skies day after day could emotionally drain a person, especially somebody who is not use to continuous grey days.
All absolutely 100% true and all great points. And I do realize that there's an irrational emotional factor going on with me right now, having just come off that trip which was a special time for me personally for a lot of reasons.
I'm very torn right now on where I'm going to end up long term. For the time being, at least probably a couple years, I need to stay here in the ATL for mainly work reasons. But I feel nearly 100% certain that if/when I move, I have my sights firmly set on Seattle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chiatldal
The last thing you ever give Seattle praise for is diverse over Atlanta.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with that, at least from intangible, personal experience.
Forget the numbers for a second. Atlanta is heavily black and heavily white, and you do get some integration, but it just seems like a divide between different areas.
Seattle may be a white city and area and region of the country, but the minorities also seemed well-represented and mixed in there. At least that was my experience.
Quote:
MARTA limited demographic is due to the limited areas. If MARTA expand to more diverse places the demographics would change.
Absolutely right. Which is reason # a million why it's so intensely frustrating that MARTA has not expanded in all these decades, and to this day STILL is not at all in the largest 2 residential counties of the metro. Ridiculous.
Quote:
But I'm glade you see the benefits of transit now.
Oh I always have, but that city really showed a great example for me of what an improved Atlanta transit situation could be. Along with all the other things that go with that, like more walkable streets.
And I'm not turning anti-car, but Atlanta's pendulum is swung way too far in the direction of cars right now, and it needs to adjust. Seattle had cars too, and they were able to get around fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by American Expat
I understand Atlanta's subway system was offered to Seattle first and unfortunately the city turned it down and lived to regret it.
Yep, but we haven't done hardly anything with MARTA except take it for granted for decades, and I don't even feel like it operates that well- the train seems to slow down all the time for no apparent reasons, which negates the entire point of heavy rail.
Meanwhile, Seattle has the best metro bus system I've ever seen (a million times better than Atlanta in every way), and also the best light rail implementation I've ever seen, which to seems as good or better than MARTA. And then also they have commuter rail, which we do not.
Quote:
BTW, my pick for Amazon's second HQ is Atlanta.
Me too. It would be a good fit for Atlanta's growing tech scene.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree with that, at least from intangible, personal experience.
Forget the numbers for a second. Atlanta is heavily black and heavily white, and you do get some integration, but it just seems like a divide between different areas.
Seattle may be a white city and area and region of the country, but the minorities also seemed well-represented and mixed in there. At least that was my experience.
I have issue people praising these low diversity cities Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland for tolerance and integration of diversity they don't have. .
Here's the problem you think because Seattle doesn't have black neighborhoods means the black population most be more integrated no... there simply less blacks or minorities there. in fact 6% is lower than the national average of 12%
" I'm basically the only non-black person waiting for the train or riding the train....... I just felt out of place, as if I was not welcome or really meant to be there, because of who I am. I dunno how to explain it. I'm not saying anything negative about anyone, not at all,"
Basically your white felt self conscious in majority black neighborhoods.
And this what blacks think of Seattle you won't notice how low the minorities are there but minorities will. Blacks will noticed there only 6% in greater Seattle.
Again your comparing, Seattle integrating 300k blacks with 3 mil whites, Atlanta integrating 1,800k blacks with 3 mil whites, Even if Atlanta had 300k, heck double 600k integrated blacks in white neighborhoods as Seattle. that would still leave an over flow of 1,200k blacks living in blacks neighborhoods.
Even if Atlanta was twice as integrated a Seattle, that still would leave majority black areas left over.
If fact there more whites living black areas of metro Atlanta,
and more blacks living in white areas of metro Atlanta
Than Blacks living in white areas in Metro Seattle.
Atlanta wins especially with our selection of women. Women in Seattle mentally beat men like they are dogs. 2's thinking they are 10's because it's more men there. Even Tom Leykis said Seattle men are the most beaten dogs in this country.
ATL > SEA
Gets dark in Seattle at 430 pm and at 6pm In ATL in the winter
Cheaper COL
More concerts and tours don't skip ATL like they do in Seattle
Better short drive vacations
Atlanta men aren't beaten dogs like Seattle men
More direct flights
Better nightlife and entertainment
Prettier women that actually dress up and not walk around like they are going to work picking cotton
People are happier and much much nicer here
People actually speak to strangers here like it's normal. Try that In Seattle
Men aren't beaten dogs here like they are in Seattle
No Seattle Freeze here.
People aren't miserable here 7 months out the year because of the weather
Etc etc etc
Seattle is a cool city especially in the summer with great seafood but you can't compare it to Atlanta. They are way to differently
Thanks for taking the time to write this up. I wish they would have left it in the ATL forum though because I thought it was more constructive for ATL to talk about changes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by primaltech
1. Light Rail is where it's at...
2. Their bus system... just... OMG.
4. Walkability is so key.
Oh and their streetcar...
It's the need for options. The right tool for the right job. I don't know if cycling or walking will really take off in Atlanta because of the heat and humidity, but the rest are there to be done. We just need a smart plan and a commitment (Money). Part of the smart plan is to build the transit where it will be used and then build the jobs where the transit is. That's tough because we have so many different municipalities competing for those residents and those jobs.
Atlanta is so far behind too. The line to Windward should have been done decades ago for example.
Quote:
3. Diversity is where it's at. Seattle had all types of people, a very diverse crowd everywhere I went, and it really made the place special, and comfortable for everyone. In Atlanta (especially in the MARTA world vs no MARTA world, and etc), it seems like it's almost always one type of people or another. It's all so segregated and territorial.
I know what you mean. Atlanta has diversity, but it doesn't have integration. We can keep working on this.
Quote:
I say this as I'm scheming and planning of when I might want to leave, because I want that life.
You are not the only one, and it's a problem for the City. Progressive thinkers tend to just move to a city that fits their needs. I left Atlanta 5 years ago for Denver/Boulder and it was the best decision. Don't get me wrong, I love Atlanta. My wife's and my family have been there for generations, and I miss a lot of things. I just love the things here more.
There is a flipside to this. I think Atlanta has been attracting people who like cars and suburbia for decades.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
