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Sophistication: worldly, cultured, civilized, elegant etc.
Based on this definition, I would rank the cities as of 2020 as:
1. Boston
2. Washington DC
3. Philadelphia
4. San Francisco
San Francisco's current state of dirtiness really brings it down to last place for now. I would argue that at one time it would have been number one. It's sad really. I hope they vote politicians in at the state and city level that will actually bring it back to its once cleaner state.
And no, I'm not criticising just to criticise. San Francisco has always been a place of interest to me.
Last edited by CinderFella7; 04-22-2020 at 06:32 PM..
Reason: Edit: changed DC to second instead of tie.
SF is what I’m most familiar with, but it should be the Bay Area as SF is basically 10% of the population and for the burbs isn’t as central to the area as most central cities. It’s cosmopolitan to a fault to where if you aren’t that interested in diversity, you’re labeled and canceled. Sad, as the Bay Area when I was growing up was a model of organic diversity being a real catalyst for success. In terms of sophistication though, it’s a great place. Lots of cuisine, museums, scenery, and highbrow or lowbrow stuff to do.
Boston still strikes me as a place which takes the diversity it has as a point of pride, but doesn’t really accept any more of it. Sophistication comes more in the form of highbrow education, and a long history.
DC should be kind of a leader, but I feel like its political obligations artificially swing its attitudes. They know how to show a visitor a good time, though.
Philly? I don’t know that it really belongs on this list. Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, LA, and Chicago should all probably be ahead of it in terms of sophistication. What Philly has to offer is a deep history and a fantastic old district with public art and plaques noting history.
SF is what I’m most familiar with, but it should be the Bay Area as SF is basically 10% of the population and for the burbs isn’t as central to the area as most central cities. It’s cosmopolitan to a fault to where if you aren’t that interested in diversity, you’re labeled and canceled. Sad, as the Bay Area when I was growing up was a model of organic diversity being a real catalyst for success. In terms of sophistication though, it’s a great place. Lots of cuisine, museums, scenery, and highbrow or lowbrow stuff to do.
Boston still strikes me as a place which takes the diversity it has as a point of pride, but doesn’t really accept any more of it. Sophistication comes more in the form of highbrow education, and a long history.
DC should be kind of a leader, but I feel like its political obligations artificially swing its attitudes. They know how to show a visitor a good time, though.
Philly? I don’t know that it really belongs on this list. Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, LA, and Chicago should all probably be ahead of it in terms of sophistication. What Philly has to offer is a deep history and a fantastic old district with public art and plaques noting history.
You don't know much about Philadelphia. These 3 cities are tough competition, but how would Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas or Houston be ahead in terms of sophistication? Yes, its all subjective, but come on, give the city some credit....
You don't know much about Philadelphia. These 3 cities are tough competition, but how would Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas or Houston be ahead in terms of sophistication? Yes, its all subjective, but come on, give the city some credit....
Chicago would belong though in the group though.
You’re actually quite right, what I know about Philly is reputation and about six hours wandering around. Mostly saw tourist things and had a cheesesteak, and I value Philly as an American place. It’s actually beautiful as an American to see the roots of who we are and how we became what we are. But I probably missed what makes it a sophisticated, bustling center of international interest.
You’re actually quite right, what I know about Philly is reputation and about six hours wandering around. Mostly saw tourist things and had a cheesesteak, and I value Philly as an American place. It’s actually beautiful as an American to see the roots of who we are and how we became what we are. But I probably missed what makes it a sophisticated, bustling center of international interest.
Well I've spent considerable amounts of time in every city you listed, and what exactly makes them anymore sophisticated or bustling centers of international interest compared to Philadelphia? Not sure what you are getting at with your response....
Last edited by cpomp; 04-22-2020 at 08:24 PM..
Reason: edit
Philly? I don’t know that it really belongs on this list. Atlanta, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, LA, and Chicago should all probably be ahead of it in terms of sophistication. What Philly has to offer is a deep history and a fantastic old district with public art and plaques noting history.
Curious why you'd have that perception, as it seems like an odd comment given Philadelphia's "legacy city" stature.
Philadelphia is considerably more urbane and has had at least a century longer to mature than most if not all of those cities. Its cultural sector, on a per capita basis, easily matches any of those cities. Superior walkability; extensive public transit; top notch museums, restaurants, architecture, universities and hospitals; vibrant and diverse neighborhoods; prominent history as you note; public art abounds.
Again, what element of "sophistication" is missing, vis-a-vis any of the cities you've mentioned?
Well I've spent considerable amounts of time in every city you listed and I probably missed what makes them sophisticated, bustling centers of international interest as well....(minus Chicago).
Not sure what you are getting at with your response. Also, why are people digging up years old dormant threads to start trouble.
Never understood the hate for someone bumping an old thread.
But anyway. Was hoping that was a prompt for you to convey some knowledge I don’t possess. I could be wrong and I’m not the typical know-it-all forum dude who’s got an agenda to pointlessly push. School me. That’s really the whole point of this internet thing.
Never understood the hate for someone bumping an old thread.
But anyway. Was hoping that was a prompt for you to convey some knowledge I don’t possess. I could be wrong and I’m not the typical know-it-all forum dude who’s got an agenda to pointlessly push. School me. That’s really the whole point of this internet thing.
I think it's that, for a multitude of reasons, Philadelphia still, for all of its impressive revitalization/gentrification, gets written-off more than practically any other major metro area that I can think of (except maybe Phoenix or Detroit).
Ironically, it's a city that was established and considered a major "sophisticated" hub of culture and commerce (along with Boston and New York) since the Colonial American era. It was a while back, but I remember reading an Inquirer article about one woman in her nineties who relocated in her youth (likely around the 1910s) as an aspiring pianist from her native Washington, DC to Philadelphia, because DC was essentially a cultural "backwater" at the time. Obviously no objective person would make that claim today, but the anecdote sticks in my mind of how perceptions about cities can clearly change over time, for better and worse, and fairly or unfairly.
I guess that's what makes such comments, however innocent, so irksome to natives and those deeply familiar with the place. Philly earned its rightful place as a bona fide sophisticated urban hub long ago, for its many significant institutions and critical role in history, but yet it still has to "prove itself" compared to many other cities centuries later.
Curious why you'd have that perception, as it seems like an odd comment given Philadelphia's "legacy city" stature.
Philadelphia is considerably more urbane and has had at least a century longer to mature than most if not all of those cities. Its cultural sector, on a per capita basis, easily matches any of those cities. Superior walkability; extensive public transit; top notch museums, restaurants, architecture, universities and hospitals; vibrant and diverse neighborhoods; prominent history as you note; public art abounds.
Again, what element of "sophistication" is missing, vis-a-vis any of the cities you've mentioned?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino
I think it's that, for a multitude of reasons, Philadelphia still, for all of its impressive revitalization/gentrification, gets written-off more than practically any other major metro area that I can think of (except maybe Phoenix or Detroit).
Ironically, it's a city that was established and considered a major "sophisticated" hub of culture and commerce (along with Boston and New York) since the Colonial American era. It was a while back, but I remember reading an Inquirer article about one woman in her nineties who relocated in her youth (likely around the 1910s) as an aspiring pianist from her native Washington, DC to Philadelphia, because DC was essentially a cultural "backwater" at the time. Obviously no objective person would make that claim today, but the anecdote sticks in my mind of how perceptions about cities can clearly change over time, for better and worse, and fairly or unfairly.
I guess that's what makes such comments, however innocent, so irksome to natives and those deeply familiar with the place. Philly earned its rightful place as a bona fide sophisticated urban hub long ago, for its many significant institutions and critical role in history, but yet it still has to "prove itself" compared to many other cities centuries later.
I’m taking it in. Keep it coming! I’m maybe still a bit skeptical, but I’m going to listen here, not neg! Thanks for the responses!
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