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You know most posters in these types of "global notoriety" threads post laughably ridiculous US-centric/homer views by listing all kinds of neighbourhoods and things they believe the whole world knows about their city when in reality most people in the US probably wouldn't even know what they were referring to. You on the other hand just went in the complete opposite direction for your ridiculousness...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Standard111
I cannot believe you have never heard of Fishermans Wharf or Haight/Ashbury. If so, it says more about you than the subject (not to be mean, but just honest, that displays lack of basic geographic and historic knowledge).
This shows how out of touch you are with the average person... (Btw, a neighbourhood in a city a person has never been to really isn't "basic" geographic knowledge)
Quote:
Originally Posted by GatsbyGatz
Most people worldwide could look at a photo taken anywhere within SF and be able to identify the city. It's very iconic, to the point where everyone knows what the skyline looks like, what the bridge looks like, what the hills and houses look like. Chicago, on the other hand, besides a photo that includes the Willis Tower or Cloudgate (AKA "Chicago Bean"), wouldn't be as identifiable. There just aren't very many dense cities with colorful Victorian architecture placed upon steep hills; SF is visually unique. Chicago, on the other hand, could arguably be more difficult to identify because its street level appearance is much more diverse. To the human mind, that interrupts our "mental imprint" of a city.
Yeah right! Come on, anywhere in the city??? Heck I could take pictures of downtown SF and if I don't have the bridges in it I guarantee more than 90% of people here wouldn't get it. Also, what if I show them a picture of a colourful house on a hill in Cincy and they say SF?
I'm even speaking from Western Europe at the moment, you guys really think people in Uzbekistan know or care about Haight/Ashbury???
I'm even speaking from Western Europe at the moment, you guys really think people in Uzbekistan know or care about Haight/Ashbury???
Well that's sort of the issue isn't it? It's a bit difficult to speculate what foreigners (which is such a broad term) think of when they think of American icons. It's all conjecture, but I'd venture to guess for most it's (a) the Statue of Liberty and (b) the Hollywood Sign, and then a huge drop off.
And FWIW, Haight/Ashbury represents more than just a neighborhood. It symbolizes a major political/cultural movement which holds an important place in recent US history. So yes, it is iconic for those who care to educate themselves on the history of America.
Let's not forget that what makes SF so unique is it packs a punch in just 49 square miles ! You can drive across SF in 10 minutes. Chicago, as impressive as it is, is much bigger at 240 sq. miles. To put that into perspective that would be like adding portions of the Bay and East Bay cities to SF proper.
The point is Chicago really has no name recognition in the grand scheme of things
Yes it does. However, part of the recognition is for **** that doesn't even happen anymore like mafia/mob stuff. I've never run into someone in my world travels who had never heard of Chicago. They'd either equate it to the Bulls/Michael Jordan (and more up to date people - Derrick Rose) or Al Capone, usually. Perhaps old but they still are aware the city exists and can associate it to something.
Last year I was in Istanbul, Malaysia, and Singapore. Even at various malls in Kuala Lumpur were Derrick Rose and Bulls ads up and there's a pizza chain in Turkey called "Pizza Bulls" that uses the Bulls' logo. Every single time in Turkey it came out I was from Chicago, they'd instantly mention how they watch the Bulls on TV. My ex girlfriend's family was from Malaysia and her dad knew all about the early 20th century mafia/Al Capone crap and how it related to the history of the city. I was in Rome less than a month ago and the same thing - when I mentioned I was from Chicago, people there could actually name recent things about the city (not necessarily Bulls or Al Capone). I've literally never run into anybody overseas who's been like "Never heard of that city."
And in the end, I'm not trying to say that Chicago has more international name recognition than SF, but if you really think Chicago has none then you don't know much of anything.
Last edited by marothisu; 04-09-2014 at 09:14 AM..
Let's not forget that what makes SF so unique is it packs a punch in just 49 square miles ! You can drive across SF in 10 minutes. Chicago, as impressive as it is, is much bigger at 240 sq. miles. To put that into perspective that would be like adding portions of the Bay and East Bay cities to SF proper.
Thought putting things in further perspective, the most notable parts of Chicago and the places where people would be visiting could also easily fit into a relatively small area.
Chicago - Lots of tall buildings. Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, Al Capone, for any history buffs there's John Dillinger and the whole bootlegging and organized crime presence, the Bulls, the Sears Tower which was the tallest building in the world for around 20 years.
San Francisco - I'll let you fill this one in, not saying it doesn't have its icons too, but I don't think they are near as numerous.
Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Lombard Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Haight-Ashbury (and the whole 60s hippie movement that goes with it), Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Harvey Milk,The Castro, Coit Tower, Trans America building, Cable Cars, North Beach and the 50s Beatniks, Bay Bridge, and on and on.
Naming people is a little more complicated. For example Grateful Dead is known, but many people will not necessarily associate them with San Francisco.
Also the Trans America Building, while unique, will not be easily identifiable to most people - guaranteed. Same as Coit Tower. The Castro is known too but many people have no clue what it is either. Most people know of SF's Chinatown but they wouldn't be able to ID it just if you said "Chinatown" or even showed them a picture. There's numerous Chinatowns in the US and SF's Chinatown architecture could fit into a city like NYC too.
Out of the ones you listed, the only ones most people would right away ID would be the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and Cable Cars. The others, while recognizable, wouldn't not be recognized right away by everyone, especially the two towers you mentioned and I'd put a lot of money on that.
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Yeah right! Come on, anywhere in the city??? Heck I could take pictures of downtown SF and if I don't have the bridges in it I guarantee more than 90% of people here wouldn't get it. Also, what if I show them a picture of a colourful house on a hill in Cincy and they say SF?
