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+1; but 1/3rd of the country lives in bos-wash so they are still well known by many (most ?).
I grew up in MD, and never heard of or knew about Somerville or Brookline growing up. Outside of people who are city nerds or travel a lot, I doubt "many (most)" in the MD/DC area know anything about them.
"Bos-Wash" is a phenomenon that's nice to market, and is cool to look at on a density map, but doesn't mean much to the average person in reality. Ask an average person in Boston/Mass if they know anything about Rockville or Germantown and see what they say. It's the same concept.
+1; but 1/3rd of the country lives in bos-wash so they are still well known by many (most ?).
Eh, it's actually more like 1/6th of the country lives in BosWash.
I know this forum is very Northeast-centric (something to which I obviously contribute), but the fact of the matter is the vast, vast majority of Americans know very little about the Northeast outside of the core large cities (and even then, popular knowledge is very limited to the popular core neighborhoods).
There's just a conglomeration of geography nerds on this forum. But "normal" people tend to be heavily focused on their resident area, within 100 miles or so.
If anyone has more nuanced or extensive of knowledge of a city/metro in which they're not a resident, it's because of the reason (geography nerdism) noted above, that they've lived in "X" area before, or they have a strong personal connection (family/friend lives or is from there).
Eh, it's actually more like 1/6th of the country lives in BosWash.
I know this forum is very Northeast-centric (something to which I obviously contribute), but the fact of the matter is the vast, vast majority of Americans know very little about the Northeast outside of the core large cities (and even then, popular knowledge is very limited to the popular core neighborhoods).
There's just a conglomeration of geography nerds on this forum. But "normal" people tend to be heavily focused on their resident area, within 100 miles or so.
If anyone has more nuanced or extensive of knowledge of a city/metro in which they're not a resident, it's because of the reason (geography nerdism) noted above, that they've lived in "X" area before, or they have a strong personal connection (family/friend lives or is from there).
Extremely factual post based on actual reality. Repped.
Eh, it's actually more like 1/6th of the country lives in BosWash.
I know this forum is very Northeast-centric (something to which I obviously contribute), but the fact of the matter is the vast, vast majority of Americans know very little about the Northeast outside of the core large cities (and even then, popular knowledge is very limited to the popular core neighborhoods).
There's just a conglomeration of geography nerds on this forum. But "normal" people tend to be heavily focused on their resident area, within 100 miles or so.
If anyone has more nuanced or extensive of knowledge of a city/metro in which they're not a resident, it's because of the reason (geography nerdism) noted above, that they've lived in "X" area before, or they have a strong personal connection (family/friend lives or is from there).
It’s a lot of people, and most of them probably do know about Brookline and Somerville. I think that poster’s point still stands.
No disagreement here.
Frankly, a lot of people think Brooklyn is still a separate city than Manhattan or Staten Island is not part of NYC. Or People don't know Santa Monica and Bevery Hills aren't in LA proper.
If anyone has more nuanced or extensive of knowledge of a city/metro in which they're not a resident…that they've lived in "X" area before, or they have a strong personal connection (family/friend lives or is from there).
And I maintain that these two things will be very common for people that live within 500mi if Boston. Maybe they wouldn’t know that Teele Square is a place in Somerville, but they’d probably know that Somerville is a place that exists somewhere near Boston.
And I maintain that these two things will be very common for people that live within 500mi if Boston. Maybe they wouldn’t know that Teele Square is a place in Somerville, but they’d probably know that Somerville is a place that exists somewhere near Boston.
In reality, it's a "gradient."
Not trying to be contrarian, but case in point: I grew up in Southeastern PA, about half of that suggested 500-mile distance from Boston, and the first time I even had a notion that Somerville existed was when I visited the Boston area while in college with my then-girlfriend, now-wife, who's a Mass. native. That's one anecdote, of course, but I've long been a self-described geography nerd, myself.
I just think there's a high overestimation of geographical awareness on this forum, especially regarding the city fiefdoms of the Northeast, which is the epicenter of municipal balkanization.
I only know of Somerville because I happened to work for a company HQed in Boston at one point. Cambridge I think people have heard of but not many outside of the area would realize how urban and connected to Boston it is.
Not trying to be contrarian, but case in point: I grew up in Southeastern PA, about half of that suggested 500-mile distance from Boston
Ah, you’re right. I took the list of states from 2Easy’s post and figured that the number matched it, but it’s too big. 200-250 is more likely and it’s a fast stop one you hit NYC to the southwest.
So many people on here in particular. have options and notions of Boston or have traveled there or lived there though. People speak with a great deal of confidence but then dont know like Chelsea, or the vast majority of Boston neighborhoods. Or any of its suburbs really. And some of these people have strong opinions so I am a bit surprised at times.
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