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Perception vs. reality are different but these are very large cities, and there is very much a presence of elites & big money (although shrinking and exclusive) in most of them.
The biggest connections to old money & old institutions is of course the big Northeastern cities and to a slightly lesser extent the big California cities (less San Diego). Most of others have a small presence but are newer to the crowd. (Chicago would fall in line with the Northeast).
But I get it, when people think of Coastal elites, their knowledge is generally limited, and the safe choices are chosen. For example, Boston has 53 votes and Philadelphia 11, when in reality, their coastal elite backgrounds are very similar in history, size and general influence.
But I agree with another poster that Philadelphia and Chicago offer the best balance of lifestyles in the big picture.
But if I want to be picky, San Diego, San Jose don't really belong in the ranking (IMO), and Seattle is a solid tier down from its Northeast and California counterparts, and Baltimore has lost most of its luster, but still has a small presence of old money.
I agree with everything you said and would even say Pittsburgh has more Old Money today than Baltimore.
Pittsburgh was home to some of the wealthiest people in American history and is still a center of finance and industry and has a sizable Old Money presence in its North Hill suburbs.
Also, I think the poll above demonstrates how unknown the Philadelphia suburbs are. Many people have experienced Philadelphia mostly from its higher education campuses, its colonial history and walking around center city or the nitty gritty parts of South Philadelphia.
(South Philadelphia to me is Philadelphia's version of Long Island City or Parts of Brooklyn).
With that...
Somehow though, there is an idea that there is a continuation of that blue collar nitty grittyness in the majority of Philadelphia's suburbs. Which is false.
The reality is, Philadelphia's suburbs are some of the wealthiest and nicest in the nation. And few know how much Old Money influence there is.
Philadelphia is home to the third highest concentration of Old Money in the US. 1) NYC 2) Boston 3) Philadelphia
Gladwyne, Pennsylvania is actually wealthier than Greenwich, CT and McLean, VA. But no one knows this. I think the regions Quaker roots keep the region very humble despite it being elite.
William Penn was one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time (The King of England was indebted to him). Few knew it, because he was Quaker and a primary trait as a Quaker is to be humble.
That culture and mentality of humility even by the elite of Philadelphia, still exist today.
The film the Philadelphia Story is a reference to that wealth which still exists today.
And these "true" elite cities like Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia do not have a modern day version of say "Real Housewives" which are mostly new money phony is because Old Money does not like flashy.
Last edited by rowhomecity; 03-06-2021 at 06:53 PM..
Makes perfect sense to me. In the context of how "Coastal Elite" is used, often in a derogatory way by the conservative media, San Francisco is the embodiment.
Let's put it this way using a recent example from the news: if being a "Coastal Elite" could be weaponized, it would be in the form of the recent school board decision to rename most of their schools away from names associated with real (or perceived) actions from the past. To me, that was "peak-Coastal Elite" ha.
This ^^. Iowa Republican politicians use the term “coastal elites” ALL the time when bashing California, especially San Francisco.
I agree with everything you said and would even say Pittsburgh has more Old Money today than Baltimore.
Pittsburgh was home to some of the wealthiest people in American history and is still a center of finance and industry and has a sizable Old Money presence in its North Hill suburbs.
Also, I think the poll above demonstrates how unknown the Philadelphia suburbs are. Many people have experienced Philadelphia mostly from its higher education campuses, its colonial history and walking around center city or the nitty gritty parts of South Philadelphia.
(South Philadelphia to me is Philadelphia's version of Long Island City or Parts of Brooklyn).
With that...
Somehow though, there is an idea that there is a continuation of that blue collar nitty grittyness in the majority of Philadelphia's suburbs. Which is false.
The reality is, Philadelphia's suburbs are some of the wealthiest and nicest in the nation. And few know how much Old Money influence there is.
Philadelphia is home to the third highest concentration of Old Money in the US. 1) NYC 2) Boston 3) Philadelphia
Gladwyne, Pennsylvania is actually wealthier than Greenwich, CT and McLean, VA. But no one knows this. I think the regions Quaker roots keep the region very humble despite it being elite.
William Penn was one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time (The King of England was indebted to him). Few knew it, because he was Quaker and a primary trait as a Quaker is to be humble.
That culture and mentality of humility even by the elite of Philadelphia, still exist today.
The film the Philadelphia Story is a reference to that wealth which still exists today.
And these "true" elite cities like Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia do not have a modern day version of say "Real Housewives" which are mostly new money phony is because Old Money does not like flashy.
I agree with both of you. Not including Seattle and SJ as coastal elites is not meant as a slight. I think there definitely is an old money, untouchable connotation that couples with the coastal elite term. Philly definitely would be included for me.
Charlotte should be considered for this category. It's the largest banking center in the US outside of New York and on it's way to becoming a premiere city of the Southeast. Not sure if it really qualifies for "coastal" though.
Charlotte should be considered for this category. It's the largest banking center in the US outside of New York and on it's way to becoming a premiere city of the Southeast. Not sure if it really qualifies for "coastal" though.
isn't Charlotte super accessible to regular middle-class people? I would never consider Charlotte elite anything even if it is home to BOA, that just seems irrelevant really.
"I'm better than you and I'm going to shove it in your face every chance I get!"
...type of people.
I don't pick up that vibe from people in Philly.
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