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I'm not American. Can anyone explain to me why ethnic 'diversity' is seen as a desirable feauture in these city comparison threads? Why would an ethnically homogenous Asian city for instance be less desirable than an American city with a high immigrant population? Why is this such an important factor?
Of course the United States was born from immigration so I can understand why diversity is seen as something desirable over there. But the rest of the old world's culture, history and art come mainly from homogenous civilizations. 'Diversity' can be a very negative trait for these old countries, "watering down" the unique local culture.
Using the word 'diverse' as a universally preferable trait is clearly a mistake in my opinion.
A diverse city is more cultured. You are influenced by many cultures in a diverse city and I find that desirable.
There is more to diverse cultures if neighborhoods actually have their own flavor, core and vibe you see. But if every nigh or hood is JUST SUBURBAN HOMES STILL THE SAME IN EVERY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOD? As in some major sunbelt cities? Basically, having a Ethnic Special Restaurant to utilize that is seen as authentic..... is most times the limit to the culture you get.
Just doesn't compare to older Ethnic neighborhood enclaves that streets with storefronts abound. A Ethnic suburb of the same sprawl as the next isn't going to be a cultured enclave in nearly the same level to boast.
It was a generic statement predicated around the idea that corporations are leaving north/west cities for southern sun and tax breaks. To be fair, it hasn't really hit Chicago like it has, say, California. But what major corporations are migrating to Chicago outside of the corporations that already lived in the Illinois suburbs?
The exodus specific to Chicago is actually in it's populations. While I do believe if you peel those numbers back, the exodus applies less to white collar and affluent folks, and more to those looking for more opportunity.. I'd say it's a direct reflection on the economic stand still.
Either way, where's the tech? Biopharma? It's a stale private sector, one that's been documented all over the place. Do you not agree that it's a problem?
Boston has Harvard, MIT, BC, BU, Northeastern, Berklee, Bentley, Babson, Emerson, Suffolk.. And, well, a lot more.
How about greater DC? Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, University of Maryland come to mind.
How about New York? NYU, Columbia, Fordham, St. Johns, Hofstra.
LA? San Francisco Bay area?
Not sure I think of Chicago as a higher ed mecca compared to any other of equal or lesser size, but I do agree that there are some great universities. I certainly don't think the public education quality is doing very well with the exception of the New Triers/Hinsdales of the world, and I'd venture to say that the Illinois test scores would agree.
I'm glad it's getting a vote of confidence from Chicagoans, but the city was on the verge of bankruptcy. Doing better than it has in a while doesn't really mean it's doing well. As of 2016, the MEABF reported a 5/15 assets to actuarially accrued liabilities ratio. Holy hell. How about the school closures and funding issues within the cities walls? Surely that tells a story about how uniquely screwed up the cities financials have become.
A building boom is happening in every single major city in the country. It's a familiarity complex that everyone seems to have about their respective cities when they see change. Compare the building boom to Dallas, Houston, New York.. No different anywhere.
Might I add, when we were getting ready to purchase in the suburbs north of Chicago, do you know what we realized? Housing prices had not yet reached their pre-crisis values. Where we purchased in Boston, that is simply not the case. They've sky rocketed well past their previous high. Nor is it the case in Seattle. Or San Fran. Or Houston, Dallas, Austin. Or any other localized economy offering a more diverse portfolio of verticals outside of Law and Finance.
What? How? Why?
Without doing a side by side list, NY has 7 presidents to Illinois 3. Illinois is influential, sure.. More than other cities? Not that I'm aware of.
Hopefully all of that political production and power can figure out their own city.
^This is all written by someone from Chicago, who loves the city^
How why? I would take IL Obama over NY Trump plus Hillary in a heartbeat.
London, Sydney, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seoul can match NYC
I disagree. NYC's peers are London, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
For me, it's about built environment. After that,economic activity and influence. NYC is the greatest American city. Other great American cities are San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. Next tier is DC, Denver, Seattle, SLC, Portland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Minneapolis. Then the currently distressed industrial cities: Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, St Louis, Milwaukee.
Most of the rest of the major urbanized areas, in my opinion, are structured as suburbs. I include Atlanta, Phoenix, Texas cities, Charlotte and Las Vegas in this group.
There is more to diverse cultures if neighborhoods actually have their own flavor, core and vibe you see. But if every nigh or hood is JUST SUBURBAN HOMES STILL THE SAME IN EVERY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOD? As in some major sunbelt cities? Basically, having a Ethnic Special Restaurant to utilize that is seen as authentic..... is most times the limit to the culture you get.
Just doesn't compare to older Ethnic neighborhood enclaves that streets with storefronts abound. A Ethnic suburb of the same sprawl as the next isn't going to be a cultured enclave in nearly the same level to boast.
I don’t know what you’re talking about but a neighborhood doesn’t have to be dense to have cultural flavor, nor does it have to be dense to have its own vibe and nobody is talking about just restaurants. I was responding to Easternman’s comments that he didn’t know why people value diversity.
I disagree. NYC's peers are London, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
For me, it's about built environment. After that,economic activity and influence. NYC is the greatest American city. Other great American cities are San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. Next tier is DC, Denver, Seattle, SLC, Portland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Minneapolis. Then the currently distressed industrial cities: Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, St Louis, Milwaukee.
Most of the rest of the major urbanized areas, in my opinion, are structured as suburbs. I include Atlanta, Phoenix, Texas cities, Charlotte and Las Vegas in this group.
No Dallas. Houston, Miami, Tampa, Philadelphia ?
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