Why is Chicago generally not considered an average or typical American city? (vs, bill)
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1. It refused to become a New York wanna-be.
2. It refused to become a Los Amgeles wanna-be
America, in the 20th Century, was heavily influenced by the entertainment media culture. Americans started thinking of itself behaving like NYC or SoCal. Chicago didn't.
That’s one hell of a generalisation if I do say so myself.
Probably close to 1/3 of the U.S. population living in these metro areas. So I don't that's the reason.
Yeah, I think the Chicago MSA is not too far off from nationally representative. Ditto for several of these other MSAs. It's just that Chicago the city (as with most of these cities) is very much not what the average American's lifestyle is like.
That'd be middle-class to working-class, white-plurality but racially diverse, medium-density suburbia. Places like...
Chicago area: Joliet (as mentioned), Elgin, outlying parts of Aurora, outlying parts of Waukegan
Seattle area: Everett, Burien, Renton, Pierce County (Lakewood, Puyallup), Bremerton
Nowhere in the Bay Area really fits, especially with how the COL skews the class dynamics there. But places in metro Sacramento (Natomas, Elk Grove) are hardcore "average America".
I have always heard Chicago described as the most American big city. Definitely not generally described as foreign. I agree with those who say the OP's initial premise is wrong.
Last edited by whogoesthere; 06-18-2023 at 06:45 AM..
Reason: ...
I have always heard Chicago described as the most American big city. Definitely not generally described as foreign. I agree with those who say the OP's initial premise is wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by arr430
Generalizations are fairly reliable indicators. The OP appears to be asking for one.
Having gave this some thought, I now agree, Chicago itself perhaps isn't a typical American city. But a better question perhaps; is the Chicago metro as a whole more average perhaps? Sure it's very large in size, but many of the more outlying counties (particularly Will and Kane) located within it are very much close to the national average in terms of demographics and statistics.
Chicago is too large and too urban to be an "Average" American city and also has a large immigrant population. Many parts of the city also has a very rough, dangerous reputation that doesn't fit the ideal image of America. Chicago is also a very politically liberal, far left city, the home of the Obamas, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Lori Lightfoot, Rahm Emmanuels all of whom are far left and extreme vs mainstream America.
For me the image of all-American would be Columbus, Omaha, or Oklahoma City. Southern cities like Nashville, Birmingham, Jackson MS etc are also quintessentially American but are unique in their Southernness.
Chicago isn't a hotbed of far left at all. San Francisco policies aren't a thing there. Obama is a good example of center left, and obviously very mainstream given he won two presidencies (popular vote included).
It's kinda international. Both the city and county were a little over 20% foreign-born in 2020, above the national average but not like the LA/NY types.
For me the image of all-American would be Columbus, Omaha, or Oklahoma City. Southern cities like Nashville, Birmingham, Jackson MS etc are also quintessentially American but are unique in their Southernness.
I agree with Columbus and Omaha. Wouldn't agree with Oklahoma City being all-American though. The climate is too hot, it's too far away from most of the Midwest, the history is pretty narrow, and it has a proportionally large Native American population.
I often wonder why the protagonist Emily Cooper from that cartoon-like show Emily in Paris (major eye rolls here) is from Chicago, instead of NYC or L.A or any other big cities from the U.S. Emily, despite a good heart and overflown sweetness, seems to be portrayed as this fashionably clueless, culturally tone-deaf, less than sophisticated (but business-savvy) and almost “adorkable” American girl committing all kinds of social and cultural faux-pas in Paris.-I hate this show and could only stand 1-2 episodes but I rolled my eyes a bit when they seemed to purposely make Emily from Chicago for the obvious reason.
Culturally Chicago may be more “All-American” (I can’t help but think of all the John Hughes movies.-accurate or not, you can’t get any more “All-American” than John Hughes movies.) but its look, at least from the loop area (the only area I am familiar with in Chicago.), stands out from many typical American cities (save for NYC, parts of Philadelphia, D.C and parts of Boston.) with the impressive skyline, lovely lakeshore views, the modern high rise neatly aligned with the river cut through (and I don’t usually like modern high rise buildings.)which can be quite awe-struck if you’re only looking at the “hardware” of the city.
While I see it as an American city, I don’t think, objectively, you can really call it average or typical. It’s a bit too “grand” and for the lack of a better word, “colorful” (i can’t help but think of Al Capone and the movie The Untouchables, all the gangsters, mobs, back alley murders and the Prohibition era saga…..) to be typical and average.
Emily in Paris is a corny Netflix show, so take it with a grain of salt...
But the way Emily acts is definitely a small town American girl. I think Chicago was chosen because it's still a major well-known city but easier to play off the corny American jokes, which wouldn't land if she were from New York.
But to answer the thread question, Chicago is too large and full of interesting amenities to be considered average.
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