What is the True Big City/Metro of South Carolina?

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by CD2013

Just my experience with folks who choose to do the cubicle thing. Most are miserable doing it.

But people stuck in low-wage hospitality and tourist jobs with little to no potential of upward mobility are the happiest people on Earth?

Anyway, guess it just matters what people mean by "largest". If they mean actually size of buildings, just raw amount of concrete? Myrtle has that won. If they mean just square miles in size, I'm not sure. If they mean actual permanent population? Columbia, Charleston, N Chas, Mt P are the 4 largest.

If they mean actual human presence? Well, in the spring and summer, Charleston and Myrtle Beach would both beat out Columbia and Greenville, as each city hosts about 4.5 million of it's own tourists (9 million total) in those two seasons, and Charleston has quite a few in the cold months too because it's beach isn't the main draw.

So, depends on what counts as "largest".

If we are saying which has the most corporate office buildings? Well, probably would be Columbia.

With regard to skylines, the point was that they can give the perception of being the largest. Out of the "Big Three" in SC, Columbia has the largest skyline so that might play a part in perceptions. And because Charleston has the densest, most walkable core, others might think Charleston is larger.

Anyway, we've beat that dead horse enough. SC would be in serious trouble if Myrtle Beach ever actually became its largest city, that's for sure.

[CD2013]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

But people stuck in low-wage hospitality and tourist jobs with little to no potential of upward mobility are the happiest people on Earth?



With regard to skylines, the point was that they can give the perception of being the largest. Out of the "Big Three" in SC, Columbia has the largest skyline so that might play a part in perceptions. And because Charleston has the densest, most walkable core, others might think Charleston is larger.

Anyway, we've beat that dead horse enough. SC would be in serious trouble if Myrtle Beach ever actually became its largest city, that's for sure.

Many aren't "stuck" in those jobs. They choose them for the freedom, lifestyle, etc. Good bartenders downtown can make 300-600 a night, cash, for as little as 5 hours of work. And Charleston is a 7 day a week party town. So, work 4 nights a week, 20 hours, and bring home 6-7K in a month, pre-tax? For many, they are happy with that. Some work a 40 hour a week job doing something else, and work weekends doing that for extra money. A big misperception is that you cant make decent money in hospitality. Not true. Now, you wont make it cleaning rooms of the Holiday Inn, that's true. But, the bartenders and waitresses in Charleston do quite well, especially in tips that aren't counted in their official pay.

Hell, my neighbor works for Charleston PD. He started off at 44K, and complained about taking a pay cut- from working security at the big nightclubs downtown. He just wanted a permanent dayshift job, and the PD offered it, so he had more time for family.

Just difference in cultures I guess. Lots of ways to make money.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by CD2013

Many aren't "stuck" in those jobs. They choose them for the freedom, lifestyle, etc. Good bartenders downtown can make 300-600 a night, cash, for as little as 5 hours of work. And Charleston is a 7 day a week party town. So, work 4 nights a week, 20 hours, and bring home 6-7K in a month, pre-tax? For many, they are happy with that. Some work a 40 hour a week job doing something else, and work weekends doing that for extra money. A big misperception is that you cant make decent money in hospitality. Not true. Now, you wont make it cleaning rooms of the Holiday Inn, that's true. But, the bartenders and waitresses in Charleston do quite well, especially in tips that aren't counted in their official pay.

Hell, my neighbor works for Charleston PD. He started off at 44K, and complained about taking a pay cut- from working security at the big nightclubs downtown. He just wanted a permanent dayshift job, and the PD offered it, so he had more time for family.

Just difference in cultures I guess. Lots of ways to make money.

I suppose it flew over your head that the point was that caricatures can work both ways. I didn't think I needed to point out that many folks working in the office highrises in Columbia aren't "miserable in cubicles" but have their own offices, make great salaries, and love what they do--not to mention the fact that 1) such jobs offer the type of upward mobility and benefits that a large share of hospitality jobs don't provide and 2) they have a much higher multiplier effect than hospitality jobs; thus those jobs have larger economic ripples which positively affect other sectors. From the picture you paint, every city that doesn't have a huge tourism sector is just missing out, huh? Poor Charlotte...and Raleigh...and Houston...and Dallas...etc.

[CD2013]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I suppose it flew over your head that the point was that caricatures can work both ways. I didn't think I needed to point out that many folks working in the office highrises in Columbia aren't "miserable in cubicles" but have their own offices, make great salaries, and love what they do--not to mention the fact that 1) such jobs offer the type of upward mobility and benefits that a large share of hospitality jobs don't provide and 2) they have a much higher multiplier effect than hospitality jobs; thus those jobs have larger economic ripples which positively affect other sectors. From the picture you paint, every city that doesn't have a huge tourism sector is just missing out, huh? Poor Charlotte...and Raleigh...and Houston...and Dallas...etc.

Not at all. May be a misperception on my part. Just in my experience, I've encountered almost 99% of people who work in a corporate officer- cubicle or with a door- to dread the 8-5 commute and workday, and describe it as a sterilized hell of political correctness, Xerox machines and lunchtime birthday cake parties that they hate having to attend.

May be way off on that, as it's just my interaction. BUT, I admit, my interaction is with people in Charleston who either A) Are stuck in one of those jobs here, amongst lots of people who work jobs that are the complete opposite of that culture, or B) People who used to work the corporate thing, hated it, and moved here in search of more exciting lifestyles.

So I admit, while all of my encounters with people who do or have worked in the corporate culture came across like that, they have been mostly people in this area, who obviously may have a skewed attitude towards it.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by CD2013

Not at all. May be a misperception on my part. Just in my experience, I've encountered almost 99% of people who work in a corporate officer- cubicle or with a door- to dread the 8-5 commute and workday, and describe it as a sterilized hell of political correctness, Xerox machines and lunchtime birthday cake parties that they hate having to attend.

May be way off on that, as it's just my interaction. BUT, I admit, my interaction is with people in Charleston who either A) Are stuck in one of those jobs here, amongst lots of people who work jobs that are the complete opposite of that culture, or B) People who used to work the corporate thing, hated it, and moved here in search of more exciting lifestyles.

So I admit, while all of my encounters with people who do or have worked in the corporate culture came across like that, they have been mostly people in this area, who obviously may have a skewed attitude towards it.

I'm glad you realize that your perceptions have been influenced disproportionately by those who have a dislike for corporate culture. But at the same time, it plays into the perception that Charleston doesn't have much of an economy beyond tourism, or at least much of a white-collar economy (which tends to have more high-wage jobs and educated workers).