It seems when it is convenient, New York views itself as a world city, unrelated to much of what America is about. It is more than little town blues that fade away when you cross the Hudson to the glittering island of Manhattan. To many, you are reaching a different universe - tolerant, eclectic, comopolitan, mutli-cultural, with the sounds and languages of the whole world heard on every street. A place apart.

Yet in so many ways, New York is actually the quintesental American city and for all its eyes being drawn across the Atlantic to the rest of the world, it is often the the public face of the provencial bubble that is the United States and all things American.

Wall Street run unregulated in a fantasy world of greed and the belief with shares of corporations bought not for their intrinsic value but for what they can earn in a day-by-day buy-and-sell that resmbles another great symbol of America: the Las Vegas casino. Madison Avenue pitches to the lowest common denominator and promises us that each of us can have it all and we have it coming to us. The corporate HQ's in Midtown represent a business community that profits from endless war and the cost of the military industrial complex. New York's media giants, the networks, also play to our basest elements and all about profit and not the least interested in real news or quality entertainment.

New York is currently putting the exclamation mark on a national stadium building spree, something that may have looked obscene before, but now appears almost down right criminal: not one, but two new baseball palaces (no ball parks these) that uses public funds to enrich excessive and gilded private enterprise. While the middle class rots. And jobs get shipped overseas.

Welcome to America.

A criticsm on my part of the great city of New York, singling it out from among its peers. Hardly. New York's status in America is unquetionable.

And besides, I also live in a great and global city, Chicago, that differs from New York in a rather insignificant way: nobody is even going to make pretense that Chicago isn't an "American city". Hell, it often comes across as the quintesential "great American city."

But Chicago is subject to every element of decay and decline that is so evident in the American experience today as New York is. The excesses, the abuses, the suspension of reality, the belief that we as a nation are exceptional and that we were anointed to be on top (that New York and Chicago believe what we have was given to us by the god of manan rather than those in the South and the Great Plains who believe it was Jesus who was responsible is irrelevant).

New York, Chicago, and cities like Los Angeles are all in the same sinking boats with very American holes that they helped poke into it. And NY, Chgo, and LA will very much be affected in their status by an incrasingly piraha of a nation that sadly is our beloved United States with that foreign contempt mixed with domestic insantiy in a toxic cocktail that serves all three great cities in a negative way.

New York lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics. My guess? Being an American city hurt your bid. My further guess? Being an American city will kill the Chicago bid for 2016.

New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are less competitors and more brothers-in-arms as part of an America that is serving none of them very well, often enhanced by the very powers that they choose to use over the American experience. Part of the wounds are very external, but others are intenrally caused indeed....despite the disdain that any of these cities may have for the rest of America.

The ensuing discussion will slowly devolve into a versus shitfest (despite Ed's good intentions). Just watch.

The ensuing discussion will slowly devolve into a versus shitfest (despite Ed's good intentions). Just watch.

good grief, I hope not. As noted, there is no indictment of New York at all. The post was just my way of saying a simple thought I firmly believe:

New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles (among others) had better realize their common interests because all three of them are (IMHO) coming into a time when the very America that used to enhance their status will now be working against them: both in the drag at home and the aversion abroad.

I hope I went out of my way to get across that my city of Chicago is every bit as guilty of contributing to the national insanity, along with being the victim of too many parts of the United States that are (and choose to be) poles away from what much of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles (Boston, San Francisco, etc.) stand for.

NY, Chgo, and LA are joined at the hip in the way that America will be part of their projections to a larger and more interconnected world. And call me a cynic: I don't see America dong them any favors. I do hope, however, they cut back their very considerable influence on the on-going insanity.

NYC loves to parade itself as a world city, but from what I've seen there are American flags all over the place (Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, even Times Square), it feels more American than international. My brother went to a different part of the US last year for his holiday and he also was startled at the sight of so many American flags, like it's a constant reminder of where you are, he said he felt like he was in some kind of nazi regime or something. Not many other cities boast as many home flags as the states! Anyway, back to this 'international NYC' thing..as well as the above it also technically doesn't really host the UN even though it's on Manhattan island, because the UN is in an international neutral zone that has its own laws and whatnot. And of the 45million visitors that visit NYC every year, only about 8million or so are from another country, the rest are domestic visitors (taken from visitnyc.com statistics). It may have lots of languages spoken, and places like little Italy, Russia, India and Chinatown, but then if you think about it so do alot of other places. You can make an 'international' comparison to a city like London whereby the cosmopolitanism is pretty much the same. And to me I've always views NYC as an American city as opposed to this arrogant notion to it being the 'capital' of the 'world' (!).

Chicago is almost as cultured as NYC.

Los Angeles, while it may not be glittering as the aforementioned cities above, is totally my type of city though, but that's a different topic altogether :p

My penny's worth..or two cents, whichever you prefer. ;)

Urban, while Jizzy gave a very respectful and intereting reply to what I wrote, I'm afraid you are right and I was wrong.

I didn't get across that I was comparing New York's "Americanness" with other US cities or their greatness at any level.

I was simply saying that America's most cosmoplitan cities like NY, Chgo, LA, SF, Bos, etc.....

1. are victims of America's current state in the world even though their citizens often disagree with the country at large

2. convesely through their insitutions though, each of these cities contributes to things that are going wrong in this nation.

I'm not comparing NY, Chgo, LA: I'm bunching them into a unit.

New York lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics. My guess? Being an American city hurt your bid. My further guess? Being an American city will kill the Chicago bid for 2016.

That's not true. Atlanta hosted 1996 and for the Olympics to go back to the same country in twenty years shouldn't really be possible as 1996 is still too recent by Olympic standards. Besides, the US has hosted the Olympics more times than any other country, it wouldn't be fair to give it to them again merely because they're a superpower with alot of money and good infrastructure. Let someone else have a go, man

BTI, my vote for 2016 goes to Rio ;)

That's not true. Atlanta hosted 1996 and for the Olympics to go back to the same country in twenty years shouldn't really be possible as 1996 is still too recent by Olympic standards. Besides, the US has hosted the Olympics more times than any other country, it wouldn't be fair to give it to them again merely because they're a superpower with alot of money and good infrastructure. Let someone else have a go, man

BTI, my vote for 2016 goes to Rio ;)

Jizzy, you missed my point. I'm not discussing how long nations go between Olympics. I'm suggesting that the US status in the world compromised NY's Olympic bid and very likely may do the same to Chicago.

Simply put; I don't think either city has or is benefitting from being part of the United States when it comes to the choice selection.

I have read that Chicago has much better sport facilities than NYC.

Ahh, ok. That second point is rather interesting!

To me and to majority of the worlds population, New York is America, not those suburban or little towns all over the country, but specifically Manhattan is what America is about. Although I didn't read your entire post, I'm falling asleep as I'm typing this, maybe I misunderstood the intended question that was raised here.

It´s not an American city. It´s a Global city;)

Edsg25, what can we define as the definition of an American city?

To me and to majority of the worlds population, New York is America, not those suburban or little towns all over the country, but specifically Manhattan is what America is about.

1.5million people don't represent 300million, man! It should be the other way around..all the small towns and cities are the real America.

Your statement is like saying London is the UK when in fact it hardly represents it at all (culterally speaking, and in terms of people)!

I think you guys are too close to the story to see the truth......In most movies I have seen most aliens seem to arrive in the USA...and usually New York. So there is a Universal point of view.:lol:

It´s not an American city. It´s a Global city;)

+1

To me and to majority of the worlds population, New York is America, not those suburban or little towns all over the country, but specifically Manhattan is what America is about. Although I didn't read your entire post, I'm falling asleep as I'm typing this, maybe I misunderstood the intended question that was raised here.

First of all, America is a continent. Second, small towns and cities in the US are more representative of the USA. Most Americans do not have the same lifestyle as a Manhattanite. New York may be the biggest and most influential city in the US, but New York differs than the US norm in many ways.

This phenomenon exists in most nations. Toronto may be the face of Canada abroad, but we all know that it doesn't represent middle of the road Canada. Same goes for Paris and France, or London and the UK. These cities often have more in common with each other than they do the rest of the nation's in which they exist.

First of all, America is a continent. Second, small towns and cities in the US are more representative of the USA. Most Americans do not have the same lifestyle as a Manhattanite. New York may be the biggest and most influential city in the US, but New York differs than the US norm in many ways.

This phenomenon exists in most nations. Toronto may be the face of Canada abroad, but we all know that it doesn't represent middle of the road Canada. Same goes for Paris and France, or London and the UK. These cities often have more in common with each other than they do the rest of the nation's in which they exist.

Good, solid answer!

Urban, shoot me! I will never doubt your word again. Your insight into the human psyche far exceeds my own.

For the LAST time: I was not making any unique statement about New York that didn't apply to other American cities.

My premise....which you can all feel free to disagree with it....was that despite the very real and cosmopolitan atmosphere of NYC, it is at once a victim of what America has become today and conversely holds plenty of resposibility for what has transpired in America today.

Wall Street represents greed and deregulation. Madison Avenue entices us to endlessly buy and never save. The networks based in Midtown give us corporately sanitized news and mind dumbing entertainment. And in the Bronx and Queens, two of the most oppulant and expensive temples every built to the gods of sports are rising at the same rate that our economic fortunes are falling (we'll give NYC a pass that the same thing is happening a few miles across the Hudson and out of city and state limits at the Meadowlands).

New York may present a global face, but its fortunes are made very much intuned with the flawed American experience.

Is New York different in this respect than other US cities? HELL NO!

I've mentioned that as a Chicagoan (thus resident of another great global city), mine differs from New York in absolutely no significant way (other than the rather meaningless notion that nobody gives doubt to it being a truly American city).

You folks can discuss whatever you want here. That's your business and none of my own. But I am disturbed by one thing: Urban told me that despite my intentions, this thread would be turned into a shitfest between New York and other US cities. The result: he was 100% right and I was naive.

So talk about what you want.....but please, please, PLEASE! don't get into a discussion of comparing New York with any US city here since I don't want to feel I contributed to something which I was trying to do in opposite.

MY ONLY CONTENTION HERE:

Great American cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles all like to see their visions going out to a broader world and often try to remove themselves to the provincial and increasingly xenophobic ways of the United States.

People in these cities have been harmed by American greed, disrespect for science, decimination of the middle class and other ills of current American society.

Conversely, they have contributed to much of the mess through greed, through the elevation of wealthy and powerful over the common citizen, towards treating all that our society does as being part of the marketplace, and for buying and reenforcing the fantasy that American exceptionalism is a god-given trait and that the good times can roll on forever as long as we keep spending, wasting, and believing the American dream.

My contension: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, etc, will suffer greatly because of their roles as American cities due to a national society that is dogmatically and ignorantly rooted in the past, but convesely due to their buying into the very notion of American greed and hubris.

Disagree all you want...but that is my premise.

If you want to look at this as "boats", try this anology:

NY, Chgo, LA, SF, Bos are in one boat.

HK, Tok, Lon, Paris, Frankfort are in another.

NY, Chgo, LA, SF, Bos are in a boat, the SS USA, that has sprung holes, causing them internal problems on board and what the holes represent to their external problems in the world. They will rise or sink together. They are attached at the hip. And neither HK, Tok, Lon, Paris,or Frankfort is on board with them.

Sadly, my thought is that all those American cities will be paying quite a price globally and internally for all our USA! USA!

I thought this was about NYC? Some of you seem to think that Manhattan composes NYC in it's entirety, you know there are 4 other boroughs lol...

I think you guys are too close to the story to see the truth......In most movies I have seen most aliens seem to arrive in the USA...and usually New York. So there is a Universal point of view.:lol:

You go by what Hollywood movies spoonfeed to you? Oh Christ! :bash:

^ Unlike you RedBaron has already been here. Where do you get your experienced opinion of New York from? Seriously....F<^>k off... you are starting to get annoying.

As for Ed, I love you man.. You are by far one of the most interesting, entertaining, and thought provoking forumers here. You have my utmost respect as far as it goes on these boards but I think you may just be exaggerating a bit. There is a giant problem no doubt, and I am quite optimistic and also a joint owner of a few small businesses within the New York city metro area, though bars and tattoo parlors will always make money.
Still I get what you are trying to say and its a shame people like Jizzy come in to fuel shit fests without reading your entire post.

La, NYC, Chicago (i dunno about Boston ) are in the same boat. "Brothers in arms as you call them" and one thing about all 3 is that they are timeless, regardless of a financial crisis or not. None of these cities are one cow towns and I am certain all three will come out of this chaoctic scenario in "good health".

Is New York city an American city..or not?

Of course it is. It is the quintessential and premier American city. A city, btw, that the world has helped to build since the time they came off ships to "pave our streets gold and build our never ending cathedrals" The same way they came to build Chicago and the same way they came to create the beast of a city they call lotus Land, they are us.. you and me both.

All three will always ( in my book) be marvelous creations that, like the United States was created by the cooperation of the world. America is not as white and black as people paint it. It is indeed a melting pot of many cultures, ethnicities, nationalities from across the globe. So in a sense NY is a world city as is Chicago and Los Angeles, and Miami, and DC, and San Francisco. We are all in the one boat but in different areas doing our part to keep it from "sinking" BECAUSE IF WE DO then the boats these other world cities are in will be bobbing up and down behind us just sailing around the same whirl pool destined to sink with us. We are indespensable and we certainly do matter.
I hope all of you stay calm and smart during this time. Good luck to everyone.

Where do you get your experienced opinion of New York from?

I read, and I work with people who are from the city. Granted, it may not be more reliable than actually going there, but I rather get honest opinions from more reputable sources than, say, Hollywood movies.

Seriously....F<^>k off... you are starting to get annoying

How the fuck am I getting 'annoying', you stupid fool? I have a right to voice my opinion and if you like to give examples where I have started a 'shitfest', please do so. I just merely state my opinion, and that won't necessarily involve the mindless sayings that 'NYC is the greatest thing on earth!', etc. Granted, it is a cool place from what I've heard and seen, but no place is perfect. If I see imperfections, I will highlight it. And I do this to every city and place on earth, even my own home. It's what I call creating a more honest picture. And if that notion of fair opinion annoys you, well boohoo, cry me a fucking river. I honestly don't care.

Jizzy gave a very respectful and intereting reply to what I wrote

Not according to nygirl. Oh dear, I've committed a crime. :ohno:

^^ Get used to me, I'm going absoultely no where and I'll shred every comment of yours that I can. I don't think your comment was respectful at all and I am sticking up for my friend ED when I say that. Your answer to his question was off topic. If you had read his entire post you would understand what he is trying to say and it was not "how dare NY view itself as a world city"

When you start off with "Ny likes to parade itself as" you are not going to get a nice response, especially in here. What would you know of it? Who you say you work with? Big deal...I believe you work with 2 guys from NY and one from Chicago and that they tell you everything you need to know about as much as I believe in Santa Claus.
You read about NY? Holy shit that is amazing, tell me more....

You are annoying based on your baseless comments in here. What more do I need to say? Clarification, you say too much with too little knowledge, your opinion is valued about as much as burnt popcorn when you act like that.

"Nyc is the greatest place on earth" is not a mindless saying it is a subjective opinion. So if you want your puke flavored opinion to be respected then start by not confusing mindless sayings with actual opinions about a city that might be made by people in this city.
I like how you can say things like ny being great is a mindless saying but then buffer it up with a " but its a cool place" thats fluff and when I eat my sandwiches I like bread, lettuce, and meat. There is no meat in your comments... just a lettuce sandwich.

I am seeing imperfections and I am highlighting it, how you like them apples, champ?
Cry you a river?? Sweetie pie I don't cry, I'm eatin yo food dude....;)


To ed, I'm sorry but you know me and if you've been reading what this new fella has been spewing in here it just sounds like the same old ny bashing lightend up with a "but its cool" statement.. you don't like it gtfo of the subforum, Jizzy. I thought Barnardgirl might have been getting at you too quickly but the problem is we don't get at people like you in here quick enough.

Have fun in the NY forums.

1.5million people don't represent 300million, man! It should be the other way around..all the small towns and cities are the real America.

Your statement is like saying London is the UK when in fact it hardly represents it at all (culterally speaking, and in terms of people)!

Yeah, generally speaking countries where one city stands out as much as New York and London or Mexico City do, these cities are representative of what that country is. It doesn't matter (in terms of the image of the country) how some farmer lives God knows where, even if all these farmers combined outnumber Londoners or New Yorkers.

So yes, New York represents 300 million people of America.

First of all, America is a continent.

No, it's not a continent. It's one of the three things:
1. Last name of a guy Visspuccio Americus (sp?)
2. Western hemisphere
3. United States of America

Second, small towns and cities in the US are more representative of the USA. Most Americans do not have the same lifestyle as a Manhattanite. New York may be the biggest and most influential city in the US, but New York differs than the US norm in many ways.

This phenomenon exists in most nations. Toronto may be the face of Canada abroad, but we all know that it doesn't represent middle of the road Canada. Same goes for Paris and France, or London and the UK. These cities often have more in common with each other than they do the rest of the nation's in which they exist.

It doesn't matter how the majority lives when minority represents the country. In case of America, New York is representative of the country. In case of Canada it's not really the case that Toronto is representative, it doesn't stand out as much to be representative for all of Canada.

i don't see how small towns are representative of the US when half the country's population lives in the metro areas of cities we all recognize

^^ Get used to me, I'm going absoultely no where and I'll shred every comment of yours that I can. I don't think your comment was respectful at all and I am sticking up for my friend ED when I say that. Your answer to his question was off topic. If you had read his entire post you would understand what he is trying to say and it was not "how dare NY view itself as a world city"

I like to see you try and 'shred' every comment I make. So far you haven't even made an attempt. Hilarious.

When you start off with "Ny likes to parade itself as" you are not going to get a nice response, especially in here. What would you know of it? Who you say you work with? Big deal...I believe you work with 2 guys from NY and one from Chicago and that they tell you everything you need to know about as much as I believe in Santa Claus.
You read about NY? Holy shit that is amazing, tell me more....

You respect comments then by someone who watches Hollywood movies then? Holy shit, now THAT is amazing.

You are annoying based on your baseless comments in here. What more do I need to say? Clarification, you say too much with too little knowledge, your opinion is valued about as much as burnt popcorn when you act like that.

Again, how are my comments baseless and lack clarification? You've got plenty to say. I think the only person who's making piss-poor opinions is yourself, missy. Unlike you egotistical types, I speak the truth. Unfortunately it rattles your cage and scares you because it puts your city-pride into question.

I like how you can say things like ny being great is a mindless saying but then buffer it up with a " but its a cool place" thats fluff and when I eat my sandwiches I like bread, lettuce, and meat. There is no meat in your comments... just a lettuce sandwich.

There is a difference between merely saying it's 'cool' as opposed to something that's 'absolutely the greatest damn thing on earth'. I get sick of hearing the latter as it turns out as nothing more then 'baseless', emotive comments. If it's stuff like that you value because it feeds your own egotistical city-pride, woopydoo. I don't need to stand there and feed into it too. And by the way, I do not hate the city, but that doesn't mean I should overrate it (what part of this don't you fucking understand?).

Cry you a river?? Sweetie pie I don't cry, I'm eatin yo food dude....;)

LMAO! Yeah, ok. Sure.

you don't like it gtfo of the subforum, Jizzy. I thought Barnardgirl might have been getting at you too quickly but the problem is we don't get at people like you in here quick enough.

I'm going nowhere, you little bitch. :) And you're welcome to 'get at me' as much as you like; unlike you, I present arguments well. The person starting the 'shitfests' is you. I normally don't start stuff, I'm a pretty easy going guy, but if you want a fight, I'd be happy to shred up your comments up some more, if you like. You think only because you're from NY, you're the tough one around here? LOL.
Otherwise, you might as well ignore me and save yourself the energy? I normally have no time for childish idiots like you.

'Have a nice day'! :)

Yeah, generally speaking countries where one city stands out as much as New York and London or Mexico City do, these cities are representative of what that country is. It doesn't matter (in terms of the image of the country) how some farmer lives God knows where, even if all these farmers combined outnumber Londoners or New Yorkers.
So yes, New York represents 300 million people of America.

So in the case of London, where pretty much everyone is foreign and the number of native English people are quite low, this is expected and common in the rest of the country too because it represents them? All those hundreds, if not thousands of towns around the country of which the number of people in total are likely to outnumber this city, do not represent the country and every other town as well? Dude, that's totally wrong. If you adapt this line of thinking to the states, the people in NYC noway represent the people of America. Firstly because so many are foreign, and secondly because NYers are amongst the highest paid people in that country and therefore their lifestyle is likely to be dramatically different to that of, say, an random town person.

You go by what Hollywood movies spoonfeed to you? Oh Christ! :bash:


What ? .......it's not true....real ???? well I never......

Sorry, redbaron.

Jizzy gave a very respectful and intereting reply to what I wrote

You wrote these words, man. And I respect your opinion. However, a certain girl with PMS here doesn't think so, holy shit lock me up!! :p

I don't think there actually is a truly global city.

New York is too American, London is too British, Geneva is too Swiss, etc etc

Until there are UN flags or Earth Day flags flying down Fifth Avenue then New York will remain American first, global second. And that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

I don't think there actually is a truly global city.

New York is too American, London is too British, Geneva is too Swiss, etc etc

Until there are UN flags or Earth Day flags flying down Fifth Avenue then New York will remain American first, global second. And that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

Thank you!!! :)

No, it's not a continent. It's one of the three things:
1. Last name of a guy Visspuccio Americus (sp?)
2. Western hemisphere
3. United States of America


I don't want to hijack this thread, but historically, America has meant the "New World" from the tip of Alaska to the tip southern reaches of Chile. Not only is this a historical truth, but the evidence is every where.

1. Nova Scotia was one of England's most important colonies in America. It was even considered, at one point, to be part of New England. Nova Scotia sided with England during the American revolution. So in 1775, Nova Scotia is in America, and the next year they aren't? I don't think so. The Spanish had colonies in America. The French had colonies in America. 13 English colonies declaring independence don't get to take the name of the entire continent to the exclusion of the rest.

2. Our version of the European Community is called the Organization of American States!

3. Panama means PanAmerican, the country that joins America together.

4. Even the name "United States of America" means the United States of the continent of America. Canada could just as easily had called itself the United Provinces of America. Mexico could just as easily had called itself the Mexican States of America.

5. Americans initially wanted to call themselves Colombians, but that one was taken already. Why do you think Washington is in the District of Columbia?

It is only in the USA, and by extension Canada, that America has come to mean the USA only, to the exclusion of everyone else. It is too late to change things. Citizens of the USA are universally known as Americans in the English language. In Spanish, they are rightly called a word that is roughly translated as United Statians.

Citizens of the USA are Americans, but I draw the line there. America is a continent and has always been so. To argue otherwise is revisionist and can only be seen as exclusionary and arrogant to the rest of the people in the Western hemisphere. The USA already has a name for their country: the USA. They don't need to take the name "America" also.

I realize everyone is sick and tired of this same issue, but we wouldn't have to keep making the argument, if people stopped using the term to refer to one country on this continent. By the way, when you argue that America means one of 3 things, and the second one is the Western hemisphere, you're making my point for me. Look at the Olympic flag. There are 5 rings, 1 for each continent:

1. Africa
2. Europe
3. Asia
4. Oceania
5. AMERICA

I understand the attachment people have developed for the word in the USA, but it's time they started to wean themselves of this custom. Americans have no more right to the name America than Italians do to the name Europe.

I thought North America and South America are two seperate continents though? (e.g. each has their own football continental governing divisions..COCACAF and CONMEBOL)

Yeah, they're two different continents. America has never meant a continent, I've already listed what it may refer to.

I live here, and I do feel very detached from the rest of the country, especially when i travel to places like the rural South or Midwest and see a lot of the stereotypes that we New Yorkers have about those places played out. And when I travel back overseas (I was born in Ireland), quite a few people tell me that NYC and LA are the only two cities in America they could ever live in. Regarding not getting the 2012 Olympics, I don't think we really wanted them to be honest. The local press highlighted the expected disruptions to our daily lives and expense of putting on the games and I think that soured people's desire to host them. We really don't need to prove our greatness to the rest of the world as the city continues to have a fast-growing immigrant population. Let's not forget that New York now has 8.2 million people, more than ever, and a large number of those newcomers are from overseas.

I guess if you go by the technical definition of an American city, that is a city that is within the borders of any of the 48 contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii, then yes, New York can definitely be called an American city. But then again I've encountered a few dumbass people who think that New Mexico is in Mexico and not only is that sad, but also a sorry reflection of our educational system.

this was a stupid thread to begin with and its still a stupid thread

Ok..... Jizzys getting annoying



http://www.myonlinemaps.com/images/new-york-map.gif


Is New York an American City? it appears so

NO! Fuck no. NY should suceed and join Israel or Puerto Rico.

1.5million people don't represent 300million, man! It should be the other way around..all the small towns and cities are the real America.

Your statement is like saying London is the UK when in fact it hardly represents it at all (culterally speaking, and in terms of people)!

Yes New Yorkers are inherently different from the rest of the country being that they're living in the largest city in the country.

I think, for foreigners, New York is very representative of the rest of America because of all the landmarks and because its the greatest symbol of capitalism.

I thought North America and South America are two seperate continents though? (e.g. each has their own football continental governing divisions..COCACAF and CONMEBOL)

yeah the CONMEBOL championship tournament is called the Copa America:)

NO! Fuck no. NY should suceed and join Israel or Puerto Rico.

ooohhh!

Xenophobe!

I understand the attachment people have developed for the word in the USA, but it's time they started to wean themselves of this custom. Americans have no more right to the name America than Italians do to the name Europe.

I dont give a shit. ive become attached.

America = USA

The Question is are their any Patriotic Americans left in NY. That Baseball player was rights what he said. It is full of foreigners and internationalist plutocrats at the UN, Council on Foreign Relations, and Goldman Sachs who have disdain for America.

The Question is are their any Patriotic Americans left in NY. That Baseball player was rights what he said. It is full of foreigners and internationalist plutocrats at the UN, Council on Foreign Relations, and Goldman Sachs who have disdain for America.

Hahahhaha

are you quoting John Rocker?

To those of you who want to think of N.Y.C. as greater-than-American, sorry... it's absolutely Americana. I mean, New York City was American enough for Al-Qaeda.

Just think about how much of what we think as quintessentially American is in New York. A few examples: Wall Street, Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers. Additionally, many people think of America as in many ways defined by the story of immigration, and no city really symbolizes this more-so than New York.

Yes, it's a different vision of America than, say, Los Angeles or Chicago. But this a giant and diverse country. You can't possibly expect one city to singularly exemplify the concept of "America."

To those of you who want to think of N.Y.C. as greater-than-American, sorry... it's absolutely Americana. I mean, New York City was American enough for Al-Qaeda.

Just think about how much of what we think as quintessentially American is in New York. A few examples: Wall Street, Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers. Additionally, many people think of America as in many ways defined by the story of immigration, and no city really symbolizes this more-so than New York.

Yes, it's a different vision of America than, say, Los Angeles or Chicago. But this a giant and diverse country. You can't possibly expect one city to singularly exemplify the concept of "America."

Yes thats why I think many foreigners think of New York when they think of America. Not that the life style of the average New Yorker is very representative of the average American - far from it.

Not that the life style of the average New Yorker is very representative of the average American - far from it.

And yet, at the same time quite similar. Different insofar as perhaps New Yorkers take the subway to work. However, culturally... same t.v. shows, same movies, same politics, same questions about religion, etc.

If you want to define "America" as suburbia, then yes, New York is not America. But why on Earth should we define America in that way?

If you want to define "America" as suburbia, then yes, New York is not America. But why on Earth should we define America in that way?

because that is what the overwhelming majority of america is?

because that is what the overwhelming majority of america is?

if that's how you want to see it, i guess...

if that's how you want to see it, i guess...

hes got a poin

I don't think there actually is a truly global city.

New York is too American, London is too British, Geneva is too Swiss, etc etc

Until there are UN flags or Earth Day flags flying down Fifth Avenue then New York will remain American first, global second. And that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

our great cities are far less hierarchial than we'd like to believe. Global cities are networked. They cover the planet and they are more about working together than in competition since they are laid out the way they are to allow the world's business to be carried out in a real network.

Your comments, cornish, are at once humbling and correct.

Yes New Yorkers are inherently different from the rest of the country being that they're living in the largest city in the country.

I think, for foreigners, New York is very representative of the rest of America because of all the landmarks and because its the greatest symbol of capitalism.

Mist, a nation of 300,000,000 reduces itself to insignifiance if it has one great city that stands above all others. The US is not a small (land wise) European nation with far less population than the US.

The absolutely worst thing that lovers of New York (which I include myself) can do is to paint a paradigm for themselves that puts their city on a pedestal and assigns it a status far more akin to the New York of a developing America in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries when every other American city was really a provincial backwater to the eminence of New York.

To treat New York as A #1, King of the Hill, Top of the Heap, does nothing more than enhance complacency, deny reality, and put the city in the unenviable position of emulating its very own nation that saw itself as A #1, King of the Hill, Top of the Heap as well. Look where that got us.

The US today is far different than the diverse, huge, and complex nation of today. Does anyone here really believe that LA or Chicago think they operate in New York's shaddow? The notion that LA, looking west around the Pacific Rim and south to Latin America in the great nation-state of Calfiornia in a post-American era looks in awe at anything east of the Sierra...let alone a city 3000 removed from it....is absurd.

As a Chicagoan, I have full comfort enjoying and praising NYC because my city never appears to me to be in New York's shaddow. Chicago's greatness stands on its own and it looks out to the world, not to the petty infighting among US cities. Chicago's successes come because it doesn't see itself exceeding that big world out there but in being an integral and assertive part of it, based on mutual respect for other great cities like London, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and, yes, very much...New York.

yeah the CONMEBOL championship tournament is called the Copa America:)

Ok so now we've gone from America meaning the USA, to it meaning the entire 'Americas', to it now meaning just South America. It has been fully taken away, like a snow monkey having its baby ripped away by passing hyenas

hes got a poin

i guess that why's why they call Earth the "blue planet" since its mostly water... but I would imagine an alien coming to Earth would not think of the land portions of Earth as a-representative of the planet...

NYC is the birthplace to alot of american cultures such as
Hip-Hop culture, Modern dance, Jazz, abstract expressionism, indie rock, punk rock, beat movement, Harlem renaissance, street and high culture, modernism, comic books, theatre, tin pan alley, urban blues, Disco, Film(NY was an epicenter of filmmaking in the earliest days of the American film industry, but the better year-round weather of Hollywood eventually saw California becoming the home of American cinema.), performing arts(also festivals and parades), and the American suburbs.

Oum much think that NYC is what America is all about and is much the greatest example of America's past and future. Maybe present Manhattan not as great example as boroughs, but all one has to do is look at the people crossing the Hudson, East, Staten Ferry or Bronx to see what much is going on with regular people making life in Manhattan on any given day.

Rural America mention very much right too. Oum know rural makes up 1/2 of US. They much good people too and choose to live way they want. However you can only have one great city and NYC it in Oum opinion. If Oum pick the best city that much represent America with city/rural mix, Oum might pick Dallas, TX but that not honest to American history in Oum opinion.

I find this thread somewhat annyoing.
New York IS an American city. So the whole question of it being so or not is somewhat pointless. If it meant to ask whether it is a "typical" American city, then it most certainly isn't. If you meant to discuss how "representative" it is, then the answer must be more nuanced. If "representative" means something like "illustrative" of the way most American cities look, work and play, then NYC isn't a very good example.

Like most cities in most countries, the typical or really representative cities are so because they display their local features. Thus truly typical cities feel provincial and aren't particularly exciting, which isn't a bad thing. NYC is exceptional largely because of what makes it different from other cities in the US. And a lot of what makes it exceptional is therefore what it does not share with the rest of the country. It is more global, more international and connected. Sixteen million people from all over the world visit New York every year for business or other reasons (that's only the group of people who visit the city every single year - many more visit less often!). In that sense, NYC is truly a city of the world.

There are probably millions of New Yorkers who are unilingual fans of reality TV who can't find their own country on a map of the world, but those aren't the ones making NY the extraordinary city people around the world love as their own.

New York City is the most important city of the United States for hundreds of years it has served as an entry point to the United States for immigrants arround the world. The combination of these foreign cultures in New York City and other ports of entry such as Los Angeles are what have formed American culture and continue to shape it today. Other areas of the conuntry haved developed in their own ways but the dominant themes in American culture come from its major cities. Rural culture remains isolated in the south and mid-west, from New York ideas in academics, art, music, television, and film permiate throughout all of America and the rest off the world. In this way New York is unique in its ability to combine different cultures off its immigrant groups and define them in an American way.