we can be what we want to be

edsg25 · November 19th, 2005, 03:55 PM

this is kind of a generic response to all the recent threads on the effect of the coasts on Chicago.

As far as I'm concerned: Chicago can make it on its own; we can be what we want to be.

The age of the eastern establishment is long gone; NY and the northeast corridor do not rule the US the way they once did. LA's power gets maginified because of its media center status.

Sure perceptions remain about the middle west and maybe even Chicago, but they are perceptions and they don't affect policy the way we think they do.

Corporations are national (and international) and they operate throughout the nation and are dependent on all US regions doing well. Local businesses have long since been absorbed into national conglomarates. We know that for the longest times, names like "Marshall Field's" and "Macy's" were local in name only. Even Field's just recently changed ownership from Mpls to St. Louis to Cincinnati (and didn't even hit NYC).

It's 2005 right now and Chicago's future will be far more dependent on its relationship with the world than with the United States. A century from now, I'm fairly convinced, the concept of "USA" will be a much, much weaker one. And New York and LA do not control the way that Chicago interfaces with the world.

The old Chicago is represented by years of Cubs blaming day baseball, Wrigley Field, , jinxes, inferiority complexes, etc., for their failures. The new Chicago is represented by the White Sox, winning the World Series with confidence.

Forgive the analogy (and I love both teams dearly), but I'd rather go with the White Sox model for our city.

UrbanSophist · November 19th, 2005, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edsg25

Forgive the analogy (and I love both teams dearly), but I'd rather go with the White Sox model for our city.

Win or die trying?

I do see Chicago being unique in that it will be a powerful city without all the media hype.

rgolch · November 19th, 2005, 10:00 PM

As usual, good post by edsg25. What you say is very true. Much of the percieved dominence by the coasts is continous exaggerated self marketing.

Suburbanite · November 22nd, 2005, 02:56 AM

^Exaggerated self-marketing on the part of LA? Yes. Exaggerated self-marketing on the part of NY? Noooooo!

As it stands NY is still the richest, largest, most influential city by far, and the center of gravity for America's entire economy (for now) and we all just have to live with that. NY does get a disproportionate amount of media attention probably because so much of America's media is based there but NY does deserve most of the attention that it gets. I think I said in another thread that people tend to see NY in the image that they want to see it in but NY is still a very great city, all preconceived notions aside.

November 19th, 2005, 03:55 PM	#1
edsg25 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago Posts: 9,399 Likes (Received): 0	we can be what we want to be this is kind of a generic response to all the recent threads on the effect of the coasts on Chicago. As far as I'm concerned: Chicago can make it on its own; we can be what we want to be. The age of the eastern establishment is long gone; NY and the northeast corridor do not rule the US the way they once did. LA's power gets maginified because of its media center status. Sure perceptions remain about the middle west and maybe even Chicago, but they are perceptions and they don't affect policy the way we think they do. Corporations are national (and international) and they operate throughout the nation and are dependent on all US regions doing well. Local businesses have long since been absorbed into national conglomarates. We know that for the longest times, names like "Marshall Field's" and "Macy's" were local in name only. Even Field's just recently changed ownership from Mpls to St. Louis to Cincinnati (and didn't even hit NYC). It's 2005 right now and Chicago's future will be far more dependent on its relationship with the world than with the United States. A century from now, I'm fairly convinced, the concept of "USA" will be a much, much weaker one. And New York and LA do not control the way that Chicago interfaces with the world. The old Chicago is represented by years of Cubs blaming day baseball, Wrigley Field, , jinxes, inferiority complexes, etc., for their failures. The new Chicago is represented by the White Sox, winning the World Series with confidence. Forgive the analogy (and I love both teams dearly), but I'd rather go with the White Sox model for our city.

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November 19th, 2005, 10:00 PM	#3
rgolch Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 478 Likes (Received): 0	As usual, good post by edsg25. What you say is very true. Much of the percieved dominence by the coasts is continous exaggerated self marketing.

November 22nd, 2005, 02:56 AM	#4
Suburbanite Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 925 Likes (Received): 0	^Exaggerated self-marketing on the part of LA? Yes. Exaggerated self-marketing on the part of NY? Noooooo! As it stands NY is still the richest, largest, most influential city by far, and the center of gravity for America's entire economy (for now) and we all just have to live with that. NY does get a disproportionate amount of media attention probably because so much of America's media is based there but NY does deserve most of the attention that it gets. I think I said in another thread that people tend to see NY in the image that they want to see it in but NY is still a very great city, all preconceived notions aside.