Most cosmopolitan city in the Americas?

[PanaManiac]

Which is(are) the most cosmopolitan* city(ies) on the Western Hemisphere? Where do you rate the cities in the above poll? Is there a glaring omission (or plurality of same)?


*Cosmopolitan: Having broad international sophistication; Having worldwide rather than limited scope; world class; culturally and ethnically diverse.

[brooklynprospect]

obviously NY. One of the largest concentrations of artists, writers, publishers, designers, business people and immigrants in the world. Not to mention home to the United Nations. No other city in the western hemisphere comes even close to offering such a complete package. If I had to choose 2nd most cosmopolitan, it would probably be between Toronto and LA. After that, Chicago, Miami, Washington.

In Latin America, I'd choose Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, but both those cities are a long way behind the N American cities mentioned.

[tkr]

Incredibly Sao Paulo is not on that list, and it is among the most cosmopolitan ones.

[Latin l0cO]

How are you gonna have SantoDomingo and San Juan but not have Sao Paulo?

[wickedestcity]

weres Chicago on the list? do you feel its lacking that much cosmopolitanisim?

[brooklynprospect]

hmmm... Chicago vs Santo Domingo and San Juan...

[PanaManiac]

Sao Paulo and Chicago was omitted because I wanted to post a balanced list with maximum room for 15. The scope of the poll was the whole western hemisphere. Consequently, I had to include cities from the Pacific, Caribbean, North, Central and South America.

Sao Paulo was edited out because Rio is perceived (by me) to be more cosmopolitan and needed to nominate only one city from each of the selected South American countries.

Chicago wound up 'on the cutting room floor' because I chose to select only three from the continental United States (Four overall), all of which are more cosmopolitan than the Windy City.

Because I wanted to achieve relative balance, the U. S. and Canada (2) were the only countries I selected more than one city from.

To cover myself and to invite dialogue, I did ask if there were any glaring omissions, while being the first to know the answer. Other inevitable omissions were: Montreal, Havana, Medellin, Boston and any I forgot to mention now.

This reminds me of the outrage generated by the omitted films and performances when the Academy of Motion Pictures announce their Oscar nominations. Or when an Oscar winner forgets to thank a spouse.

[Wallbanger]

I think Montreal should be up there! I think Montreal would be the most cosmopolitan city in NA outside NY.

[samsonyuen]

NY
LA Chicago TO BA
Montreal SF Boston Miami

[JayT]

Its a bit sad when you don't have SAO PAULO Brazil.

jt

[Englishman]

Did you not think to include London either?

[Citrus-Fruit]

Did you not think to include London either?

I was gonna say, half these people really are as thick as a brick. I suppose he thought London, Barcelona etc were in the Middle Hemisphere :bash:

[Azn_chi_boi]

London is barely in the western hemisphere but is in the western hemisphee. You could rename the thread as the most Cosmo... in Americas

[Citrus-Fruit]

London is barely in the western hemisphere but is in the western hemisphee. You could rename the thread as the most Cosmo... in Americas

Deary Me, this guy's just proved my last post ... Los Angeles is probably closer to the Eastern Hemisphere then Slovakia is

[Monkey]

Come on, you cannot exclude London. I ought to close this thread...

*frowns*

[eddyk]

Nah...Change it to the 'Americas' and its all good!



Im new to the scene....I have no idea what Cosmopolitan or Urbanity mean...or if desity is good or bad etc.

[Monkey]

Okay, I renamed the thread.

[Monkey]

Dictionary definition:

cos·mo·pol·i·tan
adj.

1. Pertinent or common to the whole world: an issue of cosmopolitan import.
2. Having constituent elements from all over the world or from many different parts of the world: the ancient and cosmopolitan societies of Syria and Egypt.
3. So sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world or conversant with many spheres of interest: a cosmopolitan traveler.
4. Ecology. Growing or occurring in many parts of the world; widely distributed.

[Monkey]

New York and Toronto would easily win this.

[Zwanderlust]

1-New York City
2-Los Angeles
3-Chicago
4-Toronto
5-San Francisco
6-Buenos Aires
7-Rio de Janeiro
8-Vancouver, BC
9-Sao Paulo
10-Panama City

[Küsel]

I am not to first to complain, but I can't let it be: WHAT ABOUT SAO PAULO???????????!!!!

From the list NYC, Toronto and Rio. But Sampa would have been top :(
- Founded by Portuguese Jesuits
- Biggest pop 100 years ago: Italians
- Huge immigration afterwards by Libanese, Germans, Portuguese and Eastern Europeans while becoming the fastest growing city in the world during the 50s and 60s
- Today biggest Japanese pop (1mio) outside Nippon
- Recently huge immigration by Koreans and Chinese
- And not even mentioning the African and Indian roots
- Apart from Eastern Asians the pop is ethnically mixed without any apartheit division
- Absolute economical center of South America
- One of the fashion, nourriture and car producing capital of the world
- third biggest metro in the continent

[levinas by the store]

the maker of this list is ignorantly stupid to not have included sao paulo which is just as cosmopolitan as new york and comments from brooklyn prospect bout south american cities smack of anti intellectualism prevalent in american (usa) life both academic and otherwise.

[levinas by the store]

the maker of this list is ignorantly stupid to not have included sao paulo in the list which is just as cosmopolitan as new york and comments from brooklyn prospect about south american cities smack of anti intellectualism prevalent in american (usa)life both academic and otherwise.

[cariocas27]

Does Manhattan island count for an option instead of NYC?

I'm not trying to discredit NYC as a whole but outside of Manhattan NYC's cosmopolitanism sort of wanes down... Why don't we choose specific geographical regions of the cities above instead?

[lokinyc]

If you choose to define cosmopolitanism as a integrated blend of cultures, then Queens and maybe even Brooklyn trump Manhattan. Queens is our most ethnically diverse (and fastest growing) borough, after all.

[Küsel]

It's also the biggest in size and population, isn't it?

[aion26]

I too fail to see how Sao Paulo didn't make the cut. most of your other choices are spot on, but have you ever been to Sao Paulo? I have, and know that it most certainly should be on this list if there ever was a south american city that should be. Sheesh.

[Wallbanger]

The Most Cosmo Cities in the Opinion of Wallbanger

1) New York
2) Toronto
3) Sao Paulo
4) Miami
5) San Francisco
6) Montreal
7) Buenos Aires
8) Rio De Jeniero
9) Vancouver
10) Los Angeles

[Evangelion]

of course NEW York....

i'd say
1.NYC
LA
MIAMI
TORONTO
RIO
SF
CHICAGO
....
.....

[brooklynprospect]

Does Manhattan island count for an option instead of NYC?

I'm not trying to discredit NYC as a whole but outside of Manhattan NYC's cosmopolitanism sort of wanes down... Why don't we choose specific geographical regions of the cities above instead?

Manhattan is actually more white than Queens, Brooklyn or the Bronx. Queens is the most ethnically diverse place in NY, and probably in all of America.

[AJphx]

geez..... everyone knows what was meant by western hemisphere. The title didn't need to be changed to the Americas.

western hemisphere is really a geopolitical term that everyone understands to be the americas. Even though it is sometimes given a geographical nature with its border as the prime meridien (and thus making some parts of Europe the western hemisphere) that does not mean that London is really a part of the western hemisphere or that people are going to get confused and think that it is.

Please change the title of the thread back, its rather insulting in a way that it was even changed at all.

[Küsel]

Ehm... I studied geography in Europe and concerning "Western Hemisphere"... better no comment :)

[Jaye101]

Miami?
Ok lets look at the definition again...
1. Pertinent or common to the whole world: an issue of cosmopolitan import.
2. Having constituent elements from all over the world or from many different parts of the world: the ancient and cosmopolitan societies of Syria and Egypt.
3. So sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world or conversant with many spheres of interest: a cosmopolitan traveler.
4. Ecology. Growing or occurring in many parts of the world; widely distributed.

Before Toronto...Noway my frend

[The anti-cheesehead]

the maker of this list is ignorantly stupid

"Ignorantly stupid" huh?

Manhattan is actually more white than Queens, Brooklyn or the Bronx.

Since when does "more white" equal less cosmopolitan? How would it sound if I said that since Queens is more brown, it is less cosmopolitan?

[Zwanderlust]

Okay, I renamed the thread.

I say this with no malice and very little forethought, anyone who thinks Panama is in South America, or that London should be included in a poll about the western hemisphere should not have the temerity to go about renaming threads...

[Sexy Beast]

Philadelphia.

[JoseRodolfo]

I wont vote in it. It doesn´t have São Paulo

[Third of a kind]

for a long time the bronx was the most ethnically diverse borough but qns took that spot a few years ago, but yeah right now qns is the most diverse county in the country w/ the bx right behind it

yeah its a bit weird how Sao Paulo isn't included, or even boston for the matter..but its all good jes a thread and stuff...

[cello1974]

NYC, Toronto, LA, Chicago, ^^^^ putting Rio and Buenos Aires in front of São Paulo, is....... strange!

[antofasky]

and Santiago de Chile??

[softee]

NY
Toronto
SF
Rio
Sao Paulo
Montreal
Vancouver
Buenos Aires
LA
Chicago

[daniel_18]

Toronto
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Sao Paulo
Río de Janeiro

[AcesHigh]

Rio de Janeiro is less cosmopolitan than São Paulo, since São Paulo has MANY MANY more ethnies.

[Nick in Atlanta]

Although NYC has many millions of foreign born, most of the native New Yorkers, even those who do sophisticated work with other parts of the world, are relatively provincial. They think America stops at the Hudson River, starts again in LA, and includes Florida south of Orlando.

Toronto has no identity of its own. Native born are very hard to find.

Toronto gets my vote.

[Rockefeller]

Although NYC has many millions of foreign born, most of the native New Yorkers, even those who do sophisticated work with other parts of the world, are relatively provincial. They think America stops at the Hudson River, starts again in LA, and includes Florida south of Orlando.

Toronto has no identity of its own. Native born are very hard to find.

Toronto gets my vote.

Interesting observation about Toronto. I would say it has less of an identity than say NYC, but its a stretch to say it doesn't have one. The thing is, it is always changing. Toronto used to be referred to as Toronto the good, given its waspy, Victorian roots - so T.O has definately transformed a lot.

I also think that Immigrants to T.O or Canada in general, are not expected to assimilate into the "Canadian" culture like American immigrants in the 'U.S culture". This also adds to T.O's cosmopolitan status.

[KGB]

Yes...the "identity" thing is interesting.

I hear many people claim Toronto having a lack of one...and saying so in a manner which denotes that being a negative thing.

It could be...or it couldn't be...depends on your feelings about it.

To develope an identity, would generally require things remain the same over a period of time. But Toronto has been a very rapidly changing city over the last 50 years (in basically everything), which really doesn't allow much to remain the same long enough to become "identifiable" to people in general as a trait.

Toronto "used" to have an identity, as before the middle of the 20th century, the place was very much the same for a long time.

If you are a person who like the comfort of things remaining the same, then this is not going to seem very positive. But if, on the other hand, you enjoy this rapidly changing environment, then it will be a positive thing.

Personally, i fit into the latter catagory....so when you tell me Toronto has no identity, then i don't take it as an insult.

But, "Identity" is a fairly loose term. It can just as easily be said, that Toronto's ever-changing environment and all this multi-cultural mumbo-jumbo IS it's identity. Perhaps it's not the most unique identity, as many other cities exibit some of the same behavior...but not quite as fully and rapidly as Toronto. Not that long ago, Toronto could have easily boasted being the LEAST multicultural large city in the world....now it boasts the opposite (whether it's actually true or not).






KGB

[alex3000]

My list:
- Los Angeles
- Toronto
- New York City
- San Fracisco
- Sao Paulo
- Vancouver
- Honolulu
- Buenos Aires
- Mexico City
- Panama City
- Lima
- Caracas
- Bogota
- San Juan
- Santo Domingo

[alex3000]

Some info...

- Los Angeles:
Hispanic (46.5%)
White Non-Hispanic (29.7%)
Black (11.2%)
Asian (10.0%)
American Indian (1.4%)
Other (1.2%)

- New York City:
White Non-Hispanic (35.0%)
Hispanic (27.0%)
Black (26.6%)
Asian (10.5%)
Other (2%)

- San Francisco
White Non-Hispanic (43.6%)
Asian (30.9%)
Hispanic (14.1%)
Black (7.8%)
Other (2.4%)
American Indian (1.2%)

- Honolulu
Asian (57.5%)
White Non-Hispanic (18.7%)
Other race (10.5%)
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (6.8%)
Hispanic (4.4%)
Black (1.6%)
American Indian (1.4%)

[softee]

"Cosmopolitan" to me means a trend-setting city full of energy, culture and creativity -- with great theatre, restaurants, literature, music etc. -- not just racial and ethnic diversity. There are many cities that are quite cosmopolitan and yet are not that racially diverse at all.

[tocoto]

NYC is so far ahead of any other city listed it's a no brainer.
LA is next, so much more than the others
SP is third, go there and see for yourself, unbelievable
Toronto, what a well hyped town, far less than advertised
SF better than Chi better than TO

the rest are cosmopolitan to some degree but so are many other cities not on this list

[tkr]

Some info...

- Los Angeles:
Hispanic (46.5%)
White Non-Hispanic (29.7%)
Black (11.2%)
Asian (10.0%)
American Indian (1.4%)
Other (1.2%)

- New York City:
White Non-Hispanic (35.0%)
Hispanic (27.0%)
Black (26.6%)
Asian (10.5%)
Other (2%)

- San Francisco
White Non-Hispanic (43.6%)
Asian (30.9%)
Hispanic (14.1%)
Black (7.8%)
Other (2.4%)
American Indian (1.2%)

- Honolulu
Asian (57.5%)
White Non-Hispanic (18.7%)
Other race (10.5%)
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (6.8%)
Hispanic (4.4%)
Black (1.6%)
American Indian (1.4%)


wow!! im surprised with whites %.. they're going to be a small minority in the next decades, huh

[algonquin]

Although NYC has many millions of foreign born, most of the native New Yorkers, even those who do sophisticated work with other parts of the world, are relatively provincial. They think America stops at the Hudson River, starts again in LA, and includes Florida south of Orlando.

Toronto has no identity of its own. Native born are very hard to find.

Toronto gets my vote.

a very clear and insightful point of view.