Disclaimer:
The opinions blogged herein represently only those of Rick E. Bruner and do not reflect those of his employer, persons or companies mentioned herein, or anyone else.
I love this debate. It's an evergreen, just like direct marketing vs. branding. Having grown up myself in northern NJ, gone to college in Manhattan and presently residing these many years later back in NYC again (after four years in San Francisco, during the late '90s Internet boom), there is no question in my mind on this comparison: I'd stay put in a NY heartbeat.
NYC kicks LA's butt so bad, long and hard it's not even funny. But here, from the secret Old Timer's List, are opinions on the question from a few prominent e-marketing/media insiders on a thread that's been raging the last few days (all reprinted w/ permission):
Peter Shankman, Publicist
What's the running joke? Only difference between NY and LA... In LA they say "have a nice day," and they mean "f- you." in NY they say "f- you," and they mean "have a nice day."
Jim Meskauskas, Chief Strategic Officer, Underscore Marketing
My coastal cultural analysis?
People with intelligence and ambition move to New York.
People with intelligence move to San Francisco.
People with just ambition move to LA.
Bill McCloskey, President, Emerging Interest
In Boston your waiter is reading Dostoevsky. In New York your waiter is
a character out of Dostoevsky.
To this I would add two other quotes. One I found through my wife's weblog (in Hungarian) from John Updike:
The true New Yorker secretly believes that anyone living anywhere else must somehow, in a sense, be kidding.
And from a great piece from the current New Yorker by Malcom Gladwell about the role of politeness in today's civil and political life:
The problem, of course, is that niceness is overrated as a virtue. Many cultures are nice. The Southern antebellum aristocracy was marvellously well-mannered; its members left tasteful calling cards, entertained gracefully, and conducted their personal affairs with the utmost discretion. But they had few other virtues; in fact, it was the practice of niceness that helped to keep other values, such as fairness, at bay. Fairness sometimes requires that surfaces be disturbed, that patterns of cordiality be broken, and that people, rudely and abruptly, be removed from their place. Niceness is the enemy of fairness.
That's how I feel about the comparison between NY and LA.
UPDATE:
I just noticed this comparison between NY and London on NYC-central these days, Gawker:
In London, you go to pubs and if men like you, they vomit on you. Or they offer you chips. If you don't gag, it's true love. I feel quite at home there, actually. In New York it's much more subtle
Comments
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Comments
Well you bring up some valid points but you left out one VERY VERY important fact. New York has some of the coldest and worst weather around. The eastern coastlines pale in comparison to the south western coast.
In LA or San Diego you dont need a jacket EVER, and the beauty of coastline beats out anything New York has, has had, or ever will have. New york is ugly and cold, its cool and full of interesting people, but there is nothing that compares to a California Sunset, Palm trees and the awe inspiring natural beauty that is all over southern California.
I think anyone who would rather live in a cold, concrete, place like New York over a sun soaked lump of beauty like LA is absolutely insane.
I have only ever visited New York on vacation and the whole time I was there I had to wear a jacket and it was March! The people are all A-Holes and it made me miss my oceanside home so much I cant even describe it.
The true New Yorker secretly believes that anyone living anywhere else must somehow, in a sense, be kidding
I think whoever wrote the above quote must be "kidding" I would rather be homeless in Los Angeles than be a rich man living in a million dollar condo in New York city. You NY fellas enjoy your arctic weather and ugly man made scenery, whilst I bask in the beauty that is everywhere you turn in California.
Posted by: alexxmarsh ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.executivesummary.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 10, 2008 12:20 PM
New Yorkers seem to have a great need to continuously tell people how great it is to live in New York. It is almost as if they are trying to convince themselves that this is true.
However, if you live in LA, you prefer people to think living elsewhere is better since that gives us more LA space to enjoy.
New York is an awesome city to visit but having to live there is quite another thing. Los Angeles has so much more to offer, and contrary to New York propaganda, there is an abundance of culture and diversity.
But, whatever, if insisting that NY is superior to LA is your thing then great. Here is LA we would rather spend our time enjoying the comforts of our home.
Posted by: Mata at May 23, 2008 01:51 PM
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