“The Best Thing About Atlanta”…isn’t
As proof, try this Google Search: “The best thing about Atlanta is“… The results are not pretty. There is no true best thing about Atlanta. Unlike New York, with its theater scene or Chicago with restaurants and museums, Atlanta seems not to have a sense of pride about itself or a best prominant feature.
The search for “The worst thing about Atlanta” leads of course to traffic. However, there is a bigger problem which is that Atlantans don’t have a sense of themselves and hence have no sense of pride in Atlanta.
While the ‘Every Day is Opening Day’ slogan is good for attracting visitors to the city, it’s not making people proud to be an Atlantan. They’re not happy to live here… So what’s the answer? Part of it is happening now. Density will bring intensity of loyalty… if it’s done right. The Atlanta Regional Commission also needs to dedicate itself to an Atlanta focus. They need to take a stronger hand in strengthening the stronger central core and helping to induce new companies to move here.
Mostly, however, it’s us. We need to think of ourselves as Atlantans, take pride in our successes, and participate in local events. The more pleasure people get in local events the more they will change the center of their world view.
March 27th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Hmmm … when I do that Google search, I found that “the best thing about Atlanta is” that it feels like home, has the Braves, MARTA is a good transit system, it has a good, diversified economy, a low cost of living, the people are warm and friendly, and the food is good.
Same search for “the best thing about Chicago is” and I get the people, that its my hometown, the people, the museums, the weather, the Bears, etc.
Similar answers for New York.
Doesn’t really seem that different to me. I really disagree with your assessment of the attitude of Atlantans. It actually is the most optimistic, can do cities I have ever lived in.
March 28th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
I don’t think, honestly, that Atlanta is ever going to be New York or Chicago or San Francisco, where the tourist comes with very clear expectations (stereotypes?) as to what to look out for and enjoy in that city. And I don’t have a very good idea about what to expect from Chicago, even,
I would regard Atlanta’s lack of cohesion as, paradoxically, one of its strengths — you can (increasingly) have an urban lifestyle if you want, or a suburban one, or a hash of the two. It doesn’t guarantee that the urban and suburban residents will have anything in common, but it does offer a greater variety of options than many big American cities.
Also, why do you say that density will breed intensity of loyalty? My New York experience was that density bred intensity of wanting to get the hell out of there.
April 2nd, 2006 at 3:59 pm
MARTA is a good transit system? I want some of what they’re smoking! Whenever I get bummed about the size of my car payment, cost of insurance, and $2.50/gallon gas, I ride MARTA somewhere. Then I feel like driving is a bargain.
The problem with ARC and its ability to focus on Atlanta is all 10 counties and approximately 7.3 billion local jurisdictions are represented on the board. The Atlanta Mayor and City Council need to step up to the plate and stop acting like the fun police. Although I think Bill Campbell was a crook and deserves to rot in jail for eternity, this city sure was a lot more fun under his watch.