Ya gotta love a headline and list that touts America’s top 22 snobby cities. After all, snobby is an interesting word.
I’ve heard Americans called all kinds of things – conservative, ridiculous, stupid, narrow-minded, poorly read, brash, arrogant, loud, disrespectful, rich and insensitive. I’ve also heard them described as generous, warm, giving, curious, friendly and sadly, usually loud is in there too on the positive list as well as the negative one.
Snobby only comes up among Americans…..between Americans, as you’re tearing down other cities, particularly between east and west and north and south. It’s no surprise that the largest the urban area, the more snobby the city could itself be deemed.
I’m not surprised that San Francisco made the #1 slot for the snobbiest place in America but largely because of what has happened in the technology scene in the last ten years – it hasn’t always been this way.
On a recent trip to Europe, a female entrepreneur on a panel said this of the investing and startup scene in San Francisco: “they seem to create a lot of solutions for problems people in the real world just don’t have.” Hear hear sister I found myself thinking and even saying out loud. Enter the world of self-serving and snobby thinking.
My fellow San Franciscans won’t be happy as I write this of course, and I think in large the European panelist was referring to the Silicon Valley startup scene, not the entire Bay Area. As for the Bay Area and San Francisco, its also loaded with foodies, and they’re kinda snobby about food too.
Then again, am I or have become so from living here?
That’s the million dollar question. I’ve lived in Boston and San Francisco, both in the top 3 of the most snobbiest cities in America and have spent enough time in New York to feel like I’ve lived there. I grew up in in upstate and so……..
What gives a city attitude and the snob factor is the even bigger million dollar question.
San Francisco has cultivated its reputation as a serious foodie city, and apparently according to the survey (done by Travel & Leisure), readers gave it high marks for both fine dining and ethnic cuisine, shopping, galleries, and for being gay-friendly.
While I somehow thought Boston would be #2, New York took its place and given that New Yorkers don’t think there is a better city anywhere and why go explore when you have everything “at home,” I guess I can understand. Boston has a different kind of snobbery and I’m not sure I ever quite recovered from not going to the “right school.” That said, I lived there long enough that I managed to find a whole crowd of people who are not snobby, read great literature, have weekend barbecues in the summer and judge far less than what I’ve experienced in San Francisco and New York. I guess that’s what puts it in third place.
It’s the Harvard thing in Boston and the fact that the city is steeped in history and has more bookstores than most….something btw, I miss. Here’s the top ten list for what it’s worth. I was surprised to see Santa Fe so high u on the list – ditto with Seattle, especially above places like Washington DC and LA for crying out loud. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a snobby Philly-ite. The original article is over at Travel & Leisure and they take you through the top 22.
1. San Francisco, CA
2. New York, New York
3. Boston, MA
4. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
5. Santa Fe, NM/Seattle, WA (tie)
7. Chicago, IL
8. Providence, RI
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Charleston, S.C.
LA is #16 and #14 is Philadelphia (Philly).
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
