To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
The speaker claims that to understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities. I disagree with this claim, because studying large urban centers is too limiting when attempting to understand the social trends affecting the country as a whole
The speaker’s argument makes sense on the surface. Any large city is, by definition, the center of its region. The architecture, layout, culture, and customs of the cities reflect those of the society in which they are located. This, then, means that any examination of these cities can help us understand the larger society, right? That, however, is an overly simplistic view. While the impacts of the large cities undoubtedly shape the surrounding society, they do not define it. Some smaller towns, villages, and hamlets are far more influential in defining the characteristics of a given society, and studying them can tell us far more about a country than the large cities
For example, consider the United States. While Washington, DC, is the capital of the US, it is only one city in a vast country. The nation itself is 3 times the size of Western Europe and has 50 times as many people. What, then, does the capital tell us about the country? Not much. The influence of the capital city is limited, at best, by the fact that it is the seat of the US federal government. No state capital surpasses Washington in either population or influence. So how can one say that studying only DC can tell us anything about the country as a whole? To understand the country, we must examine all of the states. Each has its own history, culture, and geography. Studying DC alone would be like trying to analyze London without considering the greater United Kingdom
There are some cities whose influence is so pervasive that it defines the entire country. Take New York, for example. It is the largest metropolitan area in the US with a population of over 20 million. The city’s influence is pervasive, too. The fashion industry thrives in New York City, and many fashions around the world are influenced by it. The music industry can be traced to New York. In 2005, New York was the source of over 60% of the music played on commercial radio stations in the United States. What’s more, the city’s cosmopolitan culture has influenced the cuisine of the entire world. The influence of New York can be seen not just in the US, but internationally as well. In fact, New York-style pizza can be found in nearly every large metropolitan area on the planet. Likewise, the sushi restaurants that dot New York’s streets have become a ubiquitous feature of the urban landscapes in many countries. These examples show the importance of understanding the cities, but they also illustrate why focusing on a single city may obscure more than it reveals
In conclusion, the speaker’s claim is partially accurate. Studying the largest cities in a country can provide us with some insight into the social trends of the country as a whole. However, we must remember that the cities do not define the country, so studying them alone can limit our understanding of that society.