I read an essay ^[1] today that talked a lot about the kinds of messages cities send. The author talks a lot about why Cambridge is better than everywhere, since it’s message is “you should be smarter,” but he also touches on places from Paris to New York to Silicon Valley. Sadly, though, he failed to mention Seattle even once (probably because he hasn’t lived here).

So, what do you guys think- what message does Seattle send to its inhabitants and the rest of the world?

^{(Hat tip: Seattle’s own SEOmoz [2])}