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sendmyresignation · 4 years ago

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alright. writing this “little” piece to exorcise the demon inside of me that wants to expand my teenagers meta further than it needs to go (if you weren't aware I'm writing a post, well an essay, wellll a short paper, about why teenagers fits on the black parade- stay tuned) BUT i cannot stop thinking about the multiple little "rockstar to kill" moments within the song/music video/live performances so... I'm self-indulgently going to write about it :)

anyway, at its most simplified, teenagers is a song about the violence within adolescents and being an adult whose afraid of that capability. that is the basic, surface-level understanding of the song. inherently, with mcr specifically, that sets up a conflict between the narrator of the song and the song’s audience. that means conflict is generational- it duplicates itself over and and over which allows for several different understandings of the narrator’s perspective. the cyclical nature means they could be speaking to a representation of what they view as the fundamental corruption of the youth, both by outside focuses and their very human nature, as the narrator become more cynical in their old age. it could be representative of them talking to their past self, reminiscing on the revenge fantasies they had in high school or the ways they were made to feel like an outcast when they were young. and they also could be speaking directly to the very literal future about their concerns as a mentoring figure (teenagers, to me, functions in layers, its interpretation can shift and change depending on the context) right now we’re preoccupied with that last perspective both within the song and the video’s contextualization, and into this wider idea of what the band’s purpose was (or how they saw their purpose).

putting the rest under a read more out of respect <333

moving into the actual text with that in mind, what becomes significant is the tonal contrast between being the seemly scathing, sarcastic indictment of Dangerous Teenagers on the surface to the actual understanding (if we’re talking about the single on its own) which is moreso criticizing the Authority figures who create and mold this violence either purposely (cog in the murder machine) or with indifference (you’ll never fit in much/they’ll leave you alone/as well as the implication of having to take matters into your own hands because the adults are absent). As a result, the song, on its own, isn’t actually blaming teenagers for the violence they perpetuate, but the narrator attempts to extend their understanding and offer advice. here is a figure looking to bring catharsis without patronizing. like this is most clearly expressed in the use of “maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me” at the end of the chorus, which in this reading means the other adults may leave you alone, the but I am stepping in to tell you that both self-directed and outward expressions of violence are bullshit and useless and that’s what everyone else is expecting of you so fucking stop it! (this can obviously be re-figured within the context of the album- because, interestingly, the pronouns are purposely confusing with the multiple uses of they in this section) the violence is never explicitly vilified by the speaker,- its exaggerated- what you have under your shirt won’t solve anything isn’t that obvious how ridiculous it sounds, how ridiculous I sound saying it out loud? but also, the violence is implicit. the conflict is still there. the teenagers still scare the shit out of the narrator. so what gives?

well. the song is still about the gulf between generations. the speaker is still afraid and out of touch, regardless of the leadership role they’ve assumed or the perspective of the past they can offer. there is ultimately a limit to how much they can give.

which leads us right into the music video.

So first things first, Black Parade as a whole is heavily inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall musically, but the actual aesthetics of the wall are kind of divorced from the ww1 cabaret weimar thing that parade is drenched in (bc britian circa the 1950s is boring and the wall is purposely very ugly and grey and removed from emotion which isn’t dramatic enough for what mcr had in mind). However, teenagers exists as a sort of connecting point between the two- the music video of Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 (which you can watch here if you’ve never seen it) is clearly an influence on the subject matter and the setting and the “plot” of teenagers video- it serves as a sort of a parallel to it. more specifically, there are the “running shots” of kids making their way through unlit hallways into the auditorium that evoke the children in the pink floyd video marching through the school. there’s also the line “cog in the murder machine”, which seem particularly inspired from the depiction of children as going through machines and coming out the other side stiff, wooden, and obedient. then the backdrop of the large bomb centered in my chem’s stage show mimics the shot of the headmaster standing behind the large, lit up clock- especially since that where the teenagers in the crowd of mcr’s video all begin acting in unison, similar to the children in the wall all falling into line (but, like, just the use of ww2 era bomb imagery and gas masks in general is very reminiscent of the early wartime parts of the wall anyway). so in a vague sense, there is a huge connection between teenagers and that emulation and replication of the wall.

however, the most striking similarity is that, in the same way the students destroy their school in a moment of violent inspiration after sequences of disconcerting compliance, the group of high schoolers in teenagers do the same against the band. the difference is that in the case of the teenagers, the explosion is directed at the source of their outburst (they switch from the on-beat fist-punching to wild moshing as the song devolves and ray’s solo starts) instead of in opposition to a more institutional suppressive force. they are not motivated to action because of something done to them, instead it is the actual music itself that serves as both the impetus of conformity and the fuse that destroys that same unison action and then the band. and what’s significant is the particularity of the actions the crowd takes: they steal the band’s instruments from them and they bodily remove gerard from the microphone. like contrast this violence against the band vs the desolation row video where the whole band is physically incapacitated- there, its about knocking them around and getting them to stop (ray is beat down by police, bobs drums are destroyed, etc etc). but here, its about taking their places- the act of destruction is calculated but not purposely cruel. so, in teenagers being a parallel to Another Brick, that moment of turning on the band is the moment of violence but is also the moment of freedom. the difference in the two becomes the ways in which the band is responsible for reawakening the fire within the audience and giving them a purpose. which here is “killing the rockstar” by taking over, taking their places. and that is the nature of music and the nature of the conflict implicit to becoming the “rockstars”

it brings us right back around to that generational conflict: except when your talking about mcr’s realationship with their audience, that becomes the fostering of a group of outcasts and weirdos and freaks and giving them the tools to save themselves, yes. but also giving them the opportunity to do exactly what they did. to pick instruments and take their places. its the cyclical nature of creation and destruction “because when we get old and lazy some of you guys are gonna have to eat us alive by starting your own fucking band (x), that idea of needing a “rockstar to kill” has been refigured to mean something newer, positive. we are the ones killing them, but not in the way of typical martyring where a crowd of detractors and nonbelievers burns you at the stake- but instead by continuing the natural cycle of art, true genuine art. just as mcr is built off of so many influences- creating an entirely new project out of that existing landscape of sound that reaches people and gives them an outlet, we are doing the same things. by besmirching metal and punk by mixing them together, by “selling out” so they could put together a rock opera, by adding theater into a hyper masculine culture of nu-metal and post-hardcore, by making deeply emotional music that was still violent or angry, by writing the way they did they killed the bands they loved and made something better. its the the way in which the creative cycle is a rebirth, of scavenging the good things from the people who came before you and moving forward and taking the world by storm. here, in the video, the audience redirects their violence at the band, yes. but that is the point. teenagers still scare the shit out of the narrator, but that’s not going to stop them from reaching out, from speaking to them directly, from performing until their very last moments

until they take over. until they kill the rockstar. until we eat them alive.

in the end, that is the mission of my chemical romance, isn’t it- to inspire that level of passion, to turn the music into a life-raft and then gasoline and fire in your gut and then a sense of purpose and then into freedom and endless joy? and isn’t it the greatest act of love, the truest expression of admiration to tear them apart, build ourselves creations out of the wreckage to fill the space they leave behind, and then lay them to rest when the time has come?

#my brain. is crazy :) enjoy :)#mcr assigned reading #my posts

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wexhappyxfew · 3 years ago

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Hey Shannon❤️ can you tell us something about Natia and Winters relationship? And also, how do you pick quotes for each chapter?

FRANCY!!! hello my friend! how are you doing? :D thanks for stopping on by, i've really been excited to answer this one especially because i get to focus in on Natia and Winters connection more than anything! it is one of the most highly important of the fic i feel, in many various respects and i'm super hype to discuss them! and the QUOTES!! oh i have a full little process i go through with that too hehe! let's jump into it! <3

Natia Filipska and Richard Winters in LANDSLIDE

From the start of writing Landslide, I really wanted to make Natia and Winters' connection one that showed how two, different leaders and leadership styles could still work together and in their own ways as well. In the beginning, we see Natia already take a dislike to Winters, but she has reason.

I feel that's something I enjoy most about writing Natia as well by the way?!?! She will always have a valid and detailed reasoning behind why she does certain things.

But the way I see it with Natia and Winters in their first meeting in Holland is very much their characters and their morals put on center stage. Natia has worked alone for a majority of the war, she's had to look out for really only herself and she's seen and gotten quite a lot of trauma just from various events in the war in general and so when team work is included, she's more reluctant to such a thing - this comes from both her training as well as what the war has forced her to do. But when things meet up in the end, she ends up being a pretty well off team leader.

Winters on the other hand is that sort of 'all-American-leader", who knows his men, knows how to work his men as a team and lead them, he's firm, he doesn't take any crap from people and most importantly, he makes sure no man is left behind. There's already a division there in general between how Natia leads and how Winters leads as well as level of experience in war. And with these differing opinions, that sort of sets them off even more.

Something I didn't want to do was make them *enemies* really because Natia already has a LOAD of enemies that she really is already dealing with and making Winters an enemy was never a goal. More of a challenge or a power with which she can put up a bit of a fight against. It makes for quite an interesting dynamic as the two start to slowly trust one another and learn how to then initially work together as well.

My initial goal was to show obviously there was a strong opposing difference and force when the two shared a scene together. FOR EXAMPLE,,,

" The Germans have merely retreated, they have not left Holland open to be taken by the Allies. I've fought enough of this war to know that. And I'm just trying to help where I can to save more of your men than get them killed," she said, taking in a tiny breath as she stood, beginning to sweat under the tense gazes of the American men who watched her. Natia had stood in this position before, she'd collected too many flowers that day for graves that shouldn't have even needed to be dug. It had been a slaughter, she hoped this wouldn't be the same for what it was worth.

" We're under British Command, Agent Fidel, I'm afraid we'll have to follow through. They wouldn't lead us astray though, I'm sure we'll be fine." Colonel Sink said to her, before nodding and going back to his initial discussion with the higher ranking members of Headquarters. Natia's gaze narrowed slightly.

" Agent Fidel." Captain Winters said, his voice dangerously low. Natia let out a huff and then moved over towards him, muttering to herself out of annoyance.

" It's walking into a trap." she said once she had moved over to Captain Winters, where the Map-Keepers presence lingered, " The enemy just doesn’t leave a country like Holland wide open next to the English Channel, letting it crawl with-"

" Agent Fidel." Captain Winters said again and Natia's eyes darted up to his, her mouth slowly clamping shut in the process, as her darkened gaze watched over his own.

" Might I remind you that here, you are not Colonel Sink or the British Command or the CO. I'm sorry to have to put you in your place and remind you of the your position. You are an assigned radio operator." Captain Winters told her.

This is a portion of Chapter 21 (Death’s Faith) and in this specific scene, we see this obvious tension throughout. Natia is someone who has been in war since 1939 while Captain Winters on the other hand first got his taste of war in 1944. Now, something I did not want to do is degrade completely Richard Winters and how he handled war because he held himself to his morals and his character throughout and I wanted to take that and insert that into the fic in a way that was my own.

Something important that I worked with here was that though he is firm, he still isn’t the point of going *over* who he is as a human and his personality. And I really tried to hit that fine line in the fic more than anything. Making Natia sort of go silent though in the face of Winters though I felt was an interesting touch that I only vaguely remember doing and I feel it is sort of a connection to Natia’s past with Agent Mortem and how this higher power silenced her previously and how Winters is a presentation of that in her eyes for the first portion of the fic.

But as the story progresses, we see Natia slowly breaking away from that idea and slowly start to form respect for Winters out of their long line of misfortunate circumstances they hold together. And sort of a realization that there were bigger issues than their own personal feuds and differences in a way compared to the war.

And I’m still really moving through the progression of that connection in the fic, but by the end, I have a feeling people will be really satisfied with the outcome of two leaders finally entirely seeing eye to eye by the end. Definitely one of my favorite connections throughout the book — and one of my personal favs is when we see Winters defend Natia against Lieutenant Dike HAHA! A major point for their friendship I will say!!

The way I see it is Natia, the lone wolf, and Winters, the alpha, who slowly incorporates her into the pack after a bit of defense and defiance. It’s a really interesting connection that flows throughout the fic and I’ve been really enjoying it! :)

CHAPTER QUOTES

Chapter quotes I feel I have always done since I uploaded even my first fic which was Sunshine Soldier! I guess I’ve just always enjoyed that a lot, it gives a bit of perspective on the upcoming chapter that the readers are about to read!

I use Pinterest, Goodreads or just general sort of searched up themes on Google for quotes. And usually each quote is centered around a central theme ie darkness, grief; sadness, joy, etc..... and then I can go from there and get even more specific on chapter sort of tones and subplot themes.

For example, in Chapter 6 (The Curse of Silence) this is the opening quote, “Silence is the biggest gift and the worst curse.”. Agent Mortem played a huge factor in Natia being silenced for the first portion of the war and by the end, released from his reign, she’s allowed a voice that is uncontrolled and gets her in various amounts of trouble along with it. Yet silence did allow for Natia to dissect and understand Mortem enough to corrupt him and essentially “escape” him, though inherently get her into trouble in other instances. (which is a topic for a later discussion!)

But that’s sort of the general idea I go with every time I put up a chapter! :D Thank you so much for the ask Francy, this was so much fun to answer!! <333 I always enjoy these sorts of things where I can go in and give my own best, personal analysis on stuff in fic! 💛

#natia filipska #richard winters #bob fic #band of brothers #landslide #character analysis #connection analysis #writing and quote help #thanks francy!

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seoafin · 3 years ago

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jjk & tower of god chapter on the same day,,, i spent all of my brainjuice talking abt tog w some friends + working on my wip so this one might be incoherent LMAO but nsjdhfjd this my 2 cents for the chp (1) - 🐱

first of all, the zenins shld just eat shit 🥰 the bar is just nonexistant now 😭😭😭

also maki’s mother said sth that hits way too close to home for me too🥴

the maki & mai, megumi & tsumiki "make a place where they are happy” parallels...mai,, maki wanted a place where u'd be happy!!! 😭😭😭 good points abt any interesting nuances the original jpn might have had though

ALSO MUSCLE MAKI IS HERE

and lmao megumi's "ew no" face ,,, i didn't think he could make a face like that JDJJDJD ,, once again i think his outsider-insider status is interesting but the amount of ppl counting on him/leaning on him bc of strategic position is a lot. ig this is what kamo meant by supporting the 3 families,,,, gojou indeed is playing the long game. megumi in the meantime, very persistent in not getting more involved in clan politics, not using power that is offered to him, or leveraging it - in a way it is good, and it also makes sense with "stress is other ppl" but is interesting from a structural pov. megumi may not rly give a shit abt the rest of the jujutsu world. if the ppl close to him are affected, then he cares. otherwise, forget it.

also im interested in power implications here bcs it sound a little like there’s a slight split b/w leadership and everyday zenins and im curious what it's like if u have no connection to the top of the clan,, and again higher ups being unaffiliated with the 3 clans so they have to appeal to them. curious what other talents the gojou clan have and what they're known for bc clearly it's not just gojou, they still have power without him and still have a stake in the shifting power structure. kamo must be busy too...

MAKIIIIII ,,, honestly my heart hurts a little seeing her getting beat up in recent chapters. but i’m rly happy,, shes FINALLY getting the focus she deserves and i’m confident she will make a recovery and she IS in fact the one leading efforts on the zenin side. im rly hopeful she can take over the clan one day and no longer say she's not good enough

that stomach wound is bad news though so im wondering how she will come back from that,, that she didn't know her own father's abilities says a lot, too. i wonder if she could see the extension of his blade, or if she hasn't been able to see/understand many ppl abilities

im hopeful for next chp now. u can do it maki!!!!

flashing back on these bits, it makes more sense now why megumi wasn't melting down post-shibuya,, seems most information came to him in a sort of timely and calm way? also i rly have to wonder if gojou did not spend a decade plotting in front him bcs he's done it before,,,, like the whole clan head scene in megumi's middle school years....in a way i imagine he wouldve seen that gojou come out of the high school and watch him get more serious as he acquired even more skin in the game

all the time though i wonder abt megumi's tendency toward inertia and nonaction to things that would seemingly give him power and trying to understand it and that IS him being selfish and that IS,, imo the biggest indication of what he actually does or doesn't want. he wants it, he will act and work on it immediately himself. he doesn't like it? act like it doesn't exist. it make me want to shake him around like NO!! megumi pay attention!!! But his reaction to this clan stuff is a contrast to his behavior in recent chapters imo

and more mahjong references,,, between this and yuuji’s pachinko,, i wonder abt the undercurrent of gambling haha. a gamble for the shaman world and who will come out on top? a contrast to the flowy ocean imagery that connects shaman stuff out to the rest of the world

also this ,,,, there's that one jp tweet (i cant find it again😞) that talks about how toji, as the point of distortion, created megumi, who is currently playing a potential convergence/healing/uniting role (if he actually takes it on as a responsibility lol) and connects this back to the medicine buddha,,, whose mudra (hand sign) is used for chimera shadow garden. with the commentary abt ppl with heavenly restriction needing to know what to throw away in order to become strong or tap into their full strength and toji’s commentary at the end of fight with gojou,, i actually always felt that toji died not having been entirely resolved with himself bc he talks abt going against the self that decided to forget abt self-respect, to live without thinking abt himself or others,,, in a way, living selfishly, for himself, by ignoring anything immediate and i think he succeeded for a while bc he didnt even remember megumi's name. he remembers it when he talks to getou abt him being thankful for toji not killing him bc of potential drawbacks

and at the very end he thinks of megumi again and that last act does think of someone else, like a "life before your eyes" moment where toji thinks about how the zenin's treatment of him led him there or how his return to shibuya ends with him remembering how he gave megumi back to the zenin,,, i think atm of his death he was starting to think he did want to care, in a different way, or that he needed a different paradigm. or,, maybe he was just starting to realize how far the zenin thinking had set into him

so we dont rly talk abt that being an enlightenment moment for toji but i kind of think it was. that megumi has the potential to become a pivotal piece as a legacy of distortion is interesting. i dont actually think toji set up everything intentionally bc he didnt know megumi's ability, and i dont think he wouldve thought that far. i think a lot of the heir and inheritance stuff is sth naobito set in after seeing megumi's development under gojou. it's clear now everyone has been keeping eyes on everyone else

at some point there's some interesting discussion to be had abt megumi and privilege - i'm surprised the canon characters dont hate him more for having stuff just fall into his lap, and so i liked that maki pointed this out that he could use this and he shld bc theres a frustration there - and yet at the same time megumi himself seemingly feels very little attachment to the zenin and the shaman world still. he just cares abt his little circle of people, and it's a very intentional choice, based on his good/bad ppl thing

u cant really affect the entire world, but u can assert urself on the environment around u and decide what u do and dont act on. this part of megumi is more teenage boy and kind of toji-like, i think,,, hence the emphasis on action

u express ur effect and existence through action, who u kill or who u save. toji having very little, while so much falls into megumi's lap while he doesn't want it, doesn't want to acknowledge it, likely doesn't want to take part in a system he doesn't like or, having been raised under gojou's wing, resents or finds corrupt or useless, or doesn't even think on bc he thinks its above his pay grade and gojou's there - this is also megumi's moment to solidify his own direction and commit to working in the system or out of it

the "not caring" is a defensive measure in a way too, i think. i dont think megumi is Big Good and wants to save everyone and everything and the world to be good and pure, i tend to think of him as a resigned chaotic neutral, who wishes he could be good orz

ANYWAY i think there's some interesting juxtapositions with the whole toji > megumi thing, that someone who is born without, restricted, births and creates someone full of blessings. its very shaman-like, action then reaction

AND i wish u luck on ur final paper (bless ur eyes to see incels bc i’ll just log off for the day when i saw one (1) of them on the net) AND DONT FORGET TO TAKE A REST,, the self care is much needed me thinks <333 (2) - 🐱

i love u 🥺🥺😭😭😭 you take care of yourself too!!!

also ur right...all this political intrigue im so curious i need to know how the jujutsu world is structured in terms of the higher ups and the clans. like i assumed that the three clan elders WERE to some extent also part of the higher ups???? but now it seems that the higher ups are a separate entity altogether, so like checks and balances i suppose. except both the higher ups and the clans are corrupt so no balance there 😭

the chapter implied the zenins are losing when it comes to the power struggle between the three clans. im interested. i want to see them all rot!!! like i also said though it’s going to be interesting to see the state of the kamo clan though, considering “noritoshi kamo.” like what do you even say to that???? im going to be surprised if it doesn’t affect their standing in the jujutsu world but then again the kamo clan IS one of the big three.

megumi really is a character that was blessed in all regards but like. doesn’t want anything to do with it LOL he really said ‘this is a pain no thanks.’ like gojo like megumi i suppose. i agree with u the whole toji and megumi set up....genius....i also love their juxtaposition. it’s so interesting and another source of irony.

#MAKI THOUGH......MAKIIIIIII #that stomach wound was worrying tbh at first i was like??? what is that panel even. but now.......ughhhhhh #🐱 anon

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hizokucycles · 7 years ago

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The 20 Most Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet

Written by Author: MIKAEL COLVILLE-ANDERSEN from www.wired.com

THE BICYCLE MAKES sense in cities. With rising urbanization, our cities need modern mobility solutions, and moving around on two wheels proves time and again that it can offer results.

Investment in bicycle infrastructure is a modern and intelligent move. Plenty of research shows the social, economic, environmental, and health benefits of urban cycling. Studies from Denmark tell us that for every kilometer cycled, society enjoys a net profit of 23 cents, whereas for every kilometer driven by car we suffer a net loss of 16 cents.

Many cities get this. Many don’t. And many more are somewhere in between, wavering on how much to invest, where to invest it, and how, exactly, to make themselves welcoming to cycling and the benefits it brings.

With each edition, the Copenhagenize Design Company’s Index of the most bike-friendly cities in the world evolves. In 2011 we ranked 80 global cities; in 2013 we ranked 150.

This year, we considered cities with a regional population over 600,000 (with a few exceptions because of their political and regional importance, and to keep things interesting). We ranked 122 cities. The top 20 are presented here.

As with the two previous indexes, this year offers surprises. Copenhagen and Amsterdam continue to dominate, but new cities storm into the top 20 at the expense of others.

Buenos Aires stomps the competition and nails the South American continent, at the expense of Rio de Janeiro, which seems to have lost interest. Europe continues to have a strong presence, though Germany is slacking—Berlin falls, Munich slips off the list entirely, and Hamburg is hanging on by a thread.

Asia is relaxing—not in a good way—with Tokyo and Nagoya exiting the list. Montreal clings desperately to 20th and now has North American competition in the form of Minneapolis, which makes its debut on the index. We can see other American cities fighting their way north.

You can read about our full methodology here, but the key to a top spot is clear. You need serious advocacy, bike facilities, social acceptance, and a general perception that cycling is safe. You get extra points for a higher modal percentage—the share of residents who get around by bike as opposed to car or public transit—and for a 50-50 gender split among cyclists.

Of course, infrastructure is key. In Denmark and the Netherlands, a set of rules has evolved over a century. Tried and tested and proven to work, this established best practice is the model for cities everywhere. It includes making protected, one-way bike lanes that aren’t shared by cars, buses, or pedestrians. It means designing streets to limit the number and speed of cars in city centers, making public spaces safe and welcoming for everyone, not just drivers.

So we are excited and proud to release the Copenhagenize Index 2015—our comprehensive inventory and ranking of the world’s 20 most bicycle-friendly cities.

1. Copenhagen

2013 Ranking: 2 The Lowdown: After finishing second in the last two Copenhagen Index rankings, Copenhagen edges out Amsterdam for first place. The Danish capital remains impressively consistent in its investment in cycling as transport and in making efforts to push it to the next level.

With regard to a uniform network of urban design for bicycles, Copenhagen is unrivaled in the world. The clear leadership we missed in the 2013 ranking is once again in place with the election of Morten Kabell as head of transportation.

Clear visions have emerged, and the city is again moving forward.

Copenhagen’s base score remains largely steady, with one notable exception. The city’s modal share leaped from 36 percent to 45 percent between 2012 and 2014. We’ve never seen that kind of jump in such a short time.

Add to that continued investment in new infrastructure. A bicycle bridge over a motorway north of the city. Two new bridges over the canal opened in December 2014. The famous Cykelslangen (“bike snake”) elevated bike ramp has captured the citizens’ imagination and provided an important mobility link across the harbor. Four new bicycle bridges are on the way. Cross-town routes are being upgraded.

You simply can’t keep track of the new bicycle urbanism stuff in Copenhagen. High points in modal share increase and a good harvest of bonus points for that, as well as infrastructure and political will pushed Copenhagen into first place. Innovation. Investment. Improvement.

Getting Better: Kill off the failed bike-share program; it’s getting embarrassing. Put the money into something that actually works. Keep pushing for improvements in infrastructure and be bolder to battle the constant helmet promotion from safety nannies.

You know more space is the key to continued growth, so now is the time to be bolder than ever. Build wider cycle tracks and bicycle boulevards. People in cars who don’t even live in the municipality continue to enjoy free passage down your streets. It’s time to stem the tide. Learn from the lesson of the Greatest Urban Experiment and maintain the current rise in cycling levels after the Metro is finished.

2. Amsterdam

2013 Ranking: 1 The Lowdown: Amsterdam, like most Dutch cities, suffers from its insistence on maintaining a status quo rather than trying to improve, think modern, and take things to the next level. One of the world’s benchmark cities for cycling, Amsterdam has a leadership role for what it has done, as opposed to what it is doing and planning.

Amsterdam must act to show the world how to continue developing, otherwise other cities will take over the innovation role. Instead of constant grumbling over all those bikes, see it as an opportunity and a unique selling point.

It is time to tidy up. A more uniform network of bike infrastructure based on the best-practice strategies you know but fail to implement is the next long-term step. The same challenges face Amsterdam and Copenhagen regarding increasing cycling levels and creating the modern bicycle city. Copenhagen doesn’t have the key just yet, but at least it is investing and thinking long and hard about it. Amsterdam twiddles its thumbs and doesn’t really know where to go. Political will is required to move the city into the next level. If the city gets serious about proposals like these, it will be back on track.

Getting Better: The main fix is the actual desire for improvement. That would require politicians understanding better the importance of making conditions better for cyclists in the city and the economic value of doing so. The city should look carefully at the reasons Copenhagen overtook it this year. Innovation and investment.

Thinking about how to take cycling to the next level is Copenhagen’s trademark, but there is no reason Amsterdam shouldn’t be able to compete. Copenhagen’s investment in many new bridges over the harbor should be direct inspiration for Amsterdam to do the same. Fixing the ragtag spider’s web of curious infrastructure styles into something that is more intuitive is also a must.

3. Utrecht

2013 Ranking: 3 The Lowdown: The Dutch city remains in a steady third place and continues to be a world leader among smaller urban areas. The status quo is firmly in place, and while it is at an amazing level, the city seems content with that. Its development plan, “Utrecht Attractive and Accessible,” is a step in the right direction for progress, but it falls short of legendary and is content with being sensible.

Utrecht seems to understand how to mix necessity with headlines, something that Amsterdam is still figuring out. The world’s largest bike parking facility, with space for 12,500 bikes, is under construction and brilliant. When the city figures out how to get rid of the long stretches of brain-rattling cobblestones and to make a more intuitive and uniform infrastructure network, it will certainly step out of Amsterdam’s shadow.

Getting Better: Speaking with city planners, the same thing is said in Utrecht as in many Dutch cities. Bikes—and in particular bike parking—are a “problem”. When Utrecht realizes that it is a “problem” that other cities are begging for and sees it as an opportunity, the city has the potential to redefine an urban landscape where bicycles are king. The step toward a legendary bike parking facility shows the city is keen to be a leader, but there is more to it than parking spots.

4. Strasbourg

2013 Ranking: New The Lowdown: Despite being new to the Copenhagenize Index this year, Strasbourg has long been the premier cycling city in France. We have literally heard planners in other cities grumble that Strasbourg is “half-German,” as though that were an excuse for its high cycling levels.

What Strasbourg has achieved is the result of a generation of planners who insisted on cycling as transport. Cycling in Strasbourg is a pleasant affair and, as it should be, the quickest way from A to B. There are 333 miles of cycle routes in the city and surrounding metro area, and the city has a unique bike-share system: Vélhop lets you get a bike from docking stations but also has long-term rental.

We don’t think we’ve seen a city with so many bike-share bikes on the streets, including many customized with kids’ seats and baskets. The city enjoys 15 percent modal share in the city center and 8 percent in the metro area. It is unique in that there are more cargo bikes than in most cities in Europe.

There is consistent political will to at the least maintain current cycling levels. What remains to be seen is whether the city can take things to the next level and achieve the cycling rates seen in the Netherlands and Denmark. France—indeed every country—needs a leader to follow. One city that insists on improving and provides inspiration for the rest. Strasbourg has rested on its laurels for a number of years. Now is the time to go further.

Getting Better: The foundation for Strasbourg’s success is the fact that it has borrowed freely from German cities in the region. The Germans are, however, not exactly the best role model when it comes to bicycle infrastructure. If Strasbourg wants to move to the next level, it’s time to look long and hard at the Netherlands and Denmark.

The network, a strange combination of infrastructure styles, only makes sense if you live there. When uniformity is brought to the equation and serious decisions are made, there will be no reason why Strasbourg shouldn’t be able to fly through the 30 percent modal share barrier.

5. Eindhoven

2013 Ranking: 8 The Lowdown: When we think of Eindhoven, we think of no-nonsense consistency. Cycling in the city is steady and strong. The Floating Roundabout captured our imagination, and we are looking forward to seeing what else the city can produce that is functional and iconic.

Eindhoven’s upward swing in this version of the index is due to the lack of innovation by the cities above it, rather that its own efforts. The classic Dutch status quo is firmly in place in the city. Eindhoven can take solace in the fact that other, smaller Dutch cities, like Nijmegen and Groningen, are not included in the ranking.

Getting Better: We said it in 2013, and we’ll say it again: If the city could pull the Floating Roundabout out of its hat, there should be no limit to what else it can achieve.

6. Malmö

2013 Ranking: 9 The Lowdown: Sweden’s third-largest city has been wise to look west to Copenhagen for inspiration, as opposed to north to Gothenburg and Stockholm. The main city in Sweden’s most bicycle-friendly region—Skåne—Malmö has been insistent on reestablishing the bicycle on the urban landscape.

A highlight since 2013 was the opening of a bicycle parking facility at the train station that makes even Copenhagen look awkward. Since 2013 there has been continued focus on investment. Many of the city’s projects over the past few years remain impressive when measured against global competition. Its “No Ridiculous Car Trips” behavioral campaign is still a benchmark for communication.

The city remains balanced on helmet promotion, in contrast to Stockholm and Gothenburg, which serves to encourage cycling. Despite a rise in the ranking, we have heard of a waning interest from politicians to keep moving forward. Investment risks being reallocated and plans for more visionary projects are becoming fewer and farther between. When you come this far, you don’t stop.

Getting Better: Still, Malmö insists, in some places, on substandard infrastructure solutions that do not encourage the development of a coherent network and, by extension, an increase in cycling levels. More investment will ensure Malmö’s leadership role in Sweden, as well as among cities of a similar size in the rest of Europe.

Not capitalizing on that would be silly. When a city has been so visionary, it is a harder fall when the wheels stop rolling.

7. Nantes

2013 Ranking: 6 The Lowdown: Nantes has embarked on an impressive journey. It rocketed onto the index in 2013 thanks to clear political will and investment in infrastructure and facilities. It’s maintaining that, although it drops one place on the 2015 index.

We’re impressed by the efforts from the city and the diversity of projects it has implemented. Not just infrastructure but services and a clear collaboration with local associations. The city is also dedicated to traffic calming, which only serves to make cycling a more attractive option. The main boulevard is now virtually car-free for through traffic, and the city has put in a demonstrative cycle track down the middle.

It’s certainly not anywhere near best practice, but the iconic value is important. It is clear that the city is putting its money where its mouth is. Where scores of other cities around the world are content with baby steps like putting in one cycle track on one street, Nantes is going all in. It understands not just the necessity of modernizing its transport for rising urbanization but also the branding value of being a city that is changing fast for the future. It’s chasing Strasbourg and competing with Bordeaux for becoming France’s best city for cycling. Momentum provides a tailwind.

Getting Better: Nantes will not increase its modal share further without a commitment to best practice infrastructure. It gets so many things right apart from this. French planners and traffic engineers are simply not equipped to plan for cycling and, as in many large countries, they are reluctant to seek inspiration across borders.

Cycling in Nantes is confusing and not very intuitive, due to the variety of infrastructure designs. When the city decides to seek uniformity, it will advance further down the bicycle urbanism superhighway.

A clear hierarchy between traffic users is needed city-wide, and bidirectional cycle tracks only serve to make things confusing for all citizens. The city needs to make the bicycle the fastest transport form from A to B—it’s not quite there yet—and only then will it harvest the fruit.

8. Bordeaux

2013 Ranking: 8 The Lowdown: Some of the momentum that pushed Bordeaux up the list last time is still around, but the city seems to have geared down a bit.

What it has achieved in the past few years is still remarkable. A firm investment in infrastructure and facilities has given Bordeaux a brilliant bicycle urbanism boost.

Bordeaux continues to take bicycle transport seriously. Its investment in several tram lines has helped boost cycling by providing a traffic calming effect. The VCub bike-share system rolls on, and Bordeaux is still focused on marketing cycling to the mainstream as opposed to the subcultures through effective advocacy. A great gender split rounds off a respectable score.

Getting Better: The rapid success of Bordeaux as a cycling city has waned slightly. A great baseline has been established, but it seems the focus on taking it further is lacking.

Connecting up the network with better infrastructure and continuing to calm traffic are obvious steps for City Hall to consider. With other French cities getting their game face on, Bordeaux has every reason to take a leadership role.

9. Antwerp

2013 Ranking: 7 The Lowdown: The best large city in Belgium for cycling, Antwerp has a firm grip on the Top 20 index, even though it slips two places in 2015.

Clear influences from across the border in the Netherlands have given the city an impressive modal share for bicycles, and the bicycle as transport is embraced by all ages and wages. There are ample parking facilities around the city, and the train station parking remains one of the best in Europe. The citizens have excellent opportunities to use bike-share systems.

But the positive politics that came out of City Hall up until the last index in 2013 have dried up with the last election. There is actually talk from current politicians about how to get more cars into the city center. Seriously. In 2015.

Getting Better: Like everywhere else, Antwerp has urbanization challenges. That increasing cars in the city is even being discussed is as sad as it is comical. There is no reason the city couldn’t reach cycling levels that would rival Amsterdam and Copenhagen. All the pieces of the puzzle are in place. It wouldn’t require much imagination to make it happen.

10. Seville

2013 Ranking: 4 The Lowdown: For a few years, Seville was the poster child of the cycling world, showing it was possible to slap bicycles back onto the urban landscape in a short amount of time. As legend would have it, the city went from 0.2 percent modal share for bikes to 7 percent in just a few years. It was made possible by bold political will, investment in a broad network of bicycle infrastructure, and a comprehensive bike-share system.

The foundation that was laid is still in place, but Seville slips to a respectable 10th place from a lofty fourth. The status quo that affects all manner of cities seems to have slowed the development pace. Shooting for 15 percent or more shouldn’t be a problem, and should be a priority.

Seville is still interesting, but by resting on its laurels it will lose momentum, and the world will seek out inspiration elsewhere. One positive note is that the rest of Andalusia is looking to copy Seville’s success and hopes to roll out an impressive regional network of cycling infrastructure. That doesn’t help Seville in this ranking though.

Getting Better: We are aware that local politics factor into the equation in Seville, like anywhere else. Cycling for transport should be a cross-party goal. Seville needs to make a clear plan for how it can take its hard work and push it forward.

It needs to find the momentum again, and that comes from political will and investment. Seville is in a position that cities around the world are begging to be in. Keep building, developing, and investing. Don’t be that city that did something great once. Be the city that keeps doing something great.

11. Barcelona

2013 Ranking: 17 The Lowdown: Barcelona’s rise in this ranking shows that firm, consistent commitment pays off. There were no bicycles left in Barcelona just eight or so years ago, and now they have a new foothold.

The city has employed a mixture of traffic-calming measures and infrastructure to make it great to choose a bicycle for transport. It is one of the cities in the world with the largest swathe of 30 km/h zones, and while the bicycle infrastructure network is far from complete, it is usable and frequented.

The city’s bike-share program is one of the best on the planet as measured by usage rates, and it has helped boost cycling levels across the board. There is a high standard of intermodality in the city and surrounding metro area. The city’s “Superblocks” initiative may not be focused on bicycles, but it will certainly do wonders for cycling in the neighborhoods.

Barcelona is interesting to larger cities around the world who don’t find inspiration in smaller urban centers. It’s a big city, and when big cities do things they get noticed, which is brilliant for showing the world what is possible.

Getting Better: Barcelona’s development has slowed, but it certainly hasn’t stalled. There is continued focus on development of bicycle infrastructure and facilities.

What the city desperately needs is a plan to connect up the many bits and pieces of infrastructure and to truly make the bicycle the fastest way from A to B. The city would be well served by adopting best practice infrastructure instead of many half-hearted solutions. Traffic calming has positively affected cars, but the problem of scooters remains. Infrastructure is key.

12. Berlin

2013 Ranking: 16 The Lowdown: Berlin as a bicycle city is like Berlin as an everything else city. It’s a bit rough around the edges, it could be much better, but people get on with it.

The cycling population is mainstream, with few visible subcultures and a healthy gender split. A high city-wide modal share is punctuated with neighborhoods that exceed 20 percent. Cargo bikes abound in the city, a great indicator of growth. Berlin continues to toe the line with its place in the index.

Getting Better: There is still an insistence in Berlin on investing in old-fashioned car infrastructure, particularly outside the city. For a fraction of the price, the city could upgrade its bicycle infrastructure and create much needed uniformity in its network.

Traffic calming is on the agenda, and Berlin should look to Paris and Barcelona for inspiration on this front. And more bike racks, please.

13. Ljubljana

2013 Ranking: New The Lowdown: Making its first appearance on the index, the Slovenian capital rolls smoothly and confidently into the Top 20. Ljubljana’s journey started in the late ’60s and early ’70s, when 25 miles of Copenhagen-style cycle tracks were built across the city. It maintained a respectable level of cycling for decades. Chosen as the European Green Capital in 2016, it’s once again focusing on increasing cycling levels to make itself a more livable city.

New developments have infrastructure planned in from the beginning. The city’s bike-share program helps make the bicycle a staple transport form for the citizens. We see serious political movement in Ljubljana to establish itself as one of the world’s great bicycle cities. The current 12 percent modal share is impressive, and with 83 miles of bike lanes and 45 miles of cycle tracks, Ljubljana is well positioned for further growth.

Getting Better: More than most cities in the world, Ljubljana has the experience of increasing cycling rapidly with well-designed infrastructure. That 1970s lesson should form the foundation of the city’s work today—and for the next 100 years.

All the talk of becoming a green capital is great, but the bicycle will—as it always has—lead the way. Better infrastructure, better network. Think bicycle first.

14. Buenos Aires

2013 Ranking: New The Lowdown: Meet the new poster child for bicycle urbanism. Buenos Aires is the only city in this year’s index to harvest maximum bonus points, and it flies into the Top 20 on a steady tailwind.

In a shockingly short amount of time, the Argentine capital has succeeded in modernizing itself to include bicycles as transport. In the past three years, over 87 miles of bicycle infrastructure has been implemented—much of it protected—along with a bike-share program.

Buenos Aires proves the success of Seville was not a one-off. It has showed that with the right political will and investment, a large city can transform itself for the new millennium. It’s not all about the bike. Buenos Aires is focusing on the big picture, becoming a more livable city in general. Bus rapid transit lines, traffic-calmed streets, all good for city life and all good for putting the bike back on the landscape. At the moment, Buenos Aires is the city to watch.

Getting Better: Let’s be clear. Buenos Aires is very much a work in progress. Many of the protected bike lanes are narrow, bidirectional stretches along the curb, not the best part of the asphalt. Like in many emerging bicycle cultures, photos of obstacles in the bike lanes abound on the internet.

The seeds have been planted, the garden is growing, but now the city must cultivate it. The bicycle is competitive as a transport form but to go from here, the city needs to invest in high-quality infrastructure and best-practice solutions. More space for bicycle infrastructure, better facilities, and a better connected network are the next steps.

15. Dublin

2013 Ranking: 10 The Lowdown: Dublin has been a darling on the Copenhagenize Index since 2011, and the city has been inspirational for the rest of the world in its efforts to increase cycling levels. Once the third great cycling city in Europe after Amsterdam and Copenhagen, Dublin has the historical background for bringing the bicycles back.

Dublin seems to be suffering from the same apathy as other cities that have made impressive progress, sliding a few places down the index. What Dublin has achieved over the past few years is fantastic. The perfect cocktail of politicians who get it, investment in infrastructure and facilities, traffic-calming measures, and an epic bike-share system accelerated the city’s journey to urban modernization. You can’t take that away from Dublin, but you could wish for another period of concerted effort.

Getting Better: The National Transport Authority has been putting its back into it, but the City of Dublin hasn’t been lifting its share. Building upon its successes is of paramount importance. Choosing substandard infrastructure along the quays is not exactly the way to go. The bike-share program rocks, but now a comprehensive network and bicycle strategy should be developed and followed to the letter.

16. Vienna

2013 Ranking: New The Lowdown: Vienna featured in the Top 20 in 2011 and bounced out in 2013. The Austrian capital is back with a vengeance this time round.

Vienna has been slowly but steadily working towards making the city better for cyclists. Outside the traffic-calmed center, there are cycle tracks and facilities that put many other cities around the world to shame. The competition is tougher in Europe.

Vienna means well and acts upon that, but further development could easily be accelerated, especially given the positive attitude at City Hall. With that said, the city is one of the best on the planet to market urban cycling for the mainstream and to host events that appeal to regular citizens as opposed to subcultures.

Other points worth mentioning: The cargo bike armada is growing in numbers each year, the city is experimenting boldly with traffic-calmed streets, and there is a broad cultural acceptance.

Getting Better: Yes, we know the joke: When the world is ending, go to Vienna. Everything happens 50 years later there. We get it. But do we seriously have to wait 50 years for you to expand and upgrade your bike-share system? Or force your engineers to look up best practices for bicycle infrastructure? It can move quicker than that. You have the foundation; build on it.

17. Paris

2013 Ranking: 20 The Lowdown: For all the talk of cities like Seville and Dublin, the transformation of Paris is an exciting one. Not least because cities like London and New York take notice when their equals do things differently. Former Mayor Bertrand Delanoë led the charge for change between 2002-14, until he stepped down, highlighting the importance of political vision and will.

Few would have believed that Paris could have pulled it off, but it’s doing just that. The Vélib’ bike-share system firmly placed the bicycle back in the city and was embraced by the citizens. Traffic calming like 30 km/h zones and removing last-century car infrastructure helped continue the charge.

Paris lacks knowledge about designing infrastructure for cyclists, and its engineers and planners often choose substandard solutions that don’t make much sense. Nevertheless, the city is on the cusp of becoming a great cycling metropolis. Its modal share inside the ring road is 8 percent when measured by people arriving at work and school.

Cargo bikes are gaining in popularity, including logistics solutions for small-goods delivery. The city is keen to experiment—something that Copenhagen has benefited greatly from. The current mayor, Anne Hildalgo, has been talking the talk. She boldly declared that Paris will be the best bicycle city in the world by 2020. That won’t happen. Not by a long shot. But many aspects of Paris’ achievements are inspirational for other cities, and a Top 10 finish is within reach.

Getting Better: Paris doesn’t understand bicycle infrastructure well enough to make it the world’s best city for cycling. That point alone is its greatest weakness. There is no uniformity to its fledgling network.

A huge redesign of the intersection next to Montparnasse Tower, with wider sidewalks for pedestrians, completely ignored the needs of the modern urban cyclist. The city needs better intermodality, parking facilities, and links with the suburbs. If they want to be the best, they must think bicycle-first. It’s as simple as that.

18. Minneapolis

2013 Ranking: New The Lowdown: Minneapolis is the first American city to feature on the index since the number of cities we rank increased in 2013. Minnesota’s largest metropolis has the lowest baseline score of all the cities in the Top 20, but it makes up for that with bonus points in a number of categories.

The city boasts 120 miles of what it calls “on-street bikeways” and 90 miles of off-street lanes. The latter is less interesting for urban cycling, but Minneapolis is quickly becoming the go-to city in America for building infrastructure. An impressive (for America) modal share helped push it onto the index, and we like the political will coming out of City Hall.

A respectable bike-share system is helping cement the bicycle in the transportation foundation of the city. Seeds have been planted and a garden is growing. American cities—often content with baby steps—are in desperate need of leadership, and Minneapolis has emerged as a contender.

Getting Better: We know Minneapolis is proud of its winter, and we love that a snowy American city is the one that makes the Top 20. Better infrastructure maintenance during the winter is key. Prioritize snow clearance on the bike infrastructure above all else.

What will help the city is to stop talking about the winter and to focus on getting a massive rise in ridership during the rest of the year. Minneapolis would do well to increase its commitment to protected infrastructure and to focus on making the continent’s best on-street network, and the first city NOT to feature sharrows. It’s hard to think out of the box in America regarding transport, but somebody has to do it. Why not Minneapolis?

19. Hamburg

2013 Ranking: 15 The Lowdown: In the 2013 index we expressed surprise at Hamburg’s inclusion in the Top 20, and, once again, we are surprised to see it maintain its place on the list. The city is no slouch on the global scale, but it is as though it’s reluctant to modernize its infrastructure.

We have actually heard a city planner say that he doesn’t want to have protected bike lanes. With a straight face. The city is seemingly content with its status quo of weird infrastructure that alternates between road and sidewalk without any logic, and that isn’t maintained in the winter.

The city received bonus points for traffic calming with its plans to make the center car-free in the coming years, which helped it stay on the list. As far as modal share goes, there are few cities outside Europe that can compete.

Getting Better: Fix your bizarre infrastructure, Hamburg. Keep cyclists safe with the best-practice solutions that are to be found just to the south in Amsterdam and to the north in Copenhagen. Your bold goals for a car-free city center are great—if you pull it off—but you need to construct a solid and sensible network of infrastructure for bicycles to lead there.

20. Montreal

2013 Ranking: 13 The Lowdown: Montreal has long been the best North American spot for cycling, not least because it has had protected bike lanes since the late 1980s.

The city continues to impress, despite slipping in the rankings. A strong gender split—unusual for North America—and stretches of decent infrastructure with impressive numbers of cyclists using them each day keep Montreal’s baseline firm. A great bike-share system and consistent advocacy adds to the cocktail. Montreal is hanging on to its spot, but it won’t take much to slip further now that so many cities around the world have their game faces on.

Getting Better: The brilliant visions that have come out of the Plateau borough have failed to replicate across the city at large. Politicians need to force planners and especially engineers to improve and to plan a network that makes sense for the next 100 years.

Again, best practice is often ignored, which is regrettable. Better winter maintenance is a must, cycle tracks along main arteries should be a no-brainer (especially with the shocking state of the asphalt on the roads), and feel free to borrow traffic-calming inspiration from Paris and Barcelona.

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