New York City is the ideal example of how humans respond to urbanization, said a professor from Columbia University yesterday during a lecture at Binghamton University.

On Thursday evening about 70 students and community members attended “Empire City,” a lecture by Kenneth T. Jackson, Ph.D., a professor of history and the social sciences, Jackson spoke about what makes New York City different from the rest of the United States.

Although all major American cities are diverse, New York represents the widest variety of cultures and ethnicities, Jackson said. The largest immigrant group, Dominicans, makes up just 13 percent of the population. With more than 8 million residents, one can see people from hundreds of different cultures every day.

Jackson believes this diversity is responsible for making New York City such a tolerant place.

“You’re forced to run into people all the time that are different,” he said. “You have no time to worry why that person has purple hair or speaks a different language.”

Audience members laughed in agreement as Jackson cited that examples of tolerance can be seen everywhere from the daily business interactions between Muslims and Jews to Time Square’s Naked Cowboy who earns a living playing music in his underwear.

“New York isn’t the friendliest city, but it is the most open place in the world,” agreed Ben Falber, a BU senior in attendance.

The city’s reputation for diversity and openness explains why New York’s population density is steadily increasing in contrast to most other American cities, Jackson added. Detroit, for example, currently has about 1 million residents, less than half of the number 50 years ago. The population density is so low that small farms have recently been established within Detroit’s boundaries.

“The distinctiveness of Gotham is that when people leave, someone else is always waiting to take their place.” Jackson said.

Jackson said New York’s third distinguishing factor is its general sense of aspiration. The wealthiest CEOs ride the subways with the poorest waiters, but they all share the same strong work ethic.

“No one cares who your family is or what they do for a living, in New York City everyone just wants you to get the job done,” he said.

Time constraints forced Jackson to end early. Most people in attendance seemed to support Jackson’s point of view, however, some believed he was too broad about what makes New York City truly unique.

“I would have liked him to mention some more specifics, like New York’s art scene, that make the city as great as it is,” said sophomore Alexis Feinberg.