Why do people who do not live in California hate California? (home, to live)

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by sassyfragger1

...People are self absorbed and just plain rude (not all, but IN GENERAL). There is no sense of community for the most part in So Cal (except when houses are burning down) and there's a lot of 'keeping up with the Jones' (hence So Cals complete bubble burst housing market crisis being insane even in comparison to other regions). Now add to that that cost of living is ridiculous ($400 electric bills, $7 bottle of ketchup at Vons, $570K for a house a few years back) it's a very undesirable place...

In fact, in my state we have a couple nifty bumper stickers... one reading "Californians GO HOME" and "Native". I know a lot of good Californian jokes

This might be true in some people's experiences, but other than the high cost of living thing this is drastically different from my experience with CA. I've found people to be very friendly, like the fact that the three CA cities in which I've lived have been welcoming to "outsiders," and people are no more or less rude than any of the other places I've lived.

As far as "Californians GO HOME" and "Native" bumper stickers, well, they might be intended to be funny (?), but THAT seems to be the epitome of rude.

[grapico]

Dunno... I love the bohemian lifestyle of Nor Cal (not the yuppie stuff) as well as the mild climate and out doors, not so rat race... and moving there...
There are plenty of worse places in the country for sure...

[JetJockey]

Originally Posted by grapico

Dunno... I love the bohemian lifestyle of Nor Cal (not the yuppie stuff) as well as the mild climate and out doors, not so rat race... and moving there...
There are plenty of worse places in the country for sure...

Me too.... I live in a sleepy little beach town and grow my own food (mild weather all year round means crops all year round ) and spend most of my time outside regardless of the time of year. I've visited other places but there is absolutely nowhere else I'd rather live right now.

[Mach50]

It's an 11 step process IMO:

1) As kids, many hear how great California is.
2) As adults, many try to move to California, but it is hard.
3) When the adults arrive it is usually great for 6months to a year, enjoying the beach, mountains, and cultural benefits.
4) Then realty sets in...
5) They realize it is expensive.
6) They realize like any other state, it has problems.
7) They realize too many people like them, moved here thinking it was a promised land...this disappointment gets them upset.
8) After the weather/beach/mountains wear off...they begin to think it isn't worth the cost of living, congestion...etc.
9) They move away...usually back home to console with their old friends and family.
10) They remember all the bad things about California, because in reality they became very dissapointed after the build up all their life, then to finally move, only to realize life here actually isn't problem free.

11) They Bash California from afar to help cure their wounds.

Slightly different, those who grew up here and bash Calfornia, get mad at the people I described above. Those that come here in droves thinking it is promised land...only to mess it up even further when they leave trashing it and bashing it.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by sassyfragger1

Now add to that that cost of living is ridiculous ($400 electric bills, $7 bottle of ketchup at Vons,

The utility you had in San Diego, SDG&E, is the most expensive electricity in the country. I'm an SCE customer, I live in the hot Inland Empire, and I insist on a cold house in the summer. My bill has never exceeded $150.

Originally Posted by sassyfragger1

$7 bottle of ketchup at Vons,

Then don't shop at Vons. Just like anywhere in the country, you have to know where to shop. I pay 3 bucks for the huge bottles.

Originally Posted by sassyfragger1

I'll say it and y'all will hate me for it but here it goes...........

In no way do I hate you for saying what you said. I am happy to learn you no longer live here, though.

Do you mind letting the thread know what state you're in? By your descriptions of the anti-California attitudes endemic to where you live, I'm guessing Oregon.

[sassyfragger1]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Do you mind letting the thread know what state you're in? By your descriptions of the anti-California attitudes endemic to where you live, I'm guessing Oregon.

Yep, I'm from Oregon (don't live there anymore). My hubby is a So Californian as are our children- so I can't exactly throw stones, but I was just describing the general reasoning. I think the culture is way different north of Sac. I never knew that about Sdge!

[Twinkle Toes]

Human nature. People just like to have something to b*tch about. If it's not California, it will be something else.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

Many of the people you're referring to are former California residents, even California natives who know the state well and have left.

This is likely a major factor. It ceratinly is in my case - born and raised in SoCal but got so fed up I finally left - for good. Now I never pass up a chance to slam Kalifornia, and take great pleasure reading all the news about the insanity still going on down there - it continues to validate my decision to have left.

This also makes sense from a larger, demograhic perspective. CA is the most populus state, and CA is also one of the states recently with the highest rate of people moving out to escape to greener pastures. Therefore, CA is probably the state with the highest number of disgruntled ex-residents who, like me, are not afraid to express their feelings.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

This is likely a major factor. It ceratinly is in my case - born and raised in SoCal but got so fed up I finally left - for good. Now I never pass up a chance to slam Kalifornia, and take great pleasure reading all the news about the insanity still going on down there - it continues to validate my decision to have left.

This also makes sense from a larger, demograhic perspective. CA is the most populus state, and CA is also one of the states recently with the highest rate of people moving out to escape to greener pastures. Therefore, CA is probably the state with the highest number of disgruntled ex-residents who, like me, are not afraid to express their feelings.

Hilarious, yet sad, however, more common than ever; folks that leave still need that validation of why they moved, so they bash the place at any chance they can get. To me that just proves you miss it.

It's like getting over an old relationship, when you finally get over it, the bashing will cease. Sounds as if, you and many others out there, still wish they had that old relationship with California.

Where's Dr. Phil for these expats?

[Moth]

Why do people who do not live in California hate California?

Not me. I love California, northern and southern. Were it feasible, I would move there in a second. Great place, although yes, the state politics are a bit mad.