Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That some posters are jumping in defense of their cities even when it doesn't show up much on either list is quite pretentious and shows being easily offended as well.
So, I will add those places to the pretentious list along with just anywhere in Florida, St Louis, and probably anywhere along coastal US, both East and West. And yes the South is extremely pretentious, of course pretending not to be.
How are San Diego's stereotypes so at odds with each other? I'm constantly hearing people classify it as "Iowa/Arizona-by-the-sea" or a "military town". But it's somehow also pretentious at the same time?
I'd say a very small portion of San Diego is pretentious: the triangle of La Jolla>Carlsbad>Poway, which represents a tiny fraction of San Diego's population. East County, South County, the 78 corridor, and most of San Diego city are not pretentious at all.
I cannot stress enough how obnoxiously low-key the majority of San Diegans are. Yes, we brag about the weather, but damn...people around here are so unimpressive in how they present themselves, it's ridiculous. Just really low standards all around for nearly all aspects of life...except weather.
It's definitely a go-with-the-flow place. You aren't going to impress anyone by being super stylish, trendy, career-driven, or fit. To many San Diegans, that mentality and way of thinking belongs in LA. And people with that mentality, who are more motivated or driven, get tired of San Diego real fast...because they realize the local population is more focused on a "chill" lifestyle to the point of delusion. As if all our problems are solved because the weather is nice.
Frankly, I wish San Diegans were more pretentious and we had higher standards for ourselves. It's why nothing big gets accomplished here.
Lived in Orange County for 20+ years and fail to see how San Diego County is culturally any different from Orange County.
I know that we often speak of cities anthropomorphically for descriptive purposes, but how exactly does a city "pretend" to be cool or "think" it's on par with certain other cities?
Well, just look up posts of Sacramento vs. Austin here. Sacramento is almost tied with Austin. People legitimately think Sacramento is just as, if not better, than Austin because it's 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs from Tahoe and San Francisco. Location should be a consideration but when Sacramento's skyline, downtown vibrancy, and economy all lag behind Austin it says that Sacramento simply has an inflated ego.
Well, just look up posts of Sacramento vs. Austin here. Sacramento is almost tied with Austin. People legitimately think Sacramento is just as, if not better, than Austin because it's 1.5 hrs to 2 hrs from Tahoe and San Francisco. Location should be a consideration but when Sacramento's skyline, downtown vibrancy, and economy all lag behind Austin it says that Sacramento simply has an inflated ego.
Please don't tell me you actually put that much stock into C-D polls which are open to EVERYBODY and not just residents of the cities on the polls? And let's not even talk about the whole performance vs preference factor that drives people to vote for certain cities over others.
Do you have any real life, firsthand experience with Sacramento that would support your assertion?
Lived in Orange County for 20+ years and fail to see how San Diego County is culturally any different from Orange County.
Historically they've felt similar, but as OC gave way exclusively to suburban subdivision sprawl, I feel like key differences emerged:
Range of lifestyles- San Diego actually has a wide range of rural-suburban-urban living. OC is endless subdivisions, whereas significant portions of San Diego maintain a rural feel. San Diego County has more farms (5,000) than any county in the country. SD actually has a very strong agricultural heritage and OC has zero remaining. Many people still live a rural lifestyle and there are several large rural communities (Valley Center, Ramona, Alpine, Fallbrook, Bonsall, etc.). Most inland suburbs also maintain aspects of their rural/agricultural heritage. Even the chair of our regional body (SANDAG) wears a cowboy hat. Can you imagine that in OC? These rural communities are an important part of San Diego- including identify, lifestyle, and culture.
Military - San Diego is a military town. It has a big impact on our culture and attitudes. I myself am born San Diegan thanks to the military. OC doesn't really have this anymore.
Wealth - OC is substantially more upper-middle class, whereas San Diego is still middle-class. Whereas places like Irvine, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, etc. make up a substantial portion of OC, the San Diego region is more similar to Anaheim, Orange, La Mesa, etc. As a whole, the regions are different, but I'd agree that Carlsbad and Huntington Beach aren't much different nor are Fullerton vs. La Mesa.
Career - Like LA, OC is a lot more career-driven than SD. SD still has a very small-town mentality.
I agree that they are more similar than dissimilar, but I feel like these are pretty notable differences. And these specific differences are why San Diego is more laid-back and chill than OC.
Historically they've felt similar, but as OC gave way exclusively to suburban subdivision sprawl, I feel like key differences emerged:
Range of lifestyles- San Diego actually has a wide range of rural-suburban-urban living. OC is endless subdivisions, whereas significant portions of San Diego maintain a rural feel. San Diego County has more farms (5,000) than any county in the country. SD actually has a very strong agricultural heritage and OC has zero remaining. Many people still live a rural lifestyle and there are several large rural communities (Valley Center, Ramona, Alpine, Fallbrook, Bonsall, etc.). Most inland suburbs also maintain aspects of their rural/agricultural heritage. Even the chair of our regional body (SANDAG) wears a cowboy hat. Can you imagine that in OC? These rural communities are an important part of San Diego- including identify, lifestyle, and culture.
Military - San Diego is a military town. It has a big impact on our culture and attitudes. I myself am born San Diegan thanks to the military. OC doesn't really have this anymore.
Wealth - OC is substantially more upper-middle class, whereas San Diego is still middle-class. Whereas places like Irvine, Huntington Beach, Carlsbad, etc. make up a substantial portion of OC, the San Diego region is more similar to Anaheim, Orange, La Mesa, etc. As a whole, the regions are different, but I'd agree that Carlsbad and Huntington Beach aren't much different nor are Fullerton vs. La Mesa.
Career - Like LA, OC is a lot more career-driven than SD. SD still has a very small-town mentality.
I agree that they are more similar than dissimilar, but I feel like these are pretty notable differences. And these specific differences are why San Diego is more laid-back and chill than OC.
And despite the more rural areas and the higher military presence San Diego County, ironically, leans further left than Orange County (which is now moderate and steadily moving to the left).
I think the southeast is very pretentious. People tend to think they are entitled to some things especially if they are educated. Midwest cities tend to be more about a person's hussle. St. Louis and Chicago seems to be the least pretentious cities I've lived in. Now when you get to know the cities as residents do you will se a major hierarchy from neighborhood to neighborhood or suburb to suburb. But general observations people in the midwest can be taken as they are. You get in whee you fit in. That can't be said about southern cities. Southerners like to fake it till they make it. Chicago just isn't set up that way and St. Louis just doesn't care.
I think the southeast is very pretentious. People tend to think they are entitled to some things especially if they are educated. Midwest cities tend to be more about a person's hussle. St. Louis and Chicago seems to be the least pretentious cities I've lived in. Now when you get to know the cities as residents do you will se a major hierarchy from neighborhood to neighborhood or suburb to suburb. But general observations people in the midwest can be taken as they are. You get in whee you fit in. That can't be said about southern cities. Southerners like to fake it till they make it. Chicago just isn't set up that way and St. Louis just doesn't care.
You're unfairly painting an entire region with an awfully broad brush. Nothing you've said is true of my native SC.
You're unfairly painting an entire region with an awfully broad brush. Nothing you've said is true of my native SC.
Maybe so. I haven't felt any pretentious energy in the Carolinas. But it isn't down to earth as what I've found in the midwest.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
