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Interesting, my wife moved up to a great company and is in the field of law. She had no "in" unless you count the networking she did while working.
How did you become such an expert on Southern California? Do people really statistically hold onto their jobs longer here?
I have no idea if they "statistically" do. Every LA person I met sure did. Every company I temped at most of the staff was there for more than 10 years or so.
Look, the fact of the matter is that YOU have YOUR experiences with the city and I have MINE.
People don't hate LA because of the shallowness or materialism. People hate LA because the vast majority of LA is a complete ghetto dump.
I was driving throughout LA and Hollywood with my girlfriend this New Years Day and we were amazed at how spotty LA is. We'd drive from one block that looked modest and decent to another block that looked like a complete post-apocalyptic scene (we saw a huge building that was all broken down, windows shattered, full of graffiti, and homeless people lighting multiple trashcans on fire in order to stay warm). We were shocked. How can a city allow for things to get so bad that you have hoards of people in the streets around burning cans in order to survive? That seems like something that would be a concern in the Dark Ages, but for this to be present in America's "number 2" city in 2013 is pathetic.
People can defend LA all they want by bringing attention to the new buildings being erected in downtown or on the main boulevards of Hollywood, but there are just way too many embarrassing areas of LA to make the claim that LA is a "good" or "functional" city. It has potential, but it's far from realizing it.
People don't hate LA because of the shallowness or materialism. People hate LA because the vast majority of LA is a complete ghetto dump.
I was driving throughout LA and Hollywood with my girlfriend this New Years Day and we were amazed at how spotty LA is. We'd drive from one block that looked modest and decent to another block that looked like a complete post-apocalyptic scene (we saw a huge building that was all broken down, windows shattered, full of graffiti, and homeless people lighting multiple trashcans on fire in order to stay warm). We were shocked. How can a city allow for things to get so bad that you have hoards of people in the streets around burning cans in order to survive? That seems like something that would be a concern in the Dark Ages, but for this to be present in America's "number 2" city in 2013 is pathetic.
People can defend LA all they want by bringing attention to the new buildings being erected in downtown or on the main boulevards of Hollywood, but there are just way too many embarrassing areas of LA to make the claim that LA is a "good" or "functional" city. It has potential, but it's far from realizing it.
Nice exaggeration, but it's a weak rationalization for the L.A. hate. Name me one city of comparable size that is devoid of rough looking areas. NYC? Chicago? Philadelphia? Might as well hate on all U.S. cities.
I'd go so far as to say that L.A.'s roughest areas still look better than their Midwest/East Coast counterparts. Google pics of E. St Louis, Chicago Southside, or West Philly. Not even South L.A. compares to the griminess of those areas. L.A.'s rough patches get brought up more because the haters think it shatters the liberal, carefree romanticized SoCal myth.
Last edited by RaymondChandlerLives; 01-03-2013 at 04:44 PM..
People don't hate LA because of the shallowness or materialism. People hate LA because the vast majority of LA is a complete ghetto dump.
I was driving throughout LA and Hollywood with my girlfriend this New Years Day and we were amazed at how spotty LA is. We'd drive from one block that looked modest and decent to another block that looked like a complete post-apocalyptic scene (we saw a huge building that was all broken down, windows shattered, full of graffiti, and homeless people lighting multiple trashcans on fire in order to stay warm). We were shocked. How can a city allow for things to get so bad that you have hoards of people in the streets around burning cans in order to survive? That seems like something that would be a concern in the Dark Ages, but for this to be present in America's "number 2" city in 2013 is pathetic.
People can defend LA all they want by bringing attention to the new buildings being erected in downtown or on the main boulevards of Hollywood, but there are just way too many embarrassing areas of LA to make the claim that LA is a "good" or "functional" city. It has potential, but it's far from realizing it.
Well, even the Los Angeles Times pointed out that Los Angeles is America's biggest and only third world city. What they meant by that is it's not like a city in industrial ruin like Detroit but still a very functional city with a large class economic divide that makes it unique among major cities in the States.
Yes, I agree some parts of the city look straight out of the Book of Eli or The Road Warrior, but it's not a crime ridden really shook up place like Detroit or Camden, NJ. For the most part LA is still relatively safe for it's size and I am still amazed at what the city has done to keep the city from just imploding into mass chaos despite the economy. I am fascinated by the way LA has re-used a lot of the old buildings. I like the creative way in which LA has "recycled" the town.
While West LA and Manhattan maybe shiny gentlemens clubs by comparison, LA is a cool commune that accepts anyone. It's certainly made me see things in a different light and humbled me in ways I never thought I would be after living in two big boom towns; Boston and Houston. You start to think about different priorities.
...for the record LA is NOT a ghetto dump. Only people who are used to shiny town center modeled master planned communities would think so. LA is a working class city with working class neighborhoods that are old but not "ghetto".
When I lived in LA for two years I hated it, but I still have to agree that it's not a ghetto dump. What I strongly disliked was how entitled so many people seemed to act if they didn't know you. I'm on foot and some guy and his wife pulled up in their car and asked for money for gas. I'm on FOOT! They were stunned when I said, "No." His wife actually said... "Did he really say no?"
Begging looked more like a mugging. Never in my life have I seen people reach into their pockets so fast and so nervously when asked for money.
I almost got into a fight just because I told someone, "No." The weird part was when he said, "I'll knock you the f*** out!" and I responded, "You might, but I'm still not giving you any money," he suddenly backed down. I asked him if this normally worked for him and he told me all he had to do was act a little aggressive and people just handed over their money. I was stunned.
Never in my life had I seen so many people dressed well expecting other people to pay for their gas or their bus or train ride.
Now, that being said, I met some really nice folks as well, but I will also say something else.... Every single time I met someone not from LA and they found out I also wasn't from LA the first thing out of their mouths was, "I HATE the people here!"
When I lived in LA for two years I hated it, but I still have to agree that it's not a ghetto dump. What I strongly disliked was how entitled so many people seemed to act if they didn't know you. I'm on foot and some guy and his wife pulled up in their car and asked for money for gas. I'm on FOOT! They were stunned when I said, "No." His wife actually said... "Did he really say no?"
Begging looked more like a mugging. Never in my life have I seen people reach into their pockets so fast and so nervously when asked for money.
I almost got into a fight just because I told someone, "No." The weird part was when he said, "I'll knock you the f*** out!" and I responded, "You might, but I'm still not giving you any money," he suddenly backed down. I asked him if this normally worked for him and he told me all he had to do was act a little aggressive and people just handed over their money. I was stunned.
Never in my life had I seen so many people dressed well expecting other people to pay for their gas or their bus or train ride.
Now, that being said, I met some really nice folks as well, but I will also say something else.... Every single time I met someone not from LA and they found out I also wasn't from LA the first thing out of their mouths was, "I HATE the people here!"
I've never seen someone be aggressive when asking for money here, and I walk around a lot and see a lot of people begging. Everyone I have ever come in contact with (I'd say I have 3-5 experiences with begging a day) has accepted that I don't have anything to give them or they ignore me, or they are actually very friendly and say "have a nice day".
Never in my life had I seen so many people dressed well expecting other people to pay for their gas or their bus or train ride.
Dressed well? Have you ever seen LA's homeless? LA's homeless are completely desitute with no shoes, rgged hair, diving in head first with half their body in a trash can digging for something edible. Last guy I met reeked of urine and looked like he trekked through the Mojave. They're muttering to themselves and sleeping on the streets as though its their home, literally spread eagle as though they're on the couch watching TV. That's completely giving up on life and not giving a damn about private property and resurrecting a concept lost in time called "the commons".
That "aggressiveness" you probably encountered was desperation, not entitlement. Half of them do not know what they're doing and are frustrated at the fact that people walking in the streets probably have less money than they do in their pockets so begging becomes a day long quest for a meal to eat and even then it's not guaranteed. Imagine that life before you act like a jerk and judge these people.
Entitlement mentality? That pisses me off right there. People complain about poor or homeless people having an entitlement mentality, but what about the billionaire CEO who says "gimme a f'kn billion dollars (0 interest, no questions asked) for my too big to fail bank or we'll crash the economy". How's that for aggressiveness?
Dressed well? Have you ever seen LA's homeless? LA's homeless are completely desitute with no shoes, rgged hair, diving in head first with half their body in a trash can digging for something edible. Last guy I met reeked of urine and looked like he trekked through the Mojave. They're muttering to themselves and sleeping on the streets as though its their home, literally spread eagle as though they're on the couch watching TV. That's completely giving up on life and not giving a damn about private property and resurrecting a concept lost in time called "the commons".
That "aggressiveness" you probably encountered was desperation, not entitlement. Half of them do not know what they're doing and are frustrated at the fact that people walking in the streets probably have less money than they do in their pockets so begging becomes a day long quest for a meal to eat and even then it's not guaranteed. Imagine that life before you act like a jerk and judge these people.
I get the feeling that is why the poster above was met with such hostility - belligerence breeds more belligerence.
I also think about the fact that most people don't carry money around much must really hurt the begging "business" (as crude as it is to call it that) - probably about 75% of the time I am not carrying a single penny on me, and about 10 percent of that time it is too large of a bill to give away.
Well, even the Los Angeles Times pointed out that Los Angeles is America's biggest and only third world city. What they meant by that is it's not like a city in industrial ruin like Detroit but still a very functional city with a large class economic divide that makes it unique among major cities in the States.
Yes, I agree some parts of the city look straight out of the Book of Eli or The Road Warrior, but it's not a crime ridden really shook up place like Detroit or Camden, NJ. For the most part LA is still relatively safe for it's size and I am still amazed at what the city has done to keep the city from just imploding into mass chaos despite the economy. I am fascinated by the way LA has re-used a lot of the old buildings. I like the creative way in which LA has "recycled" the town.
...for the record LA is NOT a ghetto dump. Only people who are used to shiny town center modeled master planned communities would think so. LA is a working class city with working class neighborhoods that are old but not "ghetto".
LA has tons of "blight". Just old, ugly buildings in need of a makeover.
The only consistently "pretty" place to me was Ventura Blvd in Studio City.
When I lived in LA for two years I hated it, but I still have to agree that it's not a ghetto dump. What I strongly disliked was how entitled so many people seemed to act if they didn't know you. I'm on foot and some guy and his wife pulled up in their car and asked for money for gas. I'm on FOOT! They were stunned when I said, "No." His wife actually said... "Did he really say no?"
Begging looked more like a mugging. Never in my life have I seen people reach into their pockets so fast and so nervously when asked for money.
I almost got into a fight just because I told someone, "No." The weird part was when he said, "I'll knock you the f*** out!" and I responded, "You might, but I'm still not giving you any money," he suddenly backed down. I asked him if this normally worked for him and he told me all he had to do was act a little aggressive and people just handed over their money. I was stunned.
Never in my life had I seen so many people dressed well expecting other people to pay for their gas or their bus or train ride.
Now, that being said, I met some really nice folks as well, but I will also say something else.... Every single time I met someone not from LA and they found out I also wasn't from LA the first thing out of their mouths was, "I HATE the people here!"
I'm not negating your experiences, but how long ago did you live there?
I never experienced aggressive panhandling like that and none of them were well-dressed either.
This sounds like something I heard about in San Francisco's Tenderloin district.
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