So do you love LA or hate LA? (Los Angeles, San Diego: low income, homes)

[Parker501]

Originally Posted by trancedout

For the most part, the rich in those other cities are just as insufferably boring as everyone else. Especially DC and Chicago.

I lived in Chicago almost 2 years, btw.

There is something different about LA vs those other cities. In those cities, those people are no more relevant than you are - unless you google them and find out how rich they are or what business they own.

I will agree that LA seems to have a more complicated social vibe to it. A lot of people want to catch a break, or be part of 'the scene' here than other cities. So, if they perceive someone else as being a person who can get them something they will latch on and develop some sort of fake relationship with them. That is until they figure out there's nothing in it for them and move on.
I've come across a lot of people like that here but they are few and far between. The majority are just like everyone else from larger cities. I guess it depends on where you are hanging out and the crowd you're around.
I love LA and hope it never turns into a west coast NY. As much as I love NYC - you can't beat the views and the outdoor lifestyle here... I would hate to look out my window and see metal and glass skyscrapers everywhere. If LA is not for you... it's all good. You just need to keep looking for the right fit.

[Parker501]

Originally Posted by Parker501

If LA is not for you... it's all good. You just need to keep looking for the right fit.

This wasn't directed at anyone in particular... just LA haters in general.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by Parker501

I will agree that LA seems to have a more complicated social vibe to it. A lot of people want to catch a break, or be part of 'the scene' here than other cities. So, if they perceive someone else as being a person who can get them something they will latch on and develop some sort of fake relationship with them. That is until they figure out there's nothing in it for them and move on.
I've come across a lot of people like that here but they are few and far between. The majority are just like everyone else from larger cities. I guess it depends on where you are hanging out and the crowd you're around.
I love LA and hope it never turns into a west coast NY. As much as I love NYC - you can't beat the views and the outdoor lifestyle here... I would hate to look out my window and see metal and glass skyscrapers everywhere. If LA is not for you... it's all good. You just need to keep looking for the right fit.

Yeah that is definitely true. It's what you chose to surround yourself with. Although the entertainment industry is big , L.A is also very big so it's possible to mostly avoid the industry and the people in it as well.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by PDF

Wrong. Those questions do nothing to put into context my love-hate of LA. It's not like LA was my first rodeo when it came to big city living. If you really want to know, send me a private message, because that's not what this thread is about. You might as well be asking everyone else that.

No city is perfect, but I think most people who dislike it aren't trying to weigh it on a perfect scale. They are simply comparing it to what all the other big cities across America has to offer, and that's a fair comparison.

So comparing LA to other big cities, how does it fall short?

[andrecle]

To get back to the original question, as someone who has been here a little while now I generally like the city. There is an air of excitement that few other places have, good restaurants, generally nice people, good weather, and interesting neighborhoods. I would say the downsides are the extreme housing costs, generally lackluster economy, an abundance of blighted neighborhoods, and poor city services. Like many big cities, I think some natives can have a very provincial attitude about LA and California in general, but I guess that's to be expected. It will be interesting to see if LA is really improving for the long-run or if it's just another boom-bust cycle (I think California's overall economy, crime levels and natural disasters will play a big part on that one).

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by trancedout

I'll try to explain better.

It's that LA is known as a "city for stars".

No other city in the world is on such magnitude. I've been to big cities across the world and it seems like the playing field is always fairly even, regardless of how rich they are. In LA, you know there are people living a life most can only dream of.

New York City has the largest income disparity in the United States. Equivalent to that of third world countries.

The difference in LA is that, while the income disparity exists, as a "financial survivor", you still have many options to entertain yourself that lessen the impact of that disparity. I think this is true of many other large cities, unlike New York, which has truly become the "playground of the rich".

BTW, I love LA, warts and all. No rose colored glasses, just a matter of taste.

[moonsparkle]

Again, in NY the ultra-wealthy are basically just as boring & dull as the middle class, besides the fact they have a lot of money.

If anything, the "old money" thing makes them very boring.

[livin42day365]

if we are talking about downtown la, then i too have a "love it and hate it" opinion on it. I loved it when i worked down there for 2 years and i really got to know the city, i loved it when i owned my spa and i would get down there to purchase merchandise, i just hate getting down there and i'm still not quite sure the safety. there are some amazing restaurants that have opened up in downtown la...i guess i like it more then i hate it! lol

[radiolibre99]

I love LA. It's the best city in the world to me. I just hate the problems associated with it; high unemployment, **** poor job market, and a high COL. Not to mention the wages are crap relative to the costs.

But those are problems of an overall bad national economy. I can't really hate LA for that.

Yeah that is definitely true. It's what you chose to surround yourself with. Although the entertainment industry is big , L.A is also very big so it's possible to mostly avoid the industry and the people in it as well.

Yes that's the only thing I really hate about this town is the industry and how self aggrandizing it is. The wannabes are the worst possible type of people that move out here and give LA a really bad name. The real artists, musicians and filmmakers not concerned with the industry are genuine and I love hanging out with them but these web series creating, pop culture driven, fame obsessed youngins from middle America drive me nuts.

The more you actually learn about the entertainment industry from others and see some of it for yourself the more you're turned off by it. Like learning how the tacos are made at Taco Bell. You don't want to eat there again.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

I love LA. It's the best city in the world to me. I just hate the problems associated with it; high unemployment, **** poor job market, and a high COL. Not to mention the wages are crap relative to the costs.

But those are problems of an overall bad national economy. I can't really hate LA for that.



Yes that's the only thing I really hate about this town is the industry and how self aggrandizing it is. The wannabes are the worst possible type of people that move out here and give LA a really bad name. The real artists, musicians and filmmakers not concerned with the industry are genuine and I love hanging out with them but these web series creating, pop culture driven, fame obsessed youngins from middle America drive me nuts.

The more you actually learn about the entertainment industry from others and see some of it for yourself the more you're turned off by it. Like learning how the tacos are made at Taco Bell. You don't want to eat there again.

An important thing to keep in mind is unemployment rates vary a lot even within California. In L.A as of Aug 2013, it is 11.3%..that's pretty bad!

SF is 5.6%, San Diego 7.4% . Many states are doing a lot better than us.

Regarding unemployment I see it as a serious issue beyond what people usually think of. People not having a job. It also effects an area too as people are not working /being productive and paying taxes,etc.

If you want to talk about big cities , Houston is the 4th Biggest in the USA and their unemployment rate is 6.2% as of the same period Aug 2013..

I know many will say "but they don't have as many fancy tech jobs or entertainment biz jobs as us" well at least more people are actually WORKING versus living off the government.