i feel bad for anyone who doesnt live in LA (Los Angeles: low income, real estate)

[radiolibre99]

Originally Posted by UB50

It's conformity. Those cities value people who conform. LA has a lot of free-thinkers and the ability to think of something new is really prized out here.

Well, except for the Hollywood crowd. The yuppies out in West LA kinda have that groupthink. It's not as bad as Austin or Portland but just as insufferable.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by trancedout

There's a certain groupthink in those cities that is stronger than one can imagine. It actually unites everyone regardless of political, sports, or religious affiliations.

Never really cared for the show but there was an episode of Portlandia where someone wanted to move away from Portland, of course the main chracters were in complete shock someone would even consider or entertain the idea of leaving Portland.

You essentially have to join the herd or else. That can be off-putting for some, and the residents in those towns don't even know it or realize.

LA seems to be one of the few places where individuality is still understood. Same with Vegas.

Are you living in LA? I remember you trying to move there around the time I had.

[moonsparkle]

Yes. It took me awhile. I'll be the first to agree the city has its problems, which have all been thoroughly noted here. It's forgotten, but heating/cooling adds on to rent in most cities more than it does in LA. Most things actually cost about the same besides the average rent. When you exclude the obvious wealthy neighborhoods, NYC, SF, Boston, and possibly even Seattle have higher average rents.

LA is the opposite of most cities in America. It's gritty-but-glamorous. Ultra wealthy but ultra poor. A large middle-class is economically good but it promotes impressive amounts of boredom. LA is only place you'll see a custom zebra print Ferrari and no one will do a double-take. Style is promoted. It's arguably the only city that turns humpty dumpty upside down. You may be working per hour as barback, but you're in the most relevant city in the world at the same time while your married friends back home are going to yet another backyard volleyball contest debating whether or not the college football playoff system was a good change opposed to the ranking system.

It's probably been said before, but someone is either meant for LA or they aren't. I was told I was and when I got here it made sense.

Step outside, goto 7/11, listen to the old school G's blasting their 90s gangsta rap, beautiful women in short shorts, dudes on skateboards offering you hits off a blunt. LA is not for everyone, but it's one of those things most should know pretty quick.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by trancedout

Yes. It took me awhile. I'll be the first to agree the city has its problems, which have all been thoroughly noted here. It's forgotten, but heating/cooling adds on to rent in most cities more than it does in LA. Most things actually cost about the same besides the average rent. When you exclude the obvious wealthy neighborhoods, NYC, SF, Boston, and possibly even Seattle have higher average rents.

LA is the opposite of most cities in America. It's gritty-but-glamorous. Ultra wealthy but ultra poor. A large middle-class is economically good but it promotes impressive amounts of boredom. LA is only place you'll see a custom zebra print Ferrari and no one will do a double-take. Style is promoted. It's arguably the only city that turns humpty dumpty upside down. You may be working per hour as barback, but you're in the most relevant city in the world at the same time while your married friends back home are going to yet another backyard volleyball contest debating whether or not the college football playoff system was a good change opposed to the ranking system.

It's probably been said before, but someone is either meant for LA or they aren't. I was told I was and when I got here it made sense.

Step outside, goto 7/11, listen to the old school G's blasting their 90s gangsta rap, beautiful women in short shorts, dudes on skateboards offering you hits off a blunt. LA is not for everyone, but it's one of those things most should know pretty quick.

I agree with pretty much everything you said. That's part of what makes LA cool. I actually ended up leaving after 8 months, and while I was there recently and enjoyed it, I definitely wouldn't want to live there again. Just not for me.

[rhiannon67]

Originally Posted by YoungTraveler2011

I only speak the truth.

My whole family feel the same as you about Southern California, which is why they all still live there.

I'm happy to have bailed out, though.

Constant sun and heat is just not for me.

[jamills21]

I LOVE LA! Just live like an Angeleno...who cares what others think.

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by trancedout

Yes. It took me awhile. I'll be the first to agree the city has its problems, which have all been thoroughly noted here. It's forgotten, but heating/cooling adds on to rent in most cities more than it does in LA. Most things actually cost about the same besides the average rent. When you exclude the obvious wealthy neighborhoods, NYC, SF, Boston, and possibly even Seattle have higher average rents.

LA is the opposite of most cities in America. It's gritty-but-glamorous. Ultra wealthy but ultra poor. A large middle-class is economically good but it promotes impressive amounts of boredom. LA is only place you'll see a custom zebra print Ferrari and no one will do a double-take. Style is promoted. It's arguably the only city that turns humpty dumpty upside down. You may be working per hour as barback, but you're in the most relevant city in the world at the same time while your married friends back home are going to yet another backyard volleyball contest debating whether or not the college football playoff system was a good change opposed to the ranking system.

It's probably been said before, but someone is either meant for LA or they aren't. I was told I was and when I got here it made sense.

Step outside, goto 7/11, listen to the old school G's blasting their 90s gangsta rap, beautiful women in short shorts, dudes on skateboards offering you hits off a blunt. LA is not for everyone, but it's one of those things most should know pretty quick.

Yo. This post nails it.

[dustin183]

I grew up in Ohio. Live in LA now.

here's my rankings of favorite cities (that i've actually been to) (and not considering cost of living):

1. San Fran
2. LA
3. Seattle
4. NYC
5. San Diego
6. Miami
7. Portland
8. Santa Barbara
10. Colorado Springs
11. Chicago
12. Columbus, OH
13. Las Vegas
14. Raleigh-Durham

Notable cities I haven't been to that I think I'd like: Phoenix, Boston, Denver, Salt Lake, Austin

So-so:
Dallas, Houston, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati

Not a fan of:
Detroit
Atlanta
Orlando
St. Louis
Kansas City

Now, here's the thing - if you don't have money, any city pretty much sucks. But generally, the less money you have, and the bigger the city you are in, the suckier life gets. I've lived in LA with little money and with a lot of money (now), and it's much better with money because you can get a nice place and a nice car and not having to worry about the cost of car maintenance is a big relief in LA.

In NYC, if you don't make over 150k/yr or have a net worth of at least $1M then you are defacto a 2nd class citizen. Do not live in NY unless you meet those conditions.

Reshuffling the rankings if cost-of-living is taken into consideration:
1. Colorado cities (Denver, Colorado Springs)
2. Sacramento, CA
3. Texas cities (Dallas, Houston, Austin)
4. Raleigh-Durham, NC
5. Columbus, OH

oh also, LA is city of cities. So depending on where in LA you live, life can suck or be great.

[Mr. Zero]

Originally Posted by dustin183

Now, here's the thing - if you don't have money, any city pretty much sucks. But generally, the less money you have, and the bigger the city you are in, the suckier life gets. I've lived in LA with little money and with a lot of money (now), and it's much better with money because you can get a nice place and a nice car and not having to worry about the cost of car maintenance is a big relief in LA.

In NYC, if you don't make over 150k/yr or have a net worth of at least $1M then you are defacto a 2nd class citizen. Do not live in NY unless you meet those conditions.

The wealthy and the poor will always lead different lives, but I have no idea why you're singling out NYC. I don't know how much time you've spent there, or in what context, but I grew up lower-middle class in NYC and never felt like a second-class citizen. I still had access to the best education, world-class culture and some incredible opportunities.

If anything, NYC is probably the city where the worlds of the wealthy and the poor overlap the most. Tom Hanks rides the subway alongside social workers, janitors and teachers . At schools like Hunter High School and Suyvesant, the children of bank VPs sit in class next to the children of immigrant restaurant workers. Instead of pockets of wealth isolated in their own cities, you have subsidized housing sitting a couple of blocks away from buildings with million-dollar apartments.

Now, I live in a pretty affluent part of LA, where the only minorities on my block are my family and the neighbor across the street (who's in the NBA). Our schools are great, but the median home price is $1.9 million. The only time someone might interact with the working-class, or lower-middle class might be the checkout guy at Ralph's, the landscaper, the nanny, etc. If NYC is a place where two different worlds exist, then you have to say the same about LA.

[radiolibre99]

NYC had major experimental progressive reforms that tried to grant opportunities via education access to the poor. The city government is very activist and there are many programs to help the poor. I don't know how much is left considering much of its eroded over time but NYC is one of the premier cities for all sort of experiments like that.
LA offers a sliver of that too but it's not extensive. The divide in LA is vast and very apparent.