Help me see the good? (Phoenix, Tucson: crime, credit, buy)

[observer53]

Let's get back to the OP, rather than have extended discussion of another post. The thread ends up getting hijacked.

[azriverfan.]

Does the OP think the entire Pacific Northwest is that way? Outside of the Portland and Seattle metropolitan areas, most of the residents tend to be conservative Whites who don't necessarily embrace a worldly view. Phoenix is no different. The Valley is diverse. Mesa, San Tan and Gilbert are more conservative. Residents in the more central urban areas like Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe tend to be more liberal and well traveled. I do recall a certain poster who raved about the Pacific northwest who had similar complains. I would not be surprised if it's the same person considering the OP has 4 posts.

[madmmac]

Have you been to Seattle from November through May? You may change your mind.

[azriverfan.]

This also reminds me of the guy complaining about gyms. People are not realistic. That guy wanted an upscale luxury gym but wanted L.A. Fitness prices and accessibility. And because he can't afford to work out at Lifetime, Mountainside or the Village, he claims we have no luxury gyms. Similarly, the OP lives in San Tan of all places and then complains we lack wordly sophisticated people. He wants to live in San Tan and feel like he is living in downtown Portland. Sorry the world doesn't work that way.

If you want to have conversations with fellow hipsters, you have to pony up the cash and live in an upscale part of central Phoenix, Scottsdale or Tempe. You also have to be able to afford to travel in their circles, eat at their cafes and restaurants, participate in their events. That requires money. Being a hipster is not cheap. Those granolas that you see living in Berkley come from a lot of money. Likewise, do you think just moving to Portland or Seattle will afford you this experience? If you just live in routine suburbia in Seattle and Portland, you are not going to get that feel. You have to live in the most expensive parts of those cities to obtain that feel; it's not cheap. Again, being a hipster is not cheap. Living near trendy cafes, book stores, "dive" bars and restaurants requires money.

We get threads like this all the time. People will complain because their house in Mesa doesn't have the hipster vibe of San Francisco. Seriously!!

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

This also reminds me of the guy complaining about gyms. People are not realistic. That guy wanted an upscale luxury gym but wanted L.A. Fitness prices and accessibility. And because he can't afford to work out at Lifetime, Mountainside or the Village, he claims we have no luxury gyms. Similarly, the OP lives in San Tan of all places and then complains we lack wordly sophisticated people. He wants to live in San Tan and feel like he is living in downtown Portland. Sorry the world doesn't work that way.

If you want to have conversations with fellow hipsters, you have to pony up the cash and live in an upscale part of central Phoenix, Scottsdale or Tempe. You also have to be able to afford to travel in their circles, eat at their cafes and restaurants, participate in their events. That requires money. Being a hipster is not cheap. Those granolas that you see living in Berkley come from a lot of money. Likewise, do you think just moving to Portland or Seattle will afford you this experience? If you just live in routine suburbia in Seattle and Portland, you are not going to get that feel. You have to live in the most expensive parts of those cities to obtain that feel; it's not cheap. Again, being a hipster is not cheap. Living near trendy cafes, book stores, "dive" bars and restaurants requires money.

We get threads like this all the time. People will complain because their house in Mesa doesn't have the hipster vibe of San Francisco. Seriously!!

I can't rep you any more but this is so perfectly said!

[corydon]

Yes good post, I did rep it. Just the granolas thing, is that a certain lifestyle? I know the cereal.....

[SageCats]

Originally Posted by corydon

Yes good post, I did rep it. Just the granolas thing, is that a certain lifestyle? I know the cereal.....

I always thought that the granolas were also known as the "crunchy people", or people who practice wicca or any other alternative religion, live like gypsies, hippies, live off the grid, etc. Anyway that's what someone explained to me a while ago

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by Pallas_Athena

I always thought that the granolas were also known as the "crunchy people", or people who practice wicca or any other alternative religion, live like gypsies, hippies, live off the grid, etc. Anyway that's what someone explained to me a while ago

No, it means hippie types, Wiccans and gypsies have nothing to do with it.

Urban Dictionary: granola

[AlohaFriday]

See? Phoenix is so out of it, you people don't even know what hipsters are. Hipsters are not wealthy by definition. Just the opposite. Hipsters are artsy types who embrace counter-culture thinking and generally begin gentrification because they are broke and gravitate to upcoming neighborhoods because rents are cheap. Like there's a ton of hipsters in Detroit right now. Phoenix doesn't really have a big hipster scene, or any subcultures, really. It's too bland. Also, many hipsters are adamantly against mindless consumption, which is the opposite of yuppies and hippie yuppies but generally the prevailing ethos of Phoenix, which ranks 9th in the nation for credit card debt.

I think you're thinking of hippies. Hipsters and hippies are not the same thing. Also not all hippies are rich. There's plenty of broke ones still.

Phoenix, I just realized over the weekend, also lacks street style. I've been dressing kind of crazy and fun lately and people have been staring and that's when I realized that everyone dresses the same here!

Also, I find it ironic that people are jumping down the OP's throat for generalizing an entire area when many of you are perfectly willing to put a person in a box based on a few thoughts written in an anonymous internet forum. It's pretty audacious to tell someone what's wrong with them because they don't like a particular area. Not every place is the same.

[cacto]

Originally Posted by AlohaFriday

See? Phoenix is so out of it, you people don't even know what hipsters are. Hipsters are not wealthy by definition. Just the opposite. Hipsters are artsy types who embrace counter-culture thinking and generally begin gentrification because they are broke and gravitate to upcoming neighborhoods because rents are cheap. Like there's a ton of hipsters in Detroit right now. Phoenix doesn't really have a big hipster scene, or any subcultures, really. It's too bland. Also, many hipsters are adamantly against mindless consumption, which is the opposite of yuppies and hippie yuppies but generally the prevailing ethos of Phoenix, which ranks 9th in the nation for credit card debt.

I think you're thinking of hippies. Hipsters and hippies are not the same thing. Also not all hippies are rich. There's plenty of broke ones still.

Phoenix, I just realized over the weekend, also lacks street style. I've been dressing kind of crazy and fun lately and people have been staring and that's when I realized that everyone dresses the same here!

Also, I find it ironic that people are jumping down the OP's throat for generalizing an entire area when many of you are perfectly willing to put a person in a box based on a few thoughts written in an anonymous internet forum. It's pretty audacious to tell someone what's wrong with them because they don't like a particular area. Not every place is the same.

"Phoenix doesn't really have a big hipster scene, or any subcultures, really. It's too bland."

Aloha, I'm not trying to be harsh with you but that statement is so broke I don't know where to start to fix it. I was born in 78 and raised in PHX, grew up in the skate/punk/hardcore scene and was around many other scenes (str8 edge, gothball, metal people, whatever). There's always been a strong scene in PHX that's been very backyard party/temporary showspace oriented without a hub in a public area. Respectfully, I'd imagine showing in the Valley as an adult, into an outskirt suburb of PHX not knowing too many people in the scene would make it really difficult to scratch beneath the surface of the beige suburbia. There's a deep countercultural history here that isn't written down or recorded, maybe passed down orally but I'm sure the internet has changed that too.