It is hard not to be condescending here (Phoenix: home, buy)

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by azriverfan

It depends where you are coming from. If you lived in Northern California or Boston, then Phoenix is going to feel like it's populated with a bunch of nimrods. If you move here from Colorado or Georgia, it's going to feel like you are walking among intellectuals. It's all relative. I agree there are not many great universities in Phoenix but a lot of really well educated people move to Phoenix because it offers a great lifestyle to those who can afford it. I'm well educated and earn a salary almost touching 7 figures. I bought a home on Camelback mountain and I wouldn't trade my lifestyle for that of my friends' who live in San Diego and San Francisco. I know several physicians, lawyers and retired Fortune 500 executives who move to Phoenix for the weather and lifestyle. There are many well educated professionals in Phoenix. My wife attended Harvard and there is a huge Harvard alumni organization in Phoenix. I really don't know who the OP is but if he can't find intelligent people then I'm assuming he attends ASU.

Yes, it does depend on where you are coming from. I came from San Francisco and just have a measley MBA. Now, while I don't live on that fancy mountain like you do, I do hold my own in N. Scottsdale. I just wish I knew where all these educated types hang out! Where do you hang out?

BTW, and this is just a thought, but I've often wondered why anyone with an income approximating 7 figures would choose to live here? I mean, there are certainly more desirable locations? Just in passing...you must have extra time on your hands.

ETA: a great lifestyle according to "those who can afford it" will not be here, rather in CA or NYC or Hawaii, you get my drift.

[mattyk]

7 figures and choose to live here ?! thats madness!!!
i moved here because i couldnt afford to stay in san diego. i'd be back in san diego soo fast

[IbeDavid]

Originally Posted by xenourtv

Cause I really do not think most people here are intelligent. Of course if you go to particular settings you could be around people who are smart and successfull, but I am talking about the overall environment. The intellectualness of the people in the Phoenix area is seriously lacking compared to other places I have resided in. I am an educated college graduate and I wonder why people here seem so rude, prejudice, and uneducated?

The majority of the people I encountered here are.....I DONT KNOW. I don't know about you, but it is not fun to have that feeling that you are so much smarter then the person you are interacting with. Apparently I will just have to adjust...

REPLY: Might it be that you think too highly of yourSELF and pride is the real problem (?)

[Garson]

A truly intelligent person would realize that you can learn from almost anyone of any intelligence. Different people are intelligent in different ways. To think yourself above anyone else shows an inability to adapt and a lack of common sense. I think IbeDavid is right on the money.

As far as 7 figure incomes - a lot of wealthy people choose to live here. Personally I would rather go to prison then live in NYC. Southern CA has a lot to offer and I love visiting but every time I am there I usually am happy to leave after a week. Too many issues there to mention. Hawaii - now that I could do!

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by aj661

Ok, so U wint to skool. But ar U rily smaart or jest edgukated? jk


Seriously Mark, great post.

The troll who started this hasn't been back since he/she started the thread. I can't believe we're still commenting on it.

Man, AJ, where do you find all these cool animations? I am soo jealous!

Ok, if this you want me to comment on the topic on hand (which I was not even going to), I don't get it how people make a connection on where people should be living if they had a lot of $$, etc. but I do agree with Matty, if $$ was not a concern, I doubt I would leave Orange County. It is safer and cleaner and despite more people, traffic actually moves in harmony when it does.
In 2003, I was travelling for work and I must admit, I truly enjoyed it so if $$ was not a concern then instead of living at one place all the time, I would definitely live in a different city/state every few years. After all without seeing different areas, how can one determine which place would be the best for him/her to live in? Since I am not sold on Phoenix 100%, I may actually move come next year and probably that is why I am hesitating on buying a house out here in spite of the drops in house prices?

@Garson; I think a truly intelligent being would not even land his spaceship on this planet and try to live in today's society to begin with but if he did, he might just opt to live in the jungle or North pole away from the so-called civilization. Then again I could be totally wrong since I am far from an intelligent being hence the fact they dropped me on this planet to live on.

[Elmonellie]

Originally Posted by markinscottsdale

I've got an MD, and two masters' degrees. Not exactly a dumb guy by most standards. I'm also gay and live here with my parter of 21 years. We've lived in NYC, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Paris. We came here to visit our daughter (yeah, gay men do have kids sometimes!) who's a student at ASU. Went for a drive in the desert and bought a house that was 4500 sq feet and last year was selling for 2.2m and we paid well under 1m for it. Now decorating, landscaping, pool building, etc.

People here have been great to work with, deal with, etc. At first they were a little shocked by a male couple. Most had never met gay men before - at least not those who were open about it. We've been out for so long we don't know how to be otherwise. Once our republican neighbors found that we care for our home, fight with the yard man, pay our bills on time (mostly) and don't have orgies that they can see out in the back yard (nor do we have them in the house for that matter) people warmed up and welcomed us with open arms. Oh, they don't know what to refer to us as. We've become "the guys" in the big house... but they've been for the most part really super. We get invited to parties in the area, a local horse ranch owner offered to teach Don (my partner) how to ride a horse and then did so! While we're not exactly "Ozzie and Harriett" they've been more than accepting. We did a dinner party for about six couples a few weeks ago. The word got out that we could entertain and since then other friends have been "hinting" broadly for invitations to the next party! We thought they'd be all republican rednecked homophobes. Quite to our amazement we were totally wrong. We feel as at home here as we did in San Francisco and that's saying quite a lot! Because we're on acreage out in the desert, I decided to buy a gun or two and keep them in the house. Never did that before. One of my "straight" neighbors volunteered to take me to the gun shops, help me pick out the right stuff, and then taught me how to shoot. He also took me to a police sponsored course in gun safety and went through it with me! (He's been a gun owner all his life and certainly didn't need to take the course - hell, he could have easily taught it!)

So before you judge everyone in the valley by some rude rednecks that you may have encountered along the way - be a little more accepting of people and you may be amazed that they'll do the same for you. It sure worked for us.

There is far more to any man or woman than the degree they may hold, or the profession they're in. Or their bank balance. If you give people a chance you may find there are kind decent folk all over the world. Even with us being a bit "different" than most - they were a little scared of "gay folk" at first. Then they learned that we fight like any other married couple of 21 years duration. We have far more in common with them than we do differences. A couple of them even ventured to ask me about the mechanics of homosexual sex. No one had ever talked to them about it before! When I told them that our sex like was about like any other couples after 21 years together (that it mainly consisted of once in a while when we were both home, in the mood, and not too tired or sleepy to bother) - they all laughed knowing that we shared that, too! Being a doc, of course they asked me about AIDS, and what that was really like. I got a chance to tell them. I also introduced them to a friend of ours who's lived with HIV for 22 years and is perfectly healthy and happy and productive. He's also a producer for one of the hottest shows on TV this season! When he brought a couple of his cast members with him to spend the weekend in the desert, the neighbors were amazed to see real life celebs running around the area. I won't tell you who, but they're major "A" list celebs and my neighbors were over asking for autographs in about ten minutes after they got out of the car!

Nope, Don't judge it too quickly.

What a nice, uplifting post. Glad you like it here...We are lucky to have you.

[Elmonellie]

Originally Posted by movin'on

To each his own. It's my opinion that the people here are seriously lacking in certain qualities. It's MY opinion. Take it, FWIW.

What I want to know is why are these people in the Phoenix forums so nuts about my posting in threads like "Why I hate Phoenix," and I hate Phoenix, and it's in the right thread? I just don't get it. It IS a reflection on the level of intelligence of people here when they cannot see I am posting in the correct GD thread! I never had the need to defend SF when I lived there. To those that wanted out, I just thought, Oh Well. I certainly never jumped on the topic.

I think by and large people are not real smart here. My opinion. That IS what this thread is about. Please let me have MY opinion.

It's not that big of an effing deal. It's just MY opinion and I'm standing by it. Nothing to argue about, as no one is changing my mind and there is no sense in challenging what I believe to be true.

Well, I don't really see people in this thread "going nuts" over your opinion of hating Phx. You can give your opinion....and being that this is a public forum, we get to respond.

Frankly, I think people respond to your posts because you say curious things. Nobody is arguing with you. Nobody is trying to change your mind. However, you pepper a lot of your posts with comments on how very dumb Phoenicians are. Now you may believe that this is true, but I believe it to be an odd perception. See... that is my opinion. You get to have yours and I get to have mine.

Now, why do I have the feeling that you will respond as you have been attacked by a really not smart person lacking certain qualities you find essential?

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by movin'on

Yes, it does depend on where you are coming from. I came from San Francisco and just have a measley MBA. Now, while I don't live on that fancy mountain like you do, I do hold my own in N. Scottsdale. I just wish I knew where all these educated types hang out! Where do you hang out?

BTW, and this is just a thought, but I've often wondered why anyone with an income approximating 7 figures would choose to live here? I mean, there are certainly more desirable locations? Just in passing...you must have extra time on your hands.

ETA: a great lifestyle according to "those who can afford it" will not be here, rather in CA or NYC or Hawaii, you get my drift.

Let me preface (sp) this statement with the fact that I make well under 6 figures a year.

That stated: if money were no object-------I would not in any climate below Zone 8 with the possible exception of Prescott which rules out NYC, etc.

California is too damn crowded, if nothing else, to interest me anymore.

[Lovehound]

It is not unusual for people with high IQ to be lacking in social skills. Without such skills they look for something to justify their self worth and expect because they are smarter that somehow those of normal intellect will value that. Alas, such is not the case. The chances are, if a person upon meeting you tells you (brags) that they are in Mensa they will probably be people that aren't that interesting to be with. Unless you're a Mensa too of course.

I like intelligent people who don't lord it over you. I like it when I know them for a while and only then does it dawn on me, "Man! This guy is really smart!" Myself, I generally prefer intellectuals but I've met plenty of "just down home folks" who are a real trip to know too! In fact most of the really interesting "real character" people I've known probably weren't Mensa material.

It takes all types of people to populate the planet and the only ones who aren't interesting are those bragging about their high IQ scores.

Dull people talk about things.

Average people talk about people.

Smart people talk about ideas.

[movin'on]

Originally Posted by Elmonellie

Well, I don't really see people in this thread "going nuts" over your opinion of hating Phx. You can give your opinion....and being that this is a public forum, we get to respond.

Frankly, I think people respond to your posts because you say curious things. Nobody is arguing with you. Nobody is trying to change your mind. However, you pepper a lot of your posts with comments on how very dumb Phoenicians are. Now you may believe that this is true, but I believe it to be an odd perception. See... that is my opinion. You get to have yours and I get to have mine.

Now, why do I have the feeling that you will respond as you have been attacked by a really not smart person lacking certain qualities you find essential?

Curious things, odd perceptions - you might be right.

With all due respect and from where I came, the bar was higher. I worked alongside people from all over the globe with PhDs in everything ranging from a Russian woman with a PhD in physics to a Sri Lankan guy with a PhD in economics. Yes, where I came from was different. It was very diverse and I must tell you I felt like a dwarf walking among giants, often, as I only have a measly MBA. So, of course, my perception is going to be skewed. Stands to reason. I don't mean to offend but, let's face it, certain regions do attract higher levels of intellectualism than Phoenix.