Americas finest city more like Americas most finest facade (Los Angeles: middle-class, extended stay)

[alyandbud]

It's no wonder the rest of America hates Californians and thinks we are jerks. Southern California deserves it. This place is ridiculous. I would leave right now if I could.....[/quote]

Just so you know, I've never heard this and I've never heard anyone say anything about Californians, except that you're health-concious we're jealous of your weather!
PS- I guess I don't know how to quote, because this didn't work!

[cmdreset]

Originally Posted by cnkad

I have to agree that San diego was a lot nicer even just 10 or 15 years ago...but I am not sure it is quite as bad as some of you say. Maybe I am just naive. I dont think the people are so bad, and I have lived all over SD. But the only other places Ive lived are washington-which I could not take the weather, and Hawaii which I really loved. My question is are the people in other places really so much better? I really would like to hear what people that have lived in other places think.

Stereotypes usually have a grain of truth to them. SoCal = shallow and materialistic, Southerners = rednecks, New Englanders = unfriendly, etc.

You can find people in each place that fit the stereotype. The point is to find people who you like and who like you, which I've found over the years can be done anywhere, even in SD. My advice to the original poster: go get a few like minded friends and ignore the local stereotypes together.

[FunkyMonk]

The problem is that every city and area has a "vibe". Most people conform to this vibe purposely, in order to be successful and popular. In SD, this vibe happens to be the glamorous, made-up, wealthy, competetive stereotypical So-Cal style.

Lots of people purposely try to fit in and be accepted, they think they need to become just like everyone else so they won't be shunned socially and at their jobs, so they compromise themselves and conform to what's happening. Others just naturally become more like the people they are surrounded by. Often without realizing it, they start to become part of the "culture" they are immersed in.

It's too bad more people don't just let themselves be true individuals and free-thinkers. It's too bad more people don't recognize these little games people play for what they really are, pointless and fake. Most people become utterly lost in the vibe they are immersed in though.

I used to live in a place where it was "cool" to be spiritual. So everyone went out of their way to be spiritual, some people were obviously doing it just to be accepted, but still, it was a positive thing for everyone to be striving for.

But here in SD, what's considered "cool" is to show off your wealth, flaunt your body, dominate and compete against others, be rich and powerful, and all the other little things people do here that have been mentioned in this group hundreds of times. In San Diego, being "nice" doesn't seem to be as good as being rich, good looking and a "go-getter". Thus, lots of people here act very rude as they clamour for money and career goals. The San Diego dream.

Some people are consiously doing these things, but I think most in SD are just doing these things mindlessly, thinking it's normal because this lifestyle is so widespread and consuming down here. But they are lost in the illusion of this cities vibe. Pathetic.....

People are often the mindless products of their environment. Unless they purposely and consciously rise above. Which many people never do in their entire life.

[Joker32]

Why dont you guys just leave? Seriously, there are some ultra whiners on here. I grew up in silicon valley, hated it...and busted my ass to get to san diego and I love it to death. People on this board go on and on about materialism and fake people, blah blah blah. I treat people kindly and in return Ive found San Diegans are a friendly group and seem to have a small town community feel (unlike LA or SF). Im sure theres zillians of people in ***** towns across america that would love to be here. Go move to Seattle, Portland or SF, grow some dreads, dont shower, and hang out with like minded people who can go on about how they are real people.

[jkoz]

Detroit may be another option for those unhappy with S.D. . . 40% of them don't even have jobs right now due to poor economy. . . they'd give their eye teeth to put up with a little "materialism" I'm sure. Spend a month there and you'll start appreciating San Diego real fast.

[FunkyMonk]

There are always worse places of course. To some people, a small farm town would be a horrible place to live, others would love it. To some people SD is okay, to others it's a real challenge to live around here.

And SD isn't too bad if you look at the place itself. In fact it's kind of a nice place. The people here just act foolish. The society down here is fake and plastic. The cost of living is too high. These are all REAL PROBLEMS that are illustrated by the throngs of people moving out of here. There's a LOT of people that know this, it's not just a few "whiners" with unsubstantiated gripes.

If it makes you happy to ignore all the BS around here and just have some fun, go for it, that's the San Diego way. It's really hard for me to ignore the daily ignorance and rudeness I encounter around here.

And I am working hard to move outta here. Slowing getting there. But until then, i'm going to tell it like it is. The way I see it, the way many, many other people see it. Hopefully other people will take these things into consideration before moving here.

I wish I would've known about the fakeness and materialism down here before I came and just how strong and overpowering it is. I would've never come here at all. But nobody told me because they had their heads in the sand about it.

[TaJasMi]

Hmmm usually the people who say anywhere is overrated is someone who really likes it and cannot afford it so they have to leave, at least that has been my experience.
BTW how does Seaworld suck? That statement makes no sense.

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by TaJasMi

Hmmm usually the people who say anywhere is overrated is someone who really likes it and cannot afford it so they have to leave, at least that has been my experience.
BTW how does Seaworld suck? That statement makes no sense.

Because there really aren't many animals there when it comes down to it. Lot's of food, souveniers, rides and other distractions. But not much wildlife really. It has a big reputation among SD locals for being a big tourist trap.

The zoo on the other hand is great.

And the situation in SD is a little different. This city truely is overrated. It probobly used to live up to it's great reputation, but in recent years it has declined into a much worse city. People are flooding out of here. Read all the other posts to understand exactly why.

[leighland]

Originally Posted by FunkyMonk

I wish I would've known about the fakeness and materialism down here before I came and just how strong and overpowering it is. I would've never come here at all. But nobody told me because they had their heads in the sand about it.

Where are you going to move to? If you haven't decided you should move to the Philly metro area. It is the EXACT OPPOSITE of San Diego and you'd probably love it. Esp. the Main Line area.
I'm sorry you are having such a bad experience in SD. I think a lot of people move to SD thinking, "cool, it'll be just like my hometown of ____, except great weather". As you found out, that is not true at all and SD defintely have its own value system and ways of doing things.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by Joker32

Why dont you guys just leave? Seriously, there are some ultra whiners on here. I grew up in silicon valley, hated it...and busted my ass to get to san diego and I love it to death. People on this board go on and on about materialism and fake people, blah blah blah. I treat people kindly and in return Ive found San Diegans are a friendly group and seem to have a small town community feel (unlike LA or SF). Im sure theres zillians of people in ***** towns across america that would love to be here. Go move to Seattle, Portland or SF, grow some dreads, dont shower, and hang out with like minded people who can go on about how they are real people.

Originally Posted by jkoz

Detroit may be another option for those unhappy with S.D. . . 40% of them don't even have jobs right now due to poor economy. . . they'd give their eye teeth to put up with a little "materialism" I'm sure. Spend a month there and you'll start appreciating San Diego real fast.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I already left and I don't regret it or miss it one bit. Even though I don't live there any more, that place still gets on my nerves. Mainly because of the bitter experiences and memories I had there, but also because I'm still paying money to the County of San Diego and State of California because I'm forced to keep my real estate property since the values dropped far below what I payed for (yet another reason to be bitter). Of course foreclosure is an option, but that's even worse. I tried to give San Diego a chance, for 10 years, but so much has gone wrong for me there that I'm convinced that that place is cursed and nothing good was meant to happen to me there.

I'm in Pensacola, FL for the time being, and I couldn't be happier. This place is a nice relaxing atmosphere that doesn't have all the stress of San Diego. No traffic, no road rage, easy to drive around, easy to find parking, friendly people, even less crime than San Diego. This is truly a small town, which many in San Diego try to act like they live in but in reality, San Diego is a big city which lacks many good qualities that most big cities are expected to have, like culture, diversity, open-mindedness, and a conveniant mass transit system. It just has the negative qualities of a big city as mentioned above. Now I know that there are plenty of worse places than San Diego, like Detroit or Cleveland. But there are also plenty of places I would rather live than San Diego, including: parts of Florida, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, and Denver to name a few. That's just in the U.S., not to mention other nice places to live in foreign countries like Vancouver, Canada; Australia, parts of Western Europe, and Japan.